Barrier-free access to the outdoors, without compromising on glass

Large glass surfaces give hotels, restaurants, and cafés an open feel and bring the indoors and outdoors closer together. At the same time, there is a growing focus on accessibility and user comfort. A smooth transition is particularly important for patios, winter gardens, and other outdoor spaces. Modern sliding systems offer ways to combine large glass surfaces with virtually threshold-free passageways.

Spacious glass facades have become an integral part of contemporary architecture. They provide plenty of natural light, offer expansive views of the outdoors, and can visually extend an interior space onto a patio, garden, or other outdoor setting. In hotels and restaurants, there’s another aspect to consider: all guests must be able to move through the building as easily as possible.

The transition between indoors and outdoors therefore deserves special attention. Traditional door constructions often have a raised threshold. For people in wheelchairs, users of walkers, and parents with strollers, such a difference in height can pose an obstacle. With modern sliding windows and sliding doors, the bottom frame can be integrated so that it is virtually flush with the floor. This creates a virtually threshold-free transition.

Free passage

In such sliding systems, the glass panels move linearly along two- or three-track rails. Ball-bearing stainless steel rollers and guide rails ensure that the panels can be slid relatively easily and quietly. The design can also meet the requirements for accessible construction.

An important practical advantage is that sliding panels do not protrude into the room when opened, as is the case with traditional hinged or balcony doors. This keeps walkways clear and prevents any additional obstacles from forming. Especially in restaurants, hotel lobbies, breakfast rooms, and event halls—where large numbers of people are often present at the same time—this can contribute to freedom of movement and safety. At the same time, the available floor space remains usable for seating or flexible layouts, for example.

Flexible Use of Outdoor Space

Sliding glass panels can be used in settings such as restaurant patios, hotel gardens, sunrooms, and balconies. They create an open, spacious feel, while allowing a space to be quickly made more open or, conversely, more sheltered, depending on the weather conditions.

Depending on the application, non-insulated, thermally insulated, and high-performance insulated versions are available. This allows such systems to be used in both seasonal outdoor spaces and spaces that are used year-round.

Technically, very high glass-to-frame ratios are possible: in multi-sash designs, the glass-to-frame ratio can reach approximately 98 percent. At the same time, systems can be equipped with burglary protection up to resistance class RC2 and lockable security latches. Aluminum and stainless steel hardware make the structures suitable for long-term and intensive use.