External Louvres Archives

A west-facing waterfront home is an architectural dream.

But only when you can tame the afternoon sun.

Working on The Peninsula House presented a classic architectural challenge. While offering fantastic evening light, the strictly west-facing orientation meant the home took the absolute brunt of the harsh, low-angle afternoon sun. For the homeowners, this meant intense heat gain, blinding glare, and uncomfortable living spaces precisely when the sun began to set.

Here is how we solved it.

To transform this thermal challenge into a distinct asset, we crafted a high-performance shading package tailored exactly to how the family uses each space. We integrated cutting-edge Renson Fixscreens across the expansive windows and ground-floor alfresco, pairing them perfectly with dynamic External Venetian Blinds overlooking the pool. The result is a comprehensive shield that deflects solar radiation before it enters the home, keeping the interior beautifully cool while maintaining privacy and clear lines of sight to the water.

But we didn’t stop there.

True waterfront luxury is also about maximizing your outdoor living spaces, regardless of the elements. The exposed upper-floor balcony and the home’s roofline skylights were acting as absolute heat traps, severely limiting their use.

To solve this, we installed a premium Renson Camargue motorised louvered roof system over the balcony, alongside sleek, highly-tensioned markilux 770 awnings over the skylights. We expertly installed this innovative exterior shielding to act as a premier defense against top-down and western thermal gain. It grants the homeowners complete command over their environment, allowing them to dial in the exact amount of sunlight or close the systems entirely for a private, waterproof retreat.

We don’t just install external shading. We engineer comfortable, energy-efficient environments where a home at the mercy of the elements becomes a highly usable, year-round sanctuary.

SCOPE
External Sun Control & Outdoor Living Systems

COMPLETION
2020

PHOTOGRAPHY
Studio Hill

Located in Earlwood in Sydney, and created by renowned architect Joe Snell, Double Halo House is a design masterpiece: a contemporary ‘forever home’ perched high on a sandstone outcrop. Looking for window coverings that would complement the impeccable style of this home – and provide all-important privacy and thermal control, the design team turned to the team at A’besco.

On the home’s exterior, they chose to install a range of smart coverings, including a Leiner Sunrain Awning. This awning combines all the advantages of a folding arm awning, with Leiner’s patented Sunrain technology which offers protection from both sun and rain, year round.

To complete the contemporary exterior, A’besco also recommended Linus horizontal sliding – a very durable aluminium cladding that is invisibly mounted and available in a wide range of colours. This cladding can also run over sliding doors for a seamless and uniform look. Horiso External Venetian Blinds were also used on the outside of this designer home. As well as adding to the sleek and modern look, these blinds reduce solar heat gain, maximise the flow of natural light, and provide essential privacy when needed. The slats also tilt up to 130°, and can fully retract.

SCOPE
Architect Joe Snell was after solutions for his beautiful design to provide the client with privacy, heat protection and aesthetics.

COMPLETION
2021

PHOTOGRAPHY
Dave Wheeler