Images: Richard Wood
EXPERIENCE
The Glasshouse
Glen Thomas Architecture's latest project,
'The Glasshouse', is a radically contemporary
development of a stunning three-story
Victorian house in a Welsh conservation
area, for a couple and their two children.
Although the clients brief was to preserve
much of the original elements of the
property, their main desire was LIGHT. In a
dark, damp old Victorian structure, this was a
big task to undertake.
Working closely with the Structural Engineer,
many of the load bearing walls were
34 - www.refurbandrestore.co.uk
demolished, allowing for an open plan
interior, whilst allowing a flood of natural
light into the core of the house. views of the sky and the tree lined avenue
adjacent to the property, which can now be
seen from anywhere on the ground floor.
The more recent addition of a double
height flat roof extension was removed and
replaced with a 9m long structural glass
roof which had to be made in Germany and
craned into position. Throughout the house, full height
sliding pocket doors emerge from open
spaces, allowing for rooms to be secretly
sub-divided, creating a flexible spatial
environment for its inhabitants.
The new Anthracite aluminum clad, flat roof
rear extension, formed a seamless internal
continuation of the open plan Kitchen /
Dining space, framing the garden. The
The rear ground floor walls were replaced
with full height glass walls. The new,
transparent skin of the structure welcomes