GLASS & GLAZING
Gwyn Hall
Gwyn Hall
THE ART OF RESTORING HERITAGE BUILDINGS WITH GLASS Phil Brown, European Regulatory Marketing Manager at Pilkington United Kingdom – part of the NSG Group – discusses the role glazing can play in modernising heritage buildings while maintaining their original character. PILKINGTON UNITED KINGDOM
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he UK is a treasure trove of heritage buildings from throughout the ages, woven through and often defining many of our towns and cities. Protecting historic buildings is vital to preserving our nation’s heritage, and this is ensured by the practice of listing important buildings. The aim is to ensure that any future changes to a building do not result in the loss of its historical significance. But our expectations for what buildings can provide their owners and occupants have changed significantly, even in recent decades. With factors like accessibility, flexibility of use, energy performance and availability of natural light all increasing in importance. Accommodating these needs in historic buildings without compromising the existing architecture can present a challenge for designers. However, this is where glazing can create an elegant solution. FC&A – MARCH – 2021
Minimal intervention
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Glass is the perfect material for making additions to heritage buildings without burdening the original structure. The crisp aesthetic lines that can be achieved – especially with frameless, structural glazing systems – can create flawless connections that beautifully complement most heritage spaces. Whether you plan to enclose a previous outdoor space or link a new space to an existing one, frameless glazing allows this to be done with minimal aesthetic impact on the existing architecture. Linking two existing buildings was exactly the challenge that faced those involved in the redevelopment of the Grade II Listed Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea. In creating an extension to the existing building, the designers were keen to preserve the impressive symmetry of the original facade, and this meant creating a sense of physical separation externally between the extension and the gallery itself.
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
22
