Celebrity Life

Luxury window system distributor JS Aluminium Window invites five experienced designers to tell us about the importance of a high-quality, premium window system - from their point of view.

When designing your ideal place - be it a polished one to focus and work in, a relaxing one to unwind and retreat in, or even a welcoming one for a guest to stay in - creating space and setting the right mood is key. In this densely populated city with limited ground (over three-quarters of Hong Kong is green, conservation area!), it's important to utilise what you can to make your spaces open, bright and comforting.

But it's not just aesthetics - given the unpredictable weather we see year and year on, it's more important than ever to choose a high-quality, typhoon-proof window system that is guaranteed to withstand whatever is thrown at it and protect your home. Windows are an essential tool in space-making and mood-setting - let these five interior designers tell you exactly why:

Bean Buro

Led by Royal Institute of British Architects architects Lorène Faure and Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, architecture and interior studio Bean Buro provides award-winning architectural interior design services.

“With our background as architects, we approach our interiors, emphasising utilising natural daylight and shadows to create spaces. Windows are fundamental to the architectural setting since they are situated at the threshold between inside and outside, constantly informing our perception of the external sceneries and our tactile experiences of internal material finishes when they are brought to life by natural daylight.”

— Lorène Faure & Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui, founders of Bean Buro

Bean Buro, www.beanburo.com, instagram.com/bean_buro, facebook.com/beanburo

BEAUTY BLOODY BONZA

Integrated architecture and interior design firm BEAUTY BLOODY BONZA specialises in multi-residential, private residential and commercial design in cities across Asia, with an Australian design philosophy.

“Not purely a visual medium, windows alter the way we feel space and experience our home. Simultaneously protecting from and connecting to the elements, fenestration presents the ability to transform the spaces we inhabit. Through operability and manoeuvrability, they become key touchpoints, where the quality of the system is felt through the weighted effortlessness of their movement”

— Peter Scott, co-founder of BEAUTY BLOODY BONZA

BEAUTY BLOODY BONZA, www.beautybloodybonza.com, instagram.com/beautybloodybonza

Monotype Studio

Design firm Monotype Studio is the brainchild of Bartlett School of Architecture graduate Jackey Ip. The founder and design director draws inspiration from Hong Kong's rich cultural history - some of his projects include co-designing the MoMa store in K11 Musea as well as the recent opening of the Golden Scene cinema in Kennedy Town by his own studio.

“Picture window invites us to take in a view that is thoughtfully framed, from a scenic moment to a time-lapse of urban dynamics. The awareness of time gives us hints to adapt our day with timely events or functions. Our interior layouts could be composed from inside out, and harmoniously with windows outside in, dramatizing a façade with a montage of indoor life and lights at night…”

— Jackey Ip, founder and design director Monotype Studio

Monotype Studio, instagram.com/mntyp.hk, facebook.com/mntyp.hk

OFGA

Started in 2013, OFGA is a boutique design practice based in Hong Kong that specialises in architecture, branding and space-making.

“A window gives orientation. It's a point of connection to the elements. Is there a dramatic view? What is the quality of the light? Is it loud outside? Do we want to draw air in? Modern windows give us greater creative freedom in selecting which elements to draw in and which to keep out. It affords us greater confidence to go bigger and to create more meaningful connections.”

— Winston Yeo, co-founder of OFGA

OFGA, www.ofga.co, www.instagram.com/ofga_hk, www.facebook.com/ofgahk

Eureka

Design firm Eureka's projects include bringing new life into existing libraries and tenements, as well as constructing everything from piers to children's playrooms.

“We see window as a spatial device that defines the atmosphere of a space. Be it a narrow slit opening that brings in a glance of the landscape at a meditation space, or a mirage-like impressionist painting through textured glass, the window is performing actively in the creation of the emotion of a space."

— Eureka Hong Kong

Eureka Hong Kong, www.eurekadesign.hk, www.facebook.com/eureka.architects

JS Aluminium Window Group Limited, info@js-window.com; +852 3621-0138

The post 5 Designers Tell Us How Essential Windows Are in Creating Open Space and the Right Ambiance appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Global warming has brought along with it extreme subtropical storms and weather. Typhoons, infamous for sending Hong Kongers running to board and tape up their windows, have increased in both frequency and intensity and the need for a high-quality windows system has never been so high.

