Designing a continuous glass facade within an oak structure
The architectural challenge at Hayle House was to integrate a large glazed elevation within the expressed oak frame without allowing the aluminium profiles to compete with the timber structure. The glazing needed to maximise daylight and landscape views while following the proportions and junctions established by the structural frame.
A two-track minimal windows® system was configured with three sliding panes and nine fixed panes. The sliding and fixed units form a continuous glazed plane across the principal elevation, allowing the surrounding landscape to remain visible from the main living spaces.
Two fixed glass-to-glass corner connections allow the glass facade with oak frame to wrap around the building with minimal interruption. A specialist opening on the north-east elevation was positioned to increase daylight and strengthen the relationship between the interior and its natural setting.
Resolving coastal exposure and structural performance
Hayle House is positioned approximately 2km from the sea, requiring the glazing package to respond to wind exposure and airborne salts. The system was designed for a project wind load of 1.37kN/m², with the glass specification, vertical profiles and supporting oak structure coordinated around this requirement.
The aluminium framing was finished in RAL 7021 matt with a marine-grade coating to protect the system in the coastal environment. Black gaskets, silicone and warm-edge spacers were specified to maintain colour consistency across the glass elevation.
The largest individual pane weighed approximately 179kg. This required the installation strategy and structural interfaces to be considered alongside the glass dimensions, coastal exposure and fixed corner conditions.
Precision-engineered sliding doors and fixed glass corners
The minimal windows® system provided the slim sightlines and configuration flexibility required to integrate sliding openings into the wider fixed glass façade. Its 21mm interlocks minimise visible framing while retaining the structural and weather performance required for the coastal site.
The glass units comprise 8mm clear toughened outer panes with SKN175 solar control coating and heat-soak testing, a 14mm argon-filled cavity with black warm-edge spacer and silicone, and 8mm toughened heat-soak-tested inner panes. This specification combines solar control, insulation and durability while maintaining clear views through the façade.
EPDM seals were used on all four sides to support weather resistance. Internally, a colour-matched RAL 7021 lever handle operates a two-point Type 1 locking system with shoot bolts, integrating security within the minimal framing.
Minimal glazing connecting the home with its setting
The completed installation creates a continuous interaction between the oak structure, internal living spaces and surrounding Cornish landscape. Sliding panes provide direct access to the outside, while the fixed glass elevations and corner connections maintain uninterrupted views when the doors are closed.
The project demonstrates how minimal windows® can be integrated within exposed timber architecture where frame alignment, structural performance and material coordination are central to the design. The result is a technically resolved glass façade that retains the warmth of the oak frame while introducing the transparency required by the architectural brief.
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