2 minute read
History of the Sliding Door
Early Origins
In the 19th century, the Japanese refined the use of the Shoji door with sliding and removable panels. This new type of back door connecting the room to the garden expanded the living space rather than acted as a barrier. The doors were affectionately referred to as the eyes and skin of the home.
When Shoji doors were exported to Europe and America in the mid-1800, the feeling of light and openness that they featured influenced many new home designs. The most popular application of this theme was highlighted in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. His aim was to create a “whole living environment” by using more glass in the building envelope. After World War II, the modern architectural movement saw the role of windows changing as windows became walls. But what if those glass walls could move, opening up the entire space to the outside?
New Possibilities
The sliding glass patio door was the next step. But there were a few design challenges holding it back; poor weather resistance without high, unseemly sills, a lack of ease of use, and size limitations. In the 60’s, a German company created a new breed of sliding doors to address some of these issues, the Hebeschiebe Tür (translated: the liftslide door). Its design had the potential to solve many of these and open up new possibilities in how architecture impacted lifestyle.
In the 80’s, a California entrepreneur took the liftslide door’s early technology and adapted it to the American home. These design changes led to minimal profile sills with unmatched weather performance, ease of operation for oversized panels, and limitless configurations such as curved, corner and pocketing doors that could be built with larger panels.
Looking Forward
Today, it’s possible to seamlessly integrate the indoors and outdoors with confidence, knowing that performance isn’t sacrificed. The liftslide is unique in how big the panels can be and still slide effortlessly on a minimal track. It’s a big door for big views, and its exceptional performance brings peace of mind. These new sliding patio doors now connect the homeowner with their environment, adapt to site specific design and integrate advances in environmental design by enhancing the use of light, ventilation and space, ultimately providing freedom from traditional barriers.
Many new opportunities lie ahead in the way people can live and interact with their homes and surrounding environment. The liftslide offers solutions to these architectural aspirations.
