Rev W.B. Stevenson’s House

Sliding Glass Doors for a Garden Extension in Edinburgh

Rev W.B. Stevenson’s House is a historic residential property in Craigcrook, Edinburgh. Built in 1902 to designs by George Washington Browne, the house was created in an idiosyncratic Queen Anne style and sits within two acres of mature gardens. Designed by Zone Architects, the project involved the sensitive repair, modernisation, insulation and extension of the house to create a stronger connection between the original building and its garden setting.

The IQ Glass Scotland division was appointed to deliver the architectural glazing package in two phases. The main phase centred on the new garden room extension, where ultra slim sliding glass doors were used to open the kitchen and living spaces to the landscape. These sliding glass doors for a garden extension in Edinburgh were specified alongside slim aluminium casement windows and an Invisio® structural glass porch. A later phase included glazing to the garden studio.

Project Partners

Architects: Zone Architects

Builders: Hutton and Read Ltd 

Photography: Dapple Photography

Location

Edinburgh, Scotland

Modernising a Historic Edinburgh Home for Garden Living

The existing house required repair, renewed services and a more meaningful connection to the surrounding gardens and woodland. The owners, who are keen gardeners, wanted to relocate the kitchen from the darker rear service wing into a new garden room extension that could better engage with the mature landscape.

Zone Architects designed the garden room extension as a deliberately contemporary timber and glass addition, creating a clear contrast with the original stone building. The challenge for the glazing package was to support this modern intervention while remaining sensitive to the character of the historic home. Large openings were required to maximise daylight and garden views, but the systems also needed to offer strong thermal performance, durable finishes and minimal sightlines suitable for a high quality residential refurbishment.

Minimal Sliding Doors for the Garden Room Extension

IQ Glass supplied and installed three sets of ultra slim sliding glass doors within the main garden room extension. These large format systems create the primary connection between the new kitchen space and the gardens, allowing the extension to feel bright, open and closely linked to the outdoor setting. The aluminium frames were specified with a marine grade finish, supporting long term durability in Edinburgh’s coastal environment.

Two of the sliding door arrangements include integrated glass to glass corners, using two fixed panels and one sliding panel to reduce visible framing at the junctions. This detailing strengthens the visual connection to the garden and supports the contemporary language of the extension. The largest sliding system measures approximately 6794mm wide by 2933mm high and was installed on a three track system with one fixed panel and two sliding panels.

Structural Glass Porch and Slim Aluminium Windows

IQ Glass designed and installed an Invisio® structural glass porch, formed from fixed structural glass walls and a structural glass roof. The porch roof comprises three fixed panes, spanning approximately 4287mm by 3624mm, and is supported by toughened laminated low iron glass beams, creating a clear and minimal entrance feature that complements the wider glazing design.  

Slim aluminium tilt and turn windows with fixed lights were also supplied as part of the wider refurbishment, finished to match the minimal sliding door systems and maintain consistent detailing across the contemporary glazing package.

All glazing was specified as double glazed clear toughened safety glass with low E coatings and heat soak testing. This specification supports thermal performance and helps reduce the risk of spontaneous glass breakage caused by non-detectable inclusions within the glass.

Phased Glazing for the Main House and Garden Studio

The glazing works were completed in two phases. The first and main phase focused on the garden room extension and structural glass porch, where the priority was to bring light into the new living spaces and create a more direct relationship with the mature gardens.

A second phase was completed for the garden studio. This included a further slim sliding window system measuring almost 7m wide, with bi-parting sliding doors. The garden studio glazing followed the same general specification as the ultra slimline sliding doors on the main garden room extension, with the addition of solar control glass. Fixed and tilt and turn aluminium casement windows, as well as doors, were also included within this later phase.

Together, the glazing supports the wider architectural aim of modernising the property while improving its connection to the garden. The careful use of slim sliding doors, structural glass and matching aluminium systems allows the new interventions to feel contemporary without competing with the original 1902 house.

Technical Glazing Summary

  • Three sets of minimal sliding glass doors to the garden room extension, including two glass to glass corner arrangements.
  • Largest sliding system approximately 6794mm wide x 2933mm high, on a three track configuration.
  • Double glazed clear toughened safety glass with low E coatings and heat soak testing.
  • RAL 7022 aluminium frames with marine grade finish for Edinburgh’s coastal location.
  • Slim aluminium tilt and turn windows with fixed lights, finished to match the sliding doors.
  • Invisio® structural glass porch with fixed glass walls, three pane structural glass roof and low iron glass beams.
  • Garden studio sliding system approximately 6901mm wide x 2801mm high, with bi-parting doors and solar control glazing.

Speak to IQ Glass About Sliding Glass Doors for a Garden Extension in Edinburgh

Rev W.B. Stevenson’s House demonstrates how sliding glass doors for a garden extension in Edinburgh can be used to create a stronger connection between a historic home and its landscape. By combining slim sliding doors, slim aluminium windows and structural glass, the glazing package supports a contemporary garden room extension while respecting the original character of the house.

Early engagement with IQ Glass can support the design and specification of glazing for residential extensions, refurbishments and garden room additions where slim sightlines, performance, durability and heritage sensitivity are key. Contact our team to discuss how architectural glazing can be integrated into your next project.