Multipart Flushglaze Rooflight Creates Glass Roof In Homeowners Strive For Added Daylight

Natural sunlight and space were two of the key objectives for this extension located in South London. The client, an artist, writer, and former fine arts lecturer, had recently moved to London from Oxfordshire to be closer to her family, and was looking to produce a peaceful, tranquil space to help improve creativity when at work.

“I had no fixed ideas about what I wanted, but I wanted more space because it was very small, very dark and I just needed to breathe” Client via Evening Standard.

Looking to update this Victorian house into a future proof property, Atelier Baulier Architects worked with the client to achieve the radical vision of a virtually half opened roof through the use of a rooflight. Our Multi-Part Flushglaze rooflight was specified at just short of 8 metres which immerses the entire extension in daylight making the 21 sq. m. space feel much larger, hoping to improve the client’s productivity and focus.

The art studio is located under the doubleheight volume, enjoying even light levels throughout the day. The writing room takes the vantage point of the mezzanine above the bathroom and is accessed from the first floor level through an opening made in the gable.

Keen to retain discreet detailing to ensure the rooflight framing wasn’t distracting from the design, the Multi Part Rooflight was specified with silicone joints, as opposed to aluminium balustrades, making the product much sleeker. To help daylight flood the room even further, the unit was specified with three Wall Abutments on the high left and right side. The Wall Abutments are not visible from the internal view, this helped to enhance the desired discreet detailing.

As stated, the rooflight was supplied in three sections with the frameless silicone joints segmenting each section; the three sections were sized to achieve an equal split when viewed from underneath. This meant that the end sections had to be larger to account for the upstand width.

“We aimed to maximise the potential of this unusual site. Rather than subdividing the space the programme is housed within one continuous volume, allowing the daylight to flow through.” Aurore Baulier, Director, Atelier Baulier Architects

With the house being located in a conservation area, the extension naturally blends in with its outstanding surroundings. Brickwork is a major part of this Victorian cottage and its extension. The new volume is a wood-fibre insulated timber construction overclad with bricks slips, resulting in a much lower carbon footprint than a traditional masonry wall. On the interior, brick slips dress the walls continuing the pattern created by the whitewashed brickwork of the existing gable.

Atelier Baulier Architects worked brilliantly to maintain the nostalgic look of the building whilst also transforming it into a contemporary home, with the use of a glass rooflight proving to be successful in adding a vast amount of light and space to the originally dark and gloomy Victorian house.