To eliminate insect problems at his own house, architect James Russell needed an unobtrusive solution.
In designing his award-winning home – a modern space nestled between two heritage-listed buildings – architect James Russell sought a dynamic solution to the mosquito problem: “Wonderful screening is more important than wonderful doors. I couldn’t find clean large screening that kept the house open without being invasive.”
Consisting of two pavilions around an open courtyard, the house required a screening product that would protect the occupants from flying pests but would still enable use of the open spaces. Offering easy installation and unobtrusive design, Centor Architectural’s S1 screening system was the ideal solution. “The S1 slides effortlessly, allowing you to control the house while still enjoying the fresh air,” James says. ”There is nothing to impair your view. The screens retract invisibly into the door frame so I was able to add them after the house was completed with minimal adjustments.”
The house won the RAIA Queensland Chapter’s 2006 Robin Dods Award for Residential Architecture and received a commendation in the RAIA Robin Boyd Award for Residential Buildings in the 2006 national program.
Centor Architectural’s S1 screen is the world’s first fully retractable sliding screen for large openings on any new, renovated or existing premises, suitable for all door and window types with single spans up to 3,050 mm high and 7,400 mm wide.
Once opened, the screen disappears into the door frame, eliminating intrusive and unsightly excess tracks and multistacked panels.
With no crude spring-loading to fight against, the S1’s Load Balancing Technology enables effortless fingertip control and keeps the screen firm in any chosen position along the track. This means far greater mesh tension, eliminating any tendency for the screen to sag.
The S1 screen system has undergone cyclic testing to 400,000 laboratory operations. Should strong winds blow the screen out of the top or bottom channels, the mesh will self-feed back into place as it retracts. Plus, it’s made from tough PVC-coated polyester mesh, is hard-wearing and resistant to damage from pets and children.
The system is available in custom powdercoat colours, natural anodized and real timber veneer finishes to blend with any existing or new designs.
Alongside the S1 screening system, Centor offers a range of other intelligent screening solutions for window and door openings.
Centor’s ES2 is the world’s first bifold door system with a fully integrated insect screen for openings up to 5,800 mm wide and 3,000 mm high. The ES2 screen is integrated into the door frame so it slides smoothly and effortlessly. The screen feels integral to the structure of the door – not something tacked on as an afterthought.
Centor’s EW, the first folding window system to offer a fully integrated retractable insect screen, successfully brings the functionality of bifold technology to smaller-scale openings.
The S1, ES2 and EW screening systems are backed by the 50 years of expertise that won Centor the Australian Telstra Business of the Year Awards for Innovation in 2008 and the Queensland Business of the Year award.