Extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex were central to the redevelopment of this coastal home by OB Architecture, where a derelict bungalow was transformed into a contemporary beach house with an upside-down living arrangement. IQ Glass supplied a marine-grade architectural glazing package including triple glazed slim sliding door systems, aluminium casement doors and windows, frameless glass balustrades, solar control glass and an automated opening glass rooflight. The glazing strategy was designed to maximise sea views, open the house to a sheltered courtyard and support ventilation, solar control and durability in an exposed coastal setting.
Products Used
Project Partners
Architects: OB Architecture
Contractor: Homes Building Services Limited
Photography: Brett Charles
Location
West Sussex
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Extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex for an exposed coastal home
The design challenge was to create a highly glazed beach home that could embrace the coastal outlook while still providing protection, comfort and long-term performance. The house uses an upside-down layout, with bedroom spaces at ground level and primary living areas above, so the glazing package had to respond differently across each floor. At ground level, slim sliding doors and casement windows connect bedrooms to the sheltered courtyard. On the first floor, extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex frame panoramic sea views and open the main living spaces to the coastal setting.
The architecture also required a controlled, minimal external appearance. Window and door apertures were carefully set behind linear brickwork, allowing the frames to sit back within the envelope while improving thermal and waterproofing interfaces. Marine-grade finishes, solar control glazing and shaded openings were used together so the house could maintain its clean architectural lines without ignoring the technical demands of salt air, wind exposure and solar gain.
Marine-grade sliding doors for courtyard and sea-facing openings
The main glazing solution was a series of extra large slim sliding glass door systems used across the courtyard and upper living spaces. At ground level, the sliding doors form a sheltered connection between bedrooms and the courtyard, while at first floor level the larger sliding elevations open the living spaces to uninterrupted coastal views. The upper floor has a more compact footprint, so dual-aspect sliding doors were used to draw light across the plan and make the living areas feel open without relying on a larger building volume.
The sliding door systems were specified with a marine-grade finish and triple glazing to suit the coastal location. Where the doors face the main terrace and courtyard, the glazing reads as a near-continuous glass wall, allowing the courtyard to function as a protected outdoor room while maintaining the minimal architectural language of the beach house.
Automated rooflight, balustrades and recessed aluminium openings
A large automated glass rooflight sits at the centre of the home, bringing daylight into the study area and supporting ventilative cooling. This solves a different challenge from the sliding doors: rather than creating outward views, the rooflight introduces top light and controlled ventilation into the centre of the plan, helping the internal spaces remain bright and usable throughout the day.
Frameless glass balustrades along the south elevation provide the required guarding to the upper level while preserving sea views from the living spaces. Aluminium casement doors and windows, finished in RAL 7024 Matt Anthracite Grey, complete the wider glazing package. Their apertures are tucked behind the linear brickwork, with internal fixing details coordinated to support waterproofing, thermal performance and the clean external appearance of the coastal facade.
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Performance considerations
Performance was driven by the site’s coastal exposure, the extent of glazing and the need to maintain clear views without overheating. Marine-grade finishes were specified to improve long-term durability in the salt-air environment, while solar control glass helps limit heat gain and glare across the larger glazed elevations. A cantilevered roof provides additional shading to the first-floor glazing, reducing direct solar exposure while still allowing the living spaces to benefit from expansive views.
Ventilation is addressed through a combination of opening rooflight, sliding door openings and aluminium casement windows and doors. The automated rooflight supports stack-effect ventilation and purge airflow through the central study area, while the sliding doors allow the courtyard and terrace elevations to open widely when conditions allow. Together, the glazing package allows extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex to provide the desired coastal openness while still responding to solar control, ventilation, waterproofing and long-term exposure.
Technical details
- Extra large slim sliding doors: triple glazed sliding systems used to the courtyard and upper living spaces; typical 26mm sightline for triple glazed slim sliding systems; glass thickness 50 to 56mm; max tested sliding pane 12m² up to 4.5m high and 1000kg; typical Uw 0.8 to 1.1 W/m²K; Air Class 4 / Driving rain E1050 / Wind Class C5; sound insulation up to 43dB
- Automated glass rooflight: venting pane sizes up to 3000mm span x 6000mm length; opening stroke 300mm or up to 600mm depending on motor specification; max vent weight 160kg or 400kg; max glass thickness 41.5mm; fully thermally broken frame with concealed motors
- Frameless glass balustrades: toughened laminated glass up to 21.5mm; max height 1100mm; line load up to 3kN; max pane width 6000mm, project-calculated; used to the south elevation to preserve sea views while providing guarding
- Aluminium casement doors: 101mm profile sightline; glass thickness 24mm to 40mm; max sash size 1200mm x 2400mm; max leaf weight 90kg; Uw from 1.4 W/m²K; Air Class 4 / Water Class 9A / Wind Class A3
- Coastal glazing specification: marine-grade finish specified to exposed glazing elements; solar control glass used to manage solar gain and glare; visible aluminium finished in RAL 7024 Matt Anthracite Grey
Beach Home shows how extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex can be coordinated with roof glazing, balustrades, aluminium openings and marine-grade finishes to create a coastal home that is open to the view without losing technical control. This approach is well suited to architects and specifiers working on beach houses and exposed coastal homes where large openings, solar control, ventilation, sea views and salt-air durability need to be resolved as one architectural glazing package.
To discuss a similar coastal glazing project, contact IQ Glass for technical advice on extra large sliding glass doors in Sussex, automated rooflights, frameless balustrades and marine-grade specification.
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