Window and façade solutions company JS Aluminium Window carries a range of bespoke window systems that are weather-proof, innovative and aesthetically sound: boasting a wide range of European proprietary systems from the continent's best brands.

The company is the official Hong Kong distributor and exclusive carrier of Belgian-based Aliplast Aluminium Systems (one of the market leaders in aluminium systems), Astec (an Italian prestige brand specialising in bronze material), Solarlux (a German specialist in bi-folding doors, whose latest streamline sliding system Cero brings to life an impressive sleek corner solution) and Italian Secco Sistemi (that produce sustainable integrated systems in eco-friendly materials like stainless steel, galvanised steel, and brass).

Proprietary windows promise to be the safest, most durable, and best-designed system with accurate structure calculation.

JS Aluminium Window's easily customised and pre-tested European proprietary system windows come thoughtfully designed with robust frames, gaskets, panes and hardware that deliver the best performance, functionality and security.

The use of gaskets in proprietary systems enables moisture to evaporate through well-designed airways - avoiding condensation and fogginess. The chamber structure with gaskets ensures water stays out of the home and its premium material is certain to withstand any weather Hong Kong has to offer.

Proprietary system windows also have thermal breaks and insulating double glazing - creating an eco-friendly way to moderate your indoor room temperature. In addition, the stable aluminium windows' inward-facing glazing bead design makes this system burglar-resistant.

To add to the charm, they're elegant and modern, with a minimalistic design aesthetic that'll keep your home beautiful-looking and thoroughly protected.

JS Aluminium Window commits to clear communication and transparency at every stage - promising tailor-made details for even the toughest of design challenges, transforming your vision into reality.

A construction technician will do a comprehensive, thorough inspection of your home and take into consideration every conceivable obstacle: water damage, any need for thermal insulation, noise pollution, theft, small tight spaces, and (of course!) increasingly harsh weather. Once a structural designer draws up a detailed draft up to your satisfaction, you'll be able to truly visualise your dream home. JS Window guarantees a masterful installation by professionals - and its reliable and attentive customer after-sales service allows you to get in touch ASAP, should there be any later concerns on your side.

JS Aluminium Window's proprietary system ensures a clean design made from luxury textures and finishing, leaving you with beautiful windows and little to worry about - there'll be no taping up windows in your future!

(Hero Image: Aluminium window and door system by Aliplast)

Find out more here

The post These Bespoke Windows by JS Aluminium are Typhoon-Safe and Aesthetically Sound appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Founder of JS Aluminium Window Esmond Pat shares his foresight and lasting commitment to premium European-brand window frames, glazing and shuttering for the home and commercial buildings.

“In Hong Kong, people are knowledgeable, eager to learn more and pursue the best quality in everything they buy,” says Esmond Pat, managing director of JS Aluminium Window, by way of a preamble to the question of what inspired him to launch this niche high-end company. “The price of property here is sky high, so consumers care about the quality of their investment. And as global warming causes more frequent monsoon rages and other unfriendly weather, property owners push to adopt a safeguard first layer of protection.”

Pat identified growth potential in demand for quality windows and window servicing, and the rapid success of JS Aluminium Window seems to have proved him right. The company, which focuses on European frames and glazing, has enlarged its inventory of models, from initially stocking one brand to ranges by four of the continent’s most reputable manufacturers.

[caption id="attachment_211259" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Esmond Pat is the founder of JS Aluminium Window. (Image: Alison Kwan)[/caption]

“We only carry those we think they are the best,” he confirms. “We carry brands with many window and facade options that offer different solutions.” Some models are offered in an enormous range of subtly different colours, while others allow for the selection of premium frame metal or finishes. Choices also abound in how the windows function, with sliding, concertina and regular swing opening mechanisms.

Along with the core European window and shuttering facade systems, suitable for both residential and commercial structures, related offerings from Pat’s company include retractable sunshades, and typhoon-grade shutters handpicked to be able to withstand the most extreme sub-tropical weather challenges.

