Fairstead Games Room, Essex

A Contemporary Games Pavilion Featuring Slim Sliding Doors in Essex

Slim Sliding Doors in Essex

 

Set within a quiet rural corner of Essex, the Fairstead Games Room is a new standalone annex designed to complement and expand a Grade II listed country house. Hox Design Architects envisioned a calm, contemporary space that would contrast the existing cottage architecture while maintaining sympathy with its historic setting. IQ Glass was appointed as the specialist glazing  subcontractor for the project, supplying and installing a suite of slim sliding doors in Essex along with structural glazing to create a bright, modern entertainment space that opens directly onto landscaped gardens and long rural views. 

Products Used

Project Partners

Hox Design  

Location

Essex

Blending Modern Architecture With Protected Heritage 

The Games Room forms part of a collection of buildings arranged around a courtyard near the main house. The new structure needed to be visually distinct yet materially harmonious with the surrounding heritage buildings. Oak weatherboarding, zinc cladding and frameless glazing were selected as the primary materials to achieve a modern architectural expression while respecting the rural vernacular.  

The design required a balance between openness and enclosure. The clients wanted a fully glazed elevation facing the garden to maximise views and light, but the space needed to remain warm, sheltered and visually connected to the main house. The building also required a glazed link that could act as a transitional threshold, maintaining legibility between old and new while delivering the clarity and refinement expected of a luxury leisure space.

Ultra Slim Sliding Doors Opening to the Gardens 

The main garden‑facing elevation features a four panel, two track ultra slim sliding door system in a bi‑parting configuration, measuring 6.3m wide and 2.7m tall. This glazing forms the visual heart of the building, allowing the games room to open directly onto the surrounding lawns with fully flush, step free access. The slim 21mm aluminium profile ensures minimal interruption to views, reinforcing the connection to the landscape.  

The sliding doors sit beneath a zinc clad roof with an inset frameless rooflight, ensuring daylight reaches deep into the interior. The large panels enable the entire façade to glide effortlessly aside, creating an indoor‑outdoor environment suited to entertaining. Two frameless slot windows flank the sliding elevation, offering additional daylight without compromising the minimalist aesthetic. 

Frameless Glass Link and Integrated Rooflight 

Arrival into the Games Room is via a 3.7m long glazed link constructed from single glazed structural glass panels spanning from floor to ceiling. Two frameless double door sets are integrated seamlessly into the link, maintaining a clean architectural language that sets the tone for the space beyond. The link is finished with coordinating timber elements that connect visually to the weatherboarded exterior, reinforcing the continuity between materials.  

Above the main activity space, a 4m by 1.5m rooflight introduces controlled daylight while framing views of the sky. This combination of vertical and overhead glazing creates a balanced lighting strategy and enhances the sense of volume, contributing to the warm, airy character of the room.

Architectural Character and Long‑Term Value 

The Games Room forms an important new addition to the estate, creating a dedicated leisure space that enhances the functionality of the property without altering the listed building itself. Its combination of oak cladding, zinc, and structural glazing provides a modern architectural identity that remains respectful of its rural location. Such additions typically strengthen long term estate value by increasing usable floor area and generating new lifestyle amenities sought after by homeowners in Essex.

Technical Details 

  • Four panel, two track sliding door system in bi‑parting configuration, measuring 6.3m wide and 2.7m tall. 
  • Sliding door system constructed from thermally broken aluminium with 21mm profile. 
  • Glazing build up: fully insulated double glazing with low e coating and argon gas filling.  
  • Performance ratings: air permeability Class 4 (EN 12207), rain resistance Class 8A (EN 12208), wind resistance Class C4/B5 (EN 12210), sound insulation up to 39dB (ISO 717‑1), burglary protection up to PAS24. 
  • Flush threshold providing step free access, compliant with DIN 18040‑1 and DIN 18040‑2. 
  • Two fixed frameless slot windows installed either side of the sliding elevation. 
  • Glazed link measuring 3.7m by 2.7m formed from single glazed structural glass with frameless detailing and two integrated frameless double door sets. 
  • Rooflight measuring 4m by 1.5m positioned above the games room.  

Slim Sliding Doors in Essex 

For architects, developers and homeowners seeking slim sliding doors in Essex, this project demonstrates how ultra minimal glazing can transform a standalone annex into a light filled, contemporary leisure space. The Fairstead Games Room highlights the value of combining slim sliding systems, frameless detailing and a rigorous material palette to create architecture that is both modern and harmonious within a rural setting. 

If you are designing a luxury home, leisure pavilion or extension in Essex, IQ Glass can provide early stage feasibility advice, detailed technical specification and bespoke glazing solutions tailored to your project. Contact our technical team to begin your design journey. 

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