Lincolns Inn | Listed Building Structural Glass Floors

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London Glazing Projects
Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London

Located on the north side of London’s largest public square, this Georgian townhouse at Lincoln’s Inn Fields has been transformed from a long‑standing solicitor’s office into a contemporary five‑storey residence. Working alongside Burrell Foley Fischer (BFF) and main contractor Knight Harwood, IQ Glass was commissioned to design and install all specialist glazing for the renovation, including a complex series of fire rated glazing to a listed building that forms the new heart of the home.

The project reimagines the property through the insertion of frameless fire rated glass floors and structural walk‑on glazing, allowing natural light to permeate the interior and connecting previously separated storeys with a new glazed enclosure.

Products Used

Project Partners

Burrell Foley Fischer

Location

London

Working within a Sensitive Heritage Framework

The property at Lincoln’s Inn Fields is a Grade II listed home constructed around 1740 as part of the early Georgian development of the square. Over time, the property became a legal office, with internal spaces subdivided and modernised in ways that obscured its original layout. The challenge for the architectural team was to restore the integrity of the building while introducing a contemporary living environment suited to modern family life.

The clients required an open, light filled central space, but the absence of a garden and the constraints of the Georgian fabric meant natural light had to be introduced vertically. Fire protection was a critical concern due to the building’s narrow footprint and multi‑level layout. Any new intervention had to improve fire safety while remaining visually unobtrusive and fully compliant with heritage requirements.

Fire Rated Glass Floors Creating a New Lightwell

IQ Glass provided a series of internal fire rated structural glass floors that span the central lightwell of the house. These walk‑on glass units provide both a physical connection between the wings of the building and a fire stopping function to protect escape routes. IQ created a series of walk on fire rated glass structures, manufactured from nine individual panes of fire rated structural glass and set on a steel frame in a cross‑hatch formation. The glazed floor allows daylight to filter downwards from a traditional patent glass roof overhead.

This installation creates a new spatial centrepiece for the home. The fire rated floors are flush and frameless in appearance, maintaining the Georgian clarity of the restored interiors while performing to the stringent requirements of a listed property undergoing full refurbishment.

Roof Terrace Glazing and Walk‑On Glass Surfaces

With no private garden available at ground level, the design introduced a roof terrace positioned between the retained rear roof pitches. IQ Glass supplied a collection of structural glass floor panels for this new terrace, including one single pane walk‑on element and another formed from six panes supported by a steel frame. These glazed surfaces sit flush with the timber decking, enabling daylight to penetrate interior levels while providing safe, durable circulation zones.

All walk‑on glass received a sandblasted finish for privacy and anti‑slip safety. The consistent detailing ensures that the glazed terrace remains visually coherent with the newly refurbished interior spaces and supports the property’s ambition for a light filled, contemporary residential environment.

a frosted glass floor over a void in a london house

a interior view of a frosted glass floor

Heritage Significance and Contemporary Renewal

Lincoln’s Inn Fields is one of London’s most historically layered addresses. Designed originally in the 1630s under the influence of Inigo Jones, it has served as a residential square, legal precinct and cultural landmark. The building has retained much of its 18th‑century fabric, including an original staircase, early joinery and historic plasterwork. The renovation by BFF embraces these features, restoring heritage elements while integrating modern services and structural upgrades.

The addition of fire rated structural glazing elevates the property by enhancing safety, increasing natural light penetration and modernising circulation, all while preserving the architectural integrity that makes the home unique. These high-performance interventions contribute significantly to its long-term residential value.

Technical Details

A series of internal fire rated structural glass floors installed to fill a central lightwell.

Glass floors constructed from nine panes of fire rated structural glass set on a fire rated steel frame in a cross-hatch formation.

Walk on structural glass floors installed to the rooftop terrace, including one single pane unit and one six pane unit supported by a steel frame.

All walk on glass surfaces finished with a sandblasted coating for privacy and slip resistance.

Frameless detailing applied to all internal and external structural glass elements to maintain visual continuity within the listed building.

Fire Rated Glazing to a Listed Building

For architects, developers and home owners undertaking a renovation that requires fire rated glazing to a listed building, this project demonstrates how specialist glazing can deliver both safety and architectural clarity. At Lincoln’s Inn Fields, fire rated floors and structural glass transform a historic townhouse into a bright, contemporary home without compromising its heritage fabric.

If you are planning a listed building redevelopment or require performance led glazing solutions, IQ Glass can provide early-stage feasibility input, technical guidance and bespoke fire rated systems tailored to sensitive historic environments. Contact our team to discuss your project.

Associated Products

Sandblasted Glass Panels

Sandblasted glass is widely used in architecture and interior design for its aesthetic appeal and practical benefits. It offers privacy, reduces glare, and can be used for decorative purposes on doors, windows, partitions, and more.