With large areas of glazing prominent throughout the property, over-heating from solar heat gain and glare was a concern. Blinds offered one solution to the issue, but it would have impacted views and the building’s sleek design. To therefore provide unobstructed views to exterior areas and reduce the need for mechanical air conditioning, a shading system from CS was specified.

Brise soleil is a proven method of significantly reducing solar heat gain in a building. It is traditionally used on commercial projects to provide a sustainable way of embracing the desire for large expanses of glass whilst managing potential over-heating. However, it can also be used on domestic projects, as beautifully demonstrated on this private house, where its installation complemented the vertical brick and glass façade whilst providing occupants with a comfortable and light-filled interior.

CS’ Airfoil® Brise Soleil system was fitted to the first and second level of the property’s southern side. Installed in a cantilevered arrangement, it provided effective shading whilst offering a degree of privacy screening to the top floor bedrooms.

The Airfoil blades were supported by a masonry colonnade with horizontal steel beams. Nearly 250m of airfoil-shaped, 380mm-wide fins were used. The robust profile fitted in with the overall design of the building’s façade and allowed for 6m spans to be used at anticipated wind load, reducing the amount of supports required for the installation. The fins were powder-coated to Anthracite Grey RAL 7016 to provide a modern finish whilst blending with the glazing and balcony balustrading.