Glazing Vision unlocks natural light at award-winning refurb in Sheffield

30 Jul 2019

Glazing Vision’s Wall-abutted Flushglaze rooflight was central to unlocking natural light and enhancing old materials at an award-winning extension and refurb in Sheffield.

The Hollis Building, a former Sunday school, serves as a social space, housing facilities for both Channing Hall and the Upper Chapel, both of which are Grade II listed landmarks.

Chiles Evans + Care Architects were tasked with reorganising and modernising the space – which involved addressing the unsatisfactory levels of natural light. The building is situated in a courtyard, where natural daylight could only be found by looking up. Therefore, skylights proved to be the optimal solution to capturing the advantages of daylight in this social space.

Key considerations for the project included an outcome that augmented the existing motif, or at the very least, was neutral in style. Also, it was crucial to consider how the rooflights would make it onto the site, due to the building being in an area with restricted access and alongside Grade II listed buildings.

Chiles Evans specified the wall mounted Flushglaze roof light from Glazing Vision, having had a great experience with them in the past. The frameless internal views provided by the Flushglaze were an especially appropriate choice for a scheme that aims to respectfully blend old and new.

Three long North-facing rooflights to the new zinc roof flood the space with daylight, enhancing the deep texture of the old walls and offering unexpected views of the sky within the enclosed site. The bright, inviting space cloister plays on the contrast with the darker, formal chapel, creating a dramatic sequence of spaces through which visitors are invited to journey.

The Wall-abutted Flushglaze is a flat fixed rooflight with no visible internal framework. Glazing Vision Secure and Secure+ roof lights are Building Regulations Approved and Document Q compliant, tested to LPS2081 Issue 1: 2015 certified by the Loss Prevention Certification Board and approved Secured by Design. Each skylight is double glazed with a heatsoak tested low-emissivity outer pane, an 18mm silicone sealed argon spacer and a heat-strengthened PVB laminated inner pane.

Glazing Vision liaised with the architectural design team and roof installer throughout the project to ensure continuity when delivering and installing the rooflights.

The Hollis building itself achieved Regional Small Project of the Year at the 2019 RIBA Yorkshire Awards. The Wall-abutted Flushglaze rooflight was “absolutely key to the cloister space” and the judging panel “particularly noted their positive impact on the overall scheme”.

Contact:

Glazing Vision Ltd,
Sawmills Road,
Diss,
IP22 4RG

01379 658 300

[email protected]

Visit the Glazing Vision website