February 11, 2020

Create Additional Living Spaces with Glazed Rooftop Extensions

Written by Lucy Thompson

Expanding upwards

In 2019 the government proposed changes to the planning laws which would mean that it was easier for buildings to be extended upwards, adding up to two storeys onto an existing building.

Aiming to create more homes across the country, the proposal was posed as a way to partially resolve the British housing crisis. Knight Frank, a leading property consultant, undertook a complex survey to reveal that provisionally, London zones 1 & 2 alone could provide 40,000 new homes by building upwards.

This change in legislation could see a real opportunity for contractors and architects to maximise existing buildings in London, adding up to two storeys onto an existing building and creating more living space.

However, in tight urban environments extending a building upwards can have an impact on neighbouring buildings, green spaces and sightlines by blocking vision and daylight.

One architectural choice to mitigate these key issues is to incorporate architectural glazing into these rooftop extensions. By using large elevations of glazing to the additional living spaces you could create upward extensions that still allow light to reach neighbouring buildings.

This recent rooftop extension in London was made almost entirely of glazing on all external facades.  The walls of the rooftop extension were created from an integrated combination of structural glazing and our minimal windows sliding door system. We worked with the architects (Sutton CA) and the contractor to ensure the glazing design worked well with the wider architectural intention for the renovation and extension. The minimalism of the glazing means that natural light is not impeded.

Another great example of a glazed rooftop extension to a mixed-use building is Borough High Street. The rooftop box was created using angled structural glass walls and flush bonded doors to create an ‘all-glass’ design that minimised the impact of the extra storey on the surrounding buildings.

Glass roof extensions could be implemented across buildings to create modern, penthouse-style homes. As it is increasingly popular for buildings to use maximum amounts of glass within their structure, this would no longer look out of place when built on a 19th-century property. IQ constantly strive to combine contemporary properties with modern extensions, bridging the gap between indoor and outdoor living. The completed projects use various materials and finished to ensure the transition into modern is seamless.

One thing that is for certain is that adding complex extensions will require top-level architects and builders. The movement should not be taken lightly and could transform the country for the better if carefully and creatively thought out before construction commences. Combining residential and commercial has never been so appealing.

Having a wide berth of experience in extending buildings in all directions, IQ are able to offer expert advice and services on this topic of upwards extending. Get in touch if you want to discuss your project.