Minimal frames enhance the relationship with nature

“The exterior is always an interior,” declared Le Corbusier in Towards an Architecture, his most famous book that is the manifesto of modern architecture. Today, it is more essential than ever to consider the home as a space integrated with its surroundings, in balance and harmony with the human and non-human activities taking place in it. In order to follow this mentality, designers must know how to choose the right windows and doors, which are increasingly conceived as devices for the relationship between two environments – internal and external – and must be able to adapt to the complexity of different contexts. Every detail – opening systems, frame thickness, materials used, proportions – should therefore not be left to chance. Carminati Serramenti is the ideal partner to deal with this type of complexity. The company demonstrates its ability to meet the design, technical and aesthetic requirements of designers and customers through two very different projects, in which the relationship with the surrounding environment is fundamental, and which also share a high level of exposure to atmospheric agents.

Clinging to a cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Villa Livorno is a residence conceived on the basis of its direct relationship with nature: each opening is designed in relation to the surroundings, to have the best view and to allow an optimal amount of light. The architects chose the Skyline Minimal Frames system by Carminati Serramenti, which allows the thickness of the wooden profiles to be reduced to a minimum, resulting in a light and essential appearance. The large lifting sliding door opens the living area to the outside: made of white lacquered fir, it blends in with the wall and perfectly frames the scenery in just 37 mm thickness. The Floating Villa, designed by Lab Architects and moored on the banks of the Thames, has an even stronger and closer relationship to water. The window and doorframes complement a façade composed of wooden slats, enhancing the concept of 'made-to-measure' to its fullest extent. The Skyline lifting and sliding door becomes the focal point of the living area and an essential complement to an ever-changing landscape. In both projects, the windows and doors feature a lacquered finish and a special anti-salt treatment for the hardware, making them functional and durable. Carminati windows dispel the myth that would have it that wood is not suitable for seaside environments: with the right materials and proper maintenance, the characteristics of the wooden surfaces are preserved and the project acquires the charm and comfort that only wood can give.