Sky-Frame: Engineering A View That Lasts
Sky-Frame CEO Angelo Razzino on what's behind the glass exterior...
Few glazing systems have shaped contemporary architecture as transparently – or as decisively – as Sky-Frame. In an exclusive interview, Angelo Razzino, CEO of Sky-Frame, shares the story behind the brand, its commitment to manufacturing at source, and the principles that continue to define what frameless glazing should be.
Image ©Adrian Bretscher
Glazing that is as much about philosophy as performance
To describe Sky-Frame simply as a window system is to misunderstand it. From its earliest beginnings, the ambition was never to frame a view, but to remove the frame altogether – replacing walls with glass in a way that works both technically as well as architecturally.
It is this idea – that glazing should disappear rather than dominate – that has guided Sky-Frame for more than three decades. And it is precisely this philosophy that continues to resonate with architects, designers and specialist partners such as Cotswold Windows, who understand that to achieve this ambition demands extraordinary engineering behind the scenes.
Since July, Sky-Frame has been led by Angelo Razzino, who stepped into the role of CEO in 2025 and is celebrating 10 years with Sky-Frame this month. His appointment reflects something fundamental about Sky-Frame: continuity matters.
“We are all strongly connected to the brand, the mission and what we have achieved over the last 20 years,” Angelo explains. “It was unthinkable that the new CEO would be an outsider. I have a long commitment to the Sky-Frame journey and am excited about how much we still have to achieve.”
Image © Richard Chivers
From workshop to world-first
Sky-Frame is a Swiss-designed frameless glazing system best known for its large-scale sliding doors that remove visual barriers between architecture and landscape. However, Sky-Frame’s story begins, not with radical minimalism, but with craft. Founded in 1993 as R&G Metallbau, the company was originally a small Swiss workshop producing high-quality bespoke metal solutions – traditional double-glazed windows, executed with precision.
The turning point came years later, when founder Beat Guhl became fascinated by a question that architects had been asking for over a century: what if a wall could be replaced with glass?
Inspired by early modernist ideals – from Bauhaus thinking onwards – the desire to dissolve boundaries between inside and out has always existed. What was missing was a system that could actually perform.
“It’s important to note that Beat had many ideas, and not all of them worked,” Angelo says. “But when the frameless sliding door concept emerged, it struck a nerve. Architects were waiting for this system to exist.”
Image © Claudia Luperto
Setting – and redefining – the standard
Over the last 20 years, Sky-Frame has quietly set the benchmark for frameless glazing. But the company has not stood still. Panel sizes have grown dramatically, and the products have evolved as clients’ needs have evolved, with an emphasis on future technological integrations such as smart windows.
“We are making windows that are bigger, wider, smarter!” says Angelo. “But there is also a need for additional products beyond sliding doors – architects want new innovations along with reliability, technology and longevity.”
What distinguishes Sky-Frame from many other frameless systems is its artisan heritage. Every component is engineered, manufactured and assembled in a single location in Switzerland.
“We do everything at source,” Angelo explains. “Other companies might specify profiles and manufacture locally, but we do it all here. The same people work on your product – that’s how we retain the same consistent quality.”
For clients with multiple properties across different countries, this approach guarantees absolute continuity – and for architects, it ensures that what is specified is exactly what arrives on site.
Image © Claudia Luperto
Designed to evolve, built to last
Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of Sky-Frame is its longevity. Unlike many architectural products, Sky-Frame systems are not static.
“Our products are designed to evolve,” says Angelo. “If you installed a Sky-Frame system in 2005 and want to upgrade it today, that is possible.”
This ability to retrofit new technologies – particularly important when systems are structurally embedded within a building – safeguards long-term value of the product. It also reflects a deeper commitment to responsible design: creating products that are not replaced, but refined over time.
The Sky-Frame system also offers a wide range of products and configurations which adds even greater value and scope for architects and designers.
Image © Claudia Luperto
One system, many contexts
From alpine environments to coastal homes, Sky-Frame’s performance-led approach allows it to operate across vastly different conditions.
“You might see a triple-glazed system in St Moritz surrounded by two metres of snow,” Angelo says, “or the same product on a sunny and warm beachfront property in Malibu.”
One of his favourite projects, however, sits closer to home: a historic manor house in the Cotswolds countryside, where contemporary glazing creates a deliberate contrast between old and new.
“That interplay between old and new fascinates me,” he reflects. “But that’s the beauty of Sky-Frame – we are not restricted to one type of architecture, style or environment – we create well-performing products for any area.”
Why partnership matters
Exceptional design only succeeds if it is executed flawlessly which is why local partners are such a crucial part of the chain for Sky-Frame. The company’s approach to partnerships reflects the same rigour applied to its products.
“You can design the best window in the world,” Angelo says, “but if it’s not installed correctly, it’s worthless.”
Sky-Frame works exclusively with carefully selected local specialists, such as Cotswold Windows, whose technical expertise, attention to detail and understanding of architectural intent align with Sky-Frame’s own standards.
“If someone thinks that a window is just a window, Sky-Frame is not the right fit,” Angelo adds.
Partners undergo ongoing training, annual re-certification and hands-on support from Sky-Frame installation specialists, ensuring that quality is never diluted, regardless of where they are based.
For specialist partners such as Cotswold Windows, this shared commitment to training, precision and architectural understanding is fundamental, particularly on complex, high-value residential projects.
Image © Claudia Luperto
Sky-Frame: a view that endures
Sky-Frame has just marked its tenth anniversary in its headquarters in Frauenfeld – a glass building designed by the architect Peter Kunz, one of the earliest adopters of Sky-Frame – with an extraordinary event celebrating ‘Beyond the Sky’.
This big vision thinking seems like a fitting metaphor for the next ten years as Angelo prepares to take the company forward, building on what his founder began and evolving the offering while staying true to Sky-Frame’s original values.
>Get in touch to talk about choosing Sky-Frame for your next project.
Image © Claudia Luperto
