BY JORI DIEGO CHERUBINI

 

In 1975 the cooperatives movement was at a high point in Italy as, in order to survive in a changing marketplace, small artisans merged into larger groups. This is what happened with Art5, which grouped five firms into a single company. Today this company produces fixtures, doors, gates, windows, outdoor and indoor furniture, custom-made furniture and furnishings. All authentic design creations made by expert craftspeople.

ART 5 wooden doors and windows meet the highest standards in their field, designed to perfection and made using innovative technologies: «The world of doors and windows – says company vice president Stefano – has evolved a lot and uses technologies that were unthinkable until recently. The materials must be aesthetically pleasing and at the same time perform their function very well: we are always careful to minimize their impact, letting a lot of light and therefore the view of the landscape through».

Window frames in particular have to follow technical requirements, such as resistance to air, water and sound. In this sense, ART5 has established itself in the design and supply of a wide range of windows with great aesthetic and technical value, and compliant with the strictest European regulations: «In a window frame on a main road, for example in Siena or Florence, acoustics damping plays a fundamental role and is provided by a set of factors to do with the glass. Very thin films are also capable of increasing the thermal properties four or five times more than before and therefore also considerably improve energy savings». The brands are the best around, from both Italian and European firms. The rest of the work is done with valuable woods and with the window seals. The window fixtures, to reach their maximum performance, are first tested in the laboratory: «each one –  Stefano points out –  is physically tested with artificial atmospheric effects with winds pushed to 200 km in which the glass inflates like a balloon, and is really put to a tough test, but, of course, it resists perfectly».

The customer chooses the type of frame, size and colour, and, in about twenty days ART5 will assemble it. «The processing takes place in small batches where everything flows like an artisanal assembly line». Among works carried out (masterfully) by the company are the Mastrojanni Winery of Castelnuovo dell’Abate (see photo) but also the Oasi la Foce and other large buildings in the area. «We move between a single frame to large jobs, in an area of operation that covers the provinces of Siena and Grosseto, and expert installers take care of the rest». All products are guaranteed for two years, during which time, if something should happen, ART5 will promptly intervene, «but things also happen later because the wood is alive, so it can happen that it moves, and we intervene immediately, although, as mentioned, these are unbeatable products for quality and durability. We are among the few remaining craftsmen in the sector, our task is to constantly update ourselves on new technologies, but also to pass on the tradition from those that taught us and who, with great foresight, started this story so long ago».

 

ART5, Bivio dell’Asso, Montalcino (Si). Tel. +39 0577 834079 – artcinque@gmail.com. Web: www.infissiart5.it