The Europa Minimal Frame, a new aluminum architectural system, was developed by the company's R&D Department as a high-performing sliding system, emphasizing functionality, design and aesthetics. Recently awarded the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2022 in the Interior Design Elements category, the Minimal Frame aluminum system and its innovation, functionality and longevity present a number of benefits for designs which aspire to a minimalism that combines aesthetic simplicity and luxury.
Its variety of applications make it ideal for residential and hotel buildings, combining straight lines with the smallest possible visible 25mm aluminum frame. It has typologies for architectural constructions of high requirements and specifications, and is suitable for very large openings, ensuring unobstructed views, plenty of light and unobstructed movement outside or inside. The system is completed by high-performing thermal insulation, sound reduction and waterproofing and ease of functionality for various construction solutions.
The system is a great architectural choice for creating a naturally open and bright space which combines high aesthetics with top thermal insulation function, and is available for a wide variety of construction solutions.
Unobstructed, limitless view
The openings cover a surface of up to 24 m2 and 4m of height, providing high energy performance and sound insulation, and are both easy to use and operate.
The result is an unbarred crossing from the space’s interior to its exterior and vice versa, and a smooth water flow through the integrated drainage threshold below floor level. There is also the possibility to completely cover the window frame inside walls and the floor, for optimum visibility and light diffusion in the space.
The fully concealed in-floor track system ensures the unobstructed movement through both interior and exterior spaces, making it fully accessible for people with disabilities. The existing gaps are efficiently covered by floor materials, providing a visually even outcome.
The stainless steel rollers are subjected to an additional passivation process for enhanced resistance to corrosion. The design innovation lies within the mounting of rollers on the bottom track system (vent), which ensures the flawless movement of sashes weighing up to 1000 kg.
Unique style
The Minimal Frame can be selected with two different types of handles:
Α. The aluminium profile with the built-in handle maximizes the mechanical properties of the sash, while providing the potential to open it at any height point.
Β. The additional handle grip is mounted on the window sash as part of the multiple lock point mechanism, providing the potential to be replaced without being required to remove the sash from the structure.
There is also the option to use triple window glazing, with a width of 38 mm to 40 mm, for high levels of thermal and sound insulation. The deceleration mechanism used allows for a smooth and silent closing of windows.
The window frames are minimalistic and their track system can be fully concealed into the floor, in walls and into the ceiling. Only multi-slide windows are visible, at the point where they overlap each other, with a width of 25 mm.
Functionality
The system’s special design is innovative due to its use of stainless steel rollers on the bottom track system, which allow for a smooth functionality, even for window sashes that weight up to 1,000 kg. Additionally, the roller can be easily repaired or replaced, due to the innovative design of the sliding system. The mounting of rollers on the bottom vent allow easy access to the sliding system, without the requirement to remove the window sashes.
The aesthetics and uniformity of materials, combined with peak performance features, communicate with the pure minimalism of the system’s glass facades. The large double or triple glaze sashes, in conjunction with the stainless steel track rollers allow for their comfortable, easy and silent opening and closing.
The wide variety of options form a system that ensures design and construction flexibility, such as the concealed, horizontal sliding, push-to-open Insect screen solution (also available in motor-operated vertical slider option), as well as the multi-slide horizontal window net that is recessed into walls. Solutions which allow natural ventilation of the interior space, provide protection, peak aesthetics and functional practicality.
About EUROPA: EUROPA PROFIL ALUMINUM SA is ranked among the largest aluminum processing industries in Greece. It was founded in 1974 and has grown over the years with continuous investments in mechanical equipment, technology and human resources. Today, more than 48 years later, it has achieved its goal of becoming one of the largest and most recognized aluminum companies in Greece with more than 350 employees, exports to over 28 countries around the world and one of the most developed networks of aluminum manufacturers.
Read more about the Minimal Frame system specifications by downloading the document below: