Barn conversion with glass extension and bi-folding doors

This glass extension on a converted barn in the North York Moors makes the most of the countryside views while also fulfilling national park building criteria.

The custom-made Solarlux Wintergarden provided the perfect solution to the requirements of both the homeowners and the local conservation officers, offering the quality, aesthetics and versatility of design to keep everyone happy.

For our customers who owned the property, the vision was to create a lovely, light-filled space from which to enjoy panoramic views of the rolling hills. They were also keen stargazers and, with their home ideally located for clear night skies, they liked the idea of a glass roof for uninterrupted views of the heavens above.

However, the design of their extension also had to meet the criteria that applies to building work in national parks. The focus of the local planners and conservation officers was on ensuring that the new structure did not impact adversely on its surroundings. All home extensions in national parks are subject to a specific set of rules aimed at protecting the heritage, landscape and ecology of the area. A glass extension can work really well in this respect because its transparent quality helps it blend in both with the original property and the countryside around it.

The homeowners and planners recognised that a Solarlux Wintergarden would fit the bill perfectly for all their requirements. A visit to the display at our premises in Leeds confirmed to the homeowners that it was the right solution. We then helped them create a design and liaise with their local planners to ensure it fulfilled all necessary criteria.

The products

The gable wall of the barn was rebuilt with an opening into a Solarlux Akzent Plus Wintergarden. Fixed floor-to-ceiling windows were installed at the front and one side, with a three-pane Highline bi-folding door to the other side.

The green colour of the aluminium frame was DB 601 in a matt finish. This was part of the planning requirement to ensure the extension blended in with its environment.

The bi-folds have an accessible threshold and open out onto a patio overlooking the surrounding countryside, while the front windows also look out over the rolling hills.

Because of its location, the glass extension needed to be able to withstand the elements. Our design allowed for a massive wind capacity, creating reinforcement through additional steel on the eves beams, and through the use of longer legs. The fixed windows at the front of the structure had to be increased to 8mm toughened glass to cope with the wind load.

Delivery and installation

Working in such a hilly rural location has its challenges, as our team discovered when planning the delivery of the Wintergarden.

The steep gradient down to the property made it impossible for the Solarlux HGV to access the site. This meant we couldn’t deliver directly but rather had to arrange for the HGV driver to park in the farmer’s yard next door.

A Moffett forklift was then used to transport all the elements of the Wintergarden in a road convoy from the yard and down the hill to the property ready for construction. Because of the sharp incline of the hill, we even had to attach the Moffett to the homeowner’s 4x4 to add a counterweight for extra safety and a controlled descent.

Luckily, we had planned the whole thing to a tee and had liaised with Solarlux well in advance of the delivery, so everything ran smoothly.

Take a look at the video of the progress on site below, and read more about the history of this area of the North York Moors here.

Installation timelapse