How Can a Glass Extension Change the Air of Your Home?

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Independent Place, MW Architects MW Architects Living room
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London-based team MW Architects bring us our newest homify 360°, which focuses not on an entire house, but instead a simple little backyard conservatory attached to a modern-day family home – complete with a double-curved, self-reciprocating, stressed skin, cantilevering composite timber roof.

The brief of the client stipulated a space with a bit more climatic stability, a little less glare and some more privacy, yet the light and visual link with the backyard garden had to be retained. In addition, they also wanted to use the existing foundations and retain the floor, slab, underfloor heating and tiles. 

In the end, the pros in charge designed a lightweight roof that would take advantage of low winter sun, shade the summer sun, provided more privacy, but also have sufficient glazing to connect to the small garden.

A new look: Outside

One side was close to a neighbouring property, meaning it was quite crucial that the eaves on this side were no higher than the existing structure. 

The proposal from the experts? A double-curving roof plane that was kept very low on one side, but peeled up in the corner towards the most open aspect, where there were no buildings and lots of sky. 

A clerestory all round lifts the roof, makes it appear to float and adds quite the striking finishing touch.

Practical touches

The final design is a double-curved, self-reciprocating, cantilevering composite timber roof structure, supported along one edge and on six small steel columns. The curving edges provide structural satiability to the cantilevering eaves, particularly to the raised corner. 

The roof beams are CNC cut in sections from a Laminated Veneered Lumber (LVL) panel. The connections are mortice and tenon, but also spliced, which allows the structural grid to be self-reciprocating at each connection and span in both directions. This also kept the structural members thin enough to provide sufficient headroom.

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Such a cosy addition

The hard work and creative planning paid off in spades, for the end result is a space that can be used all year round, any time of day. 

The exposed roof is definitely the focus point, providing delight to all visitors and continued satisfaction to the owners. Its warm and tactile finish encourages guests to reach up and touch it as it sweeps down to only just over 2 meters from the floor.

A link with the outdoors

Light and garden views seep effortlessly inside, making this design a prime choice for any occasion. As we can see, the full-height frameless glass corner enhances the garden connection and beautifully exaggerates the height of the raised corner.

All in all, a terrific design project that shows, once again, what can be achieved thanks to a commitment to excellence (not to mention some good, old-fashioned hard work). 

Shall we scope out a few more images?

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