You are here: Case Study: Bringing New Life To An Old Building - Part 2
Case Study: Bringing New Life To An Old Building
Part 2: The windows through which you see the world
External building fabrics are fundamental to any renovation project, but for Fliss and Rob’s Wiltshire chapel conversion the fenestrations have proven to be particularly annoying.
Windows, of course, confer so many more functions than just a means through which to see the world. Whilst they are essential for providing light and ventilation, they are also a potential source of unwanted heat loss and noise gain. The thermal, visual, acoustic and energy impacts of window choice on the internal environment created within a building can have significant psychological and physiological effects on its inhabitants, and therefore decisions about windows should never be taken lightly.
The original brief for Fliss and Rob’s methodist chapel conversion was “clean lines, open spaces and lots of light”. Achieving this would obviously require a range of different apertures, but one of the predominant components of the window design strategy was a large central lantern roof light. This 8-meter-long ridge window was designed to run the length of the middle section of the building, between the two end mezzanine floors, across the only part of the building where it’s full height was still to be maintained. The area below this window was envisioned as the communal heart of the building, a social space for welcoming and entertaining guests, with the huge overhead window flooding the interior with natural light by day and allowing the stars to be watched by night. It was considered a focal point of the renovation, symbolising a commitment to merging original architecture with modern aesthetics. Unfortunately for Fliss and Rob, it also became a symbol of their resilience and tenacity.
Challenges to installing any large structural feature during a big build are to be expected, but when that feature is made of glass and needs to be installed at almost eight meters above ground, the challenges are even greater. Furthermore, structures that are bespoke to the build and made to order come at an additional cost, in time, money and risk. For Fliss and Rob, that risk was realised in the interpretation of the architect’s drawings. The window manufacturer unfortunately misread the architect’s measurements when creating their own internal drawings which were then used for fabrication, resulting in the long-awaited arrival of a roof window that was half it’s intended size. The disappointment, the breakdown in professional relationships and the wrangling over cause and cost resulted in months of delay and a significant setback to the build.
The roof window debacle was eventually resolved, but it was, of course, only one of many windows in the building that needed consideration. Although not a listed building, the chapel is located in a conservation area, requiring the building façade to remain intact due to its local historical context. This façade includes two large arched front windows, fundamental features of the structure and aesthetic typical of this type of building, which cannot – and should not – be altered. For this chapel conversation, however, a mezzanine floor was introduced at the front of the building, positioned directly behind these two front windows. The resultant division of the windows necessitated careful and sympathetic positioning of the new floor levels, to ensure a harmonious integration with the existing window appearance.
Whilst preservation and restoration of the original features was important to the project, the building also needed to meet stringent building regulations and modern energy standards, with particular reference to its U-value requirements. Of the various options available to meet these requirements, Fliss and Rob chose secondary glazing for all the large windows, hoping to maintain the originality of these historic features while enhancing thermal efficiency. In addition to protecting both the glass and frame from dirt and damage, this option could be installed in-situ, maintaining the structural integrity of the windows and minimising the time, disruption and expense involved. Their first-choice option – to repair and retrofit double-glazed panes into the original window frames – would instead be added to the every-growing ‘one day maybe’ list.
As with many religious buildings of this era, Fliss and Rob’s former chapel also includes a central ocular, or rose, window high up on the front of the building. Following its conversion, the internal space behind that window became a bathroom, so both privacy and ventilation now became functional requirements for this window. Furthermore, to again meet demanding building regulations, a fire escape route was now required at the front of the building, and therefore this window was ingeniously replaced with an opening window of toughened safety glass, to meet fire safety regulations without compromising the building's aesthetic integrity.
Of course, no modern build project would be complete without inclusion of the super trendy Crittall®-style glazing. The resurgence of this metal framed segmented window style had not passed Fliss and Rob by, who opted for a black framed double glazed version at the back of the build, in the kitchen, back bedroom and outdoor summer house. Introducing these wide ground floor windows in the kitchen was transformative to the space, and, by opting for full opening sliding panes, enabled full air flow and a sense of the outside-inside on warm summer days ……
The decisions for this chapel conversion have only so far been for external windows. The place and role of interior glazing and partitions, as a potential solution to help separate and divide up the large internal space whilst maintaining the visual connection and ambience of open plan living, will be the next consideration. Each new addition presents an exhausting dichotomy of design choices, sometimes opting for architectural continuity by mimicking the old whilst other times choosing a contemporary, but complementary, contrast. For Fliss and Rob, each window tells a story - of respecting heritage, embracing innovation, overcoming challenges – and adds to this unique building’s growing and exciting narrative.
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