Tenterden Grove

Contemporary penthouse apartments with structural glass roof in North London

IQ Glass provided the glazing solutions for these stunning penthouse apartments in North London that previously lacked natural sunlight. The bespoke glazing works to the apartments were extremely varied to draw in as much light as possible.

To the penthouse apartment, a structural glass roof was installed which flooded the building with light. A structural glass roof assembly was looked on favourably by the planners for its frameless laminated glass beam, causing no visual obstruction.

As much frameless structural glass as possible was used on this project to create a highly contemporary aesthetic that didn’t obstruct the surrounding views. Frameless structural glass beams are the perfect accompaniment for structural glass roofs as they create a cohesive design and accentuate the minimalistic aesthetic.

The glass roof was a 3D composition that included angled glass panes at each side to create a truncated square pyramid. The glass roof combined with the slanted vertical panes provided a 360 degrees sky view that could be enjoyed from the top floor of the apartment building.

A solar control coating was applied to reduce solar gain within the pyramidal frustum and make the space comfortable even in the height of summer. As the sun shines onto the glass roof continuously throughout the day, it was essential that there was an element of sun protection applied to the glass otherwise the whole apartment building would become overheated, especially during summer.

The solar control glass coating helps to reduce solar gain within this building as it reflects the radiant heat back outside to stop too much heat from passing through the glass. Without this coating, the penthouse apartment would be unbearably hot and uncomfortable, so IQ Glass ensured that the practicality of this glazing design was carefully considered.

Structural glazing was used for the modern glass roof and areas further within the property; therefore, contemporary aluminium casements were used on the front and rear elevations to vary the glazing installations.

The slim aluminium casement windows installed to the apartments maintain the sophisticated design that was desired for this project. The slim framing is so minimalistic to maximise the surface area of glass, for exceptional light intake.

The casement windows were a combination of fixed panes and side hung windows to allow ventilation into the apartments. The top floor apartments featured dormer windows with glazing that filled the whole façade of the protruding structure.

These triangular shaped dormer windows were manufactured bespoke to this project for a unique aesthetic. The same aluminium profiles were used for the dormers and the casement windows on the floor levels below to ensure a consistent style.

The entrance of the apartment building was carefully considered to create a strong kerb appeal. The entrance design is important because it is used by all apartment occupants and is one of the first parts of a building that’s noticed from the kerb.

The entrance is accessed from a generous sloping, paved pathway that acts as a bridge above the private road leading to the basement cark park. A modern aluminium entrance door was chosen for this building with a fixed sidelight to one side, resulting in a bright and welcoming entrance hall

The private spa was a luxurious addition to this London apartment building but, as is typical with basement rooms, the lighting was poor. Therefore, walk-on glass units were installed within the flowerbeds which allowed natural light into the basement and spa. The walk-on glass was a nice addition to the architectural design as it was a discreet element of glazing that made a huge impact on the internal space below.

Hidden within the flower beds, the structural glass floor consisted of two large glass panes that were manufactured from laminated toughened glass for exceptional strength. Laminated toughened glass is used for these glass installations because it adds an extra level of safety if the glass were to become damaged. If the glass was damaged, the laminate would hold the pieces of glass in their original place and prevent them from falling down into the spa below.

IQ Glass, the architects and main contractor worked closely on this project to provide elegant and varied glass installations resulting in beautiful lit internal spaces.