Article Glass OPEN-PLAN TO BROKEN-PLAN Glass is the ideal material for zoning open-plan living and working spaces. But how easy are sliding doors and balustrades to install and maintain? Simon Boocock, Managing Director of CRL Europe, takes a look... Open-plan living has become more of a lifestyle choice than a passing trend, with homeowners keen to maximise space, light and flow by removing walls and creating a cohesive atmosphere. Not restricted to residential properties, openplan working environments are popular too, with some studies even suggesting that such spaces encourage productivity and aid employee wellbeing. However, while open-plan living and working has clear advantages, there are negative aspects to it too. Noise travels easily from one area to another, for example, making it difficult to concentrate in an office environment, or to enjoy a spot of TV without disturbance from the sound of cooking appliances when at home. Lack of privacy Personal space and privacy can also be lacking. If you need solitude or silence it may be necessary to move to a different area of the house altogether. High concentration activities can be hard to complete and discrete conversations will have to move to a different area. While rugs, carpets, and heavy furniture can act as sound barriers, filling the space with too many can defeat the purpose of the open concept floor plan in the first place. This has given rise to a new trend in the form of ‘broken plan living’, a phrase used to describe open spaces that feature different levels or retain some walls to create distinctive zones and areas with quiet or privacy. In practice, this could be achieved in several ways using glass. For instance, an open plan kitchen and open plan living room may remain next to each other, but on different levels and “Glass is a popular option for creating a ‘broken plan’ space” perhaps with glass balustrades between them, to reduce sound transference. Alternatively, sliding doors across an area provide the flexibility of having a space open or closed off quickly, great for working at home or in an office environment. Glass is a popular option for creating a ‘broken plan’ space. The natural flow of light is not restricted and there is no visual obstacle that can often make spaces look and feel much smaller, yet glass is a good sound barrier and a stylish addition to any décor. Frameless sliding glass doors or balustrades such as those from CRL work seamlessly in a contemporary or classic setting and feature the latest ingenuity to ensure they are straightforward to install. With the trend for sophisticated matte black hardware also on the rise, sliding glass door hardware, such as the CRL Brooklyn frame system, also offers the opportunity to incorporate the latest looks into the installation. For residential use, this taps into the move towards open-plan living, acting as an elegant and practical division between kitchen and living areas, for example, while enabling light to flow throughout. Commercially, the system is also perfect for use in environments like restaurants or offices too. The minimalist style of the matte black door frame has been developed with classic lines to complement a wide range of interior styles. Smooth operation The system is suitable for dropped ceiling and fixed ceiling applications and allows for a vertical adjustment of +/- 3 mm. It even gives the option to install bi-parting doors with the use of an extra set of clamps. Tested to 100,000 cycles for quality assurance and with all relevant safety certificates approved, CRL Brooklyn has an enhanced double soft-close system, making it as smooth in operation as it is in appearance. For situations where glass balustrades are a more suitable zoning option, perhaps where a large open-plan space is split across several levels, dry-glazed systems make life easier for the installer. CRL MEGAgrip, for example, uses screw-clamp technology with no requirement for specialist tools, and enabling the glass to be easily removed and replaced if required for maintenance purposes. Such solutions ensure that installing a wall of glass for the perfect open to broken-plan living and working solution, is light work. Contact CRL: 01706 863600 www.crlaurence.co.uk 56 T I JANUARY <strong>2024</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
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