Bringing the landscape indoors, despite the cold

Fogo Island (or Fire Island in English) is a surprising name. After all, the island is located in the ice-cold and rough North Atlantic in the province of Newfoundland and therefore literally at the "end of the world" – even by Canadian standards. Measuring 254 km², the island is sparsely populated. The barren landscape is home to around 2700 inhabitants who predominantly live in small wooden houses painted bright colours. The houses on stilts with wraparound decks along the coast are particularly eye-catching. Their design dates back to the time when cod fishing was the main source of income for the islanders. Built on stilts over the ocean, wooden structures (known as "rooms") were connected with the main dwelling and served as a platform for processing and drying the fish that were caught.

A hybrid in more ways than one

Designed and constructed by the architect Kingman Brewster, a newbuild in the small village of Joe Batt’s Arm is strikingly modern. Brewster is from New York and moved from Brooklyn (NY) to Fogo Island with his family over ten years ago. Although the intention was to stay for just a few months, the family never left. Kingman Brewster has been respectfully marrying his contemporary sense of design and comfort with his appreciation for the local architecture ever since, which can be clearly seen in this family home: partly built on stilts, the building appears to float above the rocky landscape. This gives it a lightweight appearance, like a gentle footprint on lichen-covered rock. On the one hand, the stilts are practical for building on the uneven terrain, but they also pay homage to the typical wooden houses where the local fishermen process their catch.

Aside from the stilt design, the small square windows are also reminiscent of the regional architecture. They frame the views from the inside, like a passe-partout, shining the spotlight on specific interesting details in the vast landscape. By contrast, large window and sliding units provide unobstructed views of the breathtaking surroundings and allow as much daylight as possible to flood the rooms. Schüco systems made of both PVC-U and aluminium have been used – the perfect material to suit requirements.

Windows with excellent U values bring a sense of well-being

Newfoundland is one of the coldest regions in Canada with an average daily high temperature of only eight degrees. If a house here is meant to be a cosy home, then a highly thermally insulated building envelope is crucial – especially if an open design with as much transparency as possible is the aim. This is why the Schüco LivIng 82 AS PVC-U window system was chosen. With excellent frame and thermal insulation values of U_f = 1.0 W/(m²K) and U_w = 0.90 W/(m²K), Schüco LivIng windows bring a sense of well-being – because, even in the harshest winter, the temperature of the frame on the inside never falls noticeably below the temperature of the room. Thanks to the unique sealing technology, draughts and condensation are effectively and permanently avoided.

Comfort components for barrier-free use

The same is true of the PVC-U Schüco LivIng lift-and-slide doors that have been installed. They are thermally insulated to low-energy house standard and therefore create an internal climate that is pleasant at all times. With a basic depth of 82 mm, a frame value of U_f = 1.3 W/(m²K) and high-quality insulating glass, Schüco LivIngSlide achieves excellent thermal insulation values up to U_w = 0.80 W/(m²K). With its high level of weathertightness, the sliding system provides the best protection whatever the weather conditions. The lift-and-slide doors are also incredibly practical: the option of fitting them with an electric drive means that even large sliding units can be opened and closed easily and conveniently by means of a switch or smart home solution. The level threshold ensures complete ease of access and means there is no trip hazard. Due to its excellent thermal insulation properties, the thermally broken threshold also reliably prevents any draughty floor areas.

Cradle to cradle – 100 % recyclable

Large, moving window vents would be impractical given the prevailing strong and cold winds on Fogo Island, so large fixed lights were chosen for two locations in the home. The Schüco AWS 75.SI⁺ (Super Insulated) aluminium window system was used for this purpose. Thanks to its particularly narrow profiles, it combines visual lightness with the high stability of aluminium. As windows with fixed glazing do not need to bear the weight of a moving opening vent or require any opening space inside, they can be large – like the ones used in this project, measuring 2.4 m x 2.8 m.

Despite its size, the Schüco AWS 75.SI⁺ window system features excellent thermal insulation with U_f values as low as 0.92 W/(m²K) with the 75 mm basic depth. You will not feel the frosty temperatures indoors at all, even if the snow seems close enough to touch. The Cradle to Cradle-certified aluminium system also makes a decisive contribution towards achieving the aim of a sustainable building concept: Schüco AWS 75.SI⁺ is 100 % recyclable and can be reprocessed into highly valuable raw materials with their original quality when dismantled.

No discernible difference between PVC-U and aluminium

Even though some of the windows, sliding doors and fixed lights are made of aluminium and others of PVC-U in order to meet structural, visual and thermal insulation requirements, this has no impact whatsoever on the uniform appearance of the building envelope. As the various components have the same profile colour (traffic white on the inside, anthracite grey on the outside), there is no discernible difference between them. This gives the exterior of the building a calm, minimalist appearance – and helps it to blend in with its surroundings.

Project details

Architect: Kingman Brewster (kingman brewster studio)
Fabricator: Uniplast GmbH Bauteile

Schüco products/materials installed:
Aluminium windows: Schüco AWS 75.SI⁺
PVC-U windows: Schüco LivIng 82 AS Classic
PVC-U sliding doors: Schüco LivIngSlide
PVC-U doors: Schüco LivIng 82 AS
Surfaces of all Schüco units: RAL 9016 traffic white on the inside, RAL 7016 anthracite grey on the outside
Completion: March 2023