Issue 35 autumn 2022 - Flipbook - Page 8
However, as the cottage is a Grade II listed building the
homeowner couldn’t just install any rooflight.
In Practice
Frog Pond Cottage
There are hundreds of quintessential cottages nestled in
the heart of the English countryside, often with thatched
roofs, just like something on a postcard. Whilst these cottages are beautiful on the outside, they often lack light
and space on the inside and are typically bound by strict
planning permissions.
Luckily, the Planning Officers themselves were able to
assist the homeowner in sourcing a product fit for the job.
On their advice, two Conservation Rooflights were
installed to the ensuite bathroom. The finished result is
the beautifully light and airy ensuite bathroom that the
homeowner had envisioned from the inside, and a period
Salisbury cottage still quintessential from the outside, all
without compromising on the thermal efficiency of
the ensuite thanks to the high-performance of the
Conservation Rooflight.
This was the very dilemma a homeowner in Salisbury,
Wiltshire encountered when he came to renovate an
ensuite shower room in his cottage. Whilst the ensuite
runs the length of the adjoining bedroom, due to the
property’s modest size, it’s only a few feet wide. It was
incredibly dark, with no existing windows or the wall
space to install them. So, the homeowner needed to put
their thinking cap on, to overcome these challenges or
the renovation would be futile. Natural light to create the
bright and airy ensuite space was important, as was thermal efficiency to minimise draughts and regulate the
steam created by the shower. So, whatever the solution,
he needed to ensure he didn’t compromise the already
limited thermal efficiency of his property.
“We love our new bathroom and are absolutely delighted
with the end result. The natural light from the Conservation Rooflight transforms the room.”
– The homeowner
Butler’s & Colonial Wharf
Completed in the height of the Victorian era, Butler’s and
Colonial Wharf was once the largest shipping and warehouse complex in London, making it the beating heart of
the nation’s spice trade for over 150 years.
Whilst the ensuite didn’t have the wall space to install
vertical windows, it was in the eaves of the building, so
there were no floors above it. Thinking creatively, the
homeowner opted to use the ceiling space by installing
rooflights to allow an abundance of natural light to flood
into the small space and add somewhere for the steam to
escape.
After the building fell into a state of disuse and dereliction,
it was transformed into blocks of luxury flats in the 1980s.
With the renovation came low ceilings and partition walls
which reduced the building’s access to natural light and
ventilation.
Below, Frog Pond Cottage
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
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