On Brand

Some key points of differentiation make the JS Aluminium Window portfolio of quality brands quite special, and worthy of their prices, Pat notes. “All are European proprietary systems. They have particularly high performance in thermal insulation and water management [repelling and draining capabilities]. The products we carry are the best of their kind on the market.

“We’re about offering the best bespoke solution to help our clients choose the right type of window that functions and performs in ways that they require. Also, the products’ clean designs and fine texture and finishing become [important] aesthetics and tasteful mood-setting elements.”

The company is the exclusive Hong Kong distributor of Aliplast Aluminium Systems — a Belgium-based company that specialises in windows, doors, conservatories, sliding systems and curtain facades — that strives for product innovation, design, technical capability and quality. JS Aluminium Window’s client base has risen so quickly that Pat has ventured into an element of production.

“In order to offer the highest bespoke levels and manage the quality of theses products, we have set up our own Aliplast factory in Shanghai,” he explains. “This shortens the production waiting times and freight costs for our architect and developer clients.”

[caption id="attachment_211261" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cero by Solarlux.[/caption]

Other brands carried include Solarlux, a German maker known for high-performance bi-folding large-format windows; and Secco from Italy — with bespoke systems in precious premium materials.

Customer Satisfaction

While Pat’s clients are mostly in the architecture, interior design, property developer and construction industry fields, many individual customers approach JS Aluminium Windows directly. And those numbers of small property owners directly requesting glazing consultations have increased from 11 percent in the early years of business to a very sizeable 43 percent today. “In the beginning, it was mostly architects that came to us for fine products from a design perspective or looking for functional window solutions,” Pat says. “Nowadays, knowledge and information flows across the internet. Many individuals even come to us for a consultation before they start a makeover project they’re considering.”

Of the different clients — both construction industry and home or commercial building-owner — that JS Aluminium Window has, there are recognisable constants in their reasons for enlisting the company’s services, besides the elevated durability, function and aesthetics of the products alone.

[gallery ids="211308,211309,211304,211305,211306,211307"]

“We focus on and have put a lot effort into upholding the quality of both our communications and the deliverables,” emphasises Pat. “We’ve always had a 100 percent satisfaction rate according to client feedback. This is because of our superior precise bespoke-solutions service that matches the premium and high-performance products we carry. We had feedback from one architect who chose us over other international window-solution companies because he really appreciated the high level of our service.

Quality Costs

Weighing up the “value” in the premium cost of high-quality frames and glazing (or other panel materials within frames, shuttering and related products carried by JS Aluminium Window) is similar to other top-quality functional products. “You pay for what you get. Guaranteed-warranty ranges have little in common with their ubiquitously installed aluminium-framed counterparts,” Pat says. “Plus window maintenance is part of the standard service — not that it’s often called for with such premium products.” Even coloured coatings are guaranteed for 10 years (except for materials that are oxidation-active, such as bronze or copper).

“There are different reasons why people to come to us,” says Pat. “Our proprietary systems offer high acoustic performance [both indoor refraction of sound and keeping of external noise at bay], which I think many Hong Kong people need.

[caption id="attachment_211310" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Secco Sistemi - Window profile making of.[/caption]

“Our products are lightweight, which is handy for clients who wish to own a set of oversized windows in flats with high ceilings, and for room corner solutions that look neat and chic and are structurally reliable.

“Apart from aluminium windows, there’s a larger material selection; it definitely becomes more expensive if you are looking for more precious materials, such as bronze, brass — or stainless steel.

“The products speak for themselves, but most importantly each one is a [separate] installation module requiring precise calculations. There’s a lot of manpower involved in what we do — together with our premium products, we might not earn more than a random window supplier on the street for each project. But our goal is perfection — and that further explains our glowing client satisfaction record.”

[caption id="attachment_211260" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Esmond Pat at work: “I’m involved in almost every role."[/caption]

Pat is a hands-on director: “I’m almost in every role,” he admits. “Although we have comprehensive service and production flows and accurate communications across internal and client areas, I insist on constant reviews with our end-users, as there’s no room for error. Clients come to us looking for high-quality and standards, so I monitor the whole process chain, regardless of a project’s scale — client satisfaction is everything to me.”

The post Esmond Pat on the Importance of Quality Windows and Providing Bespoke Solutions appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.