Technical article: The rotary-wing/sliding window – Architecture with a twin use

Both the architect and the developer harbour the hope that the facade advisor can turn ideas from architectural competitions or planning design concepts into viable design solutions cost-efficiently.

The requirements of the energy saving regulations and, not least of all, civil law aspects of the workplace regulations have a limiting effect on architectural concepts or inspire the engineer to respond with physical regularities and smart design solutions to turn these requirements into new, complete functions.

This new feature has caused a stir in the industry and has met with widespread approval from architects.

The rotary-wing/sliding window has been designed as a narrow and floor-height sash which, after a swivel action, stands at 90° in the middle of the open window, opening like a rotary wing and which, whilst swivelling to 90°, moves the fulcrum into the middle of the opening field via a sliding rail and a control lever. The two gaps remaining to the left and right of this window, which opens at an angle of 90°, are designed to ensure that there is no danger of anyone falling through at any point during the opening process and when the sash is at its end position since the width of the gap conforms to building control standards.

The turning/sliding fitting supports wing widths of between 350mm and 600 mm, with a wing height of up to 3400 mm. In the case of larger wing widths, vertical push-type handles are included as guide supports to be pressed and to safeguard the clear gap dimensions in compliance with building planning law.

The self-setting free ventilation cross-section stretches the full height of the element, allowing a very effective and quick exchange of air and helping the quick, natural movement of air in and out of the room.

It also ensures the natural extraction of smoke from the room.

Thanks to its innovative fittings, the wing is designed to prevent it from banging, preventing the need for additional safeguards to prevent this, such as safety railings or attachments.

The wing can be connected directly to a partition wall along the hinge side without hampering operation. Opened at an angle of 90°, the wing and its handle are adequately far away from the adjacent partition wall.

Between 2002 and 2003 the Collignon Fischötter Architects Office in Berlin designed a highly sophisticated piece of glazed architecture in the construction project at Lennéstrasse 3 in Berlin / Potsdam Square, featuring a novel turning and sliding fitting which has been developed and supplied by esco.

Thanks to the persistence of the architects, their facade planners Ludwig & Meyer managed to implement the basic principles of the design, and they took the daring step of drawing upon the wing-coupling function, of the sort found in vertical sash/pivot-hung sash applications, and designing it with a swing action and hinge-sided guidance in the direction of movement of an upright sash. The investor trusted its experts, was enthusiastic about the innovation and now owns a property with a world-first making it unique.

Working together with Schüco international and thanks to the lasting support of the investment advisors priedemann fassadenberatung GmbH, esco has developed the Collignon Fischötter Architecture Office's idea through to the point where it is ready for series production. The turning/sliding fitting boasts high standards in terms of functionality and quality.

This "world first" allows architect and facade design consultants to implement cost-efficient planning, to increase the proportion of fixed-glazed window elements and to exploit the high efficiency of the projected window. One particularly advantageous feature in terms of energy is the possibility of designing the rotary-wing/sliding window as a composite window and to fit it with printed panes or with integrated shades. Furthermore, an external shade system can be fitted without any limitations since the wing opens completely inwards. The fact that this new fitting systems does away with any further safety measures contributes towards the high regard in which it is held.

Summary:

• Homogeneity of the flat facade without additional guard structures
• Ventilation without restricting the external shade system or anti-glare effect
• Reduced total installation depth of the facade package; where relevant, greater lettable surface area (sunshade and facade design without the additional construction depth of the guard components).

Signed: Priedemann

priedemann Fassadenberatung GmbH
Kurfürstenstrasse 50
12249 berlin
Tel.: 0049 30 772 30-58
Fax: 0049 30 772 30-57
E-Mail: info@remove-this.priedemann.de
Web: http://www.fassadenberatung.de