Skylights & Rooflights

A PERFECTLY-BALANCED BACKDROP FOR EVENTS

Commercial, educational and public sector spaces present unique design challenges that you would never come up against working on a residential project. One such challenge common to them all is the multi-function room.

Creating a space that can be adapted for any need is a deceptively simple task because it means creating a space that lacks a clear purpose of its own, so it’s not as easy as it might first appear. This was the very challenge the Saïd Business School in Oxford faced when it chose to extend its existing building to add a space that could be used for corporate or private events of varying scales, and the solution was all in the rooflights. Multi-function rooms are fantastic and often necessary assets to public sector or educational buildings because of the flexibility they offer. The downside is that, because they lack clear direction for their intended use, the finished product can feel dull and empty, which doesn’t make for a welcoming space to host events in or an inspiring space to collaborate and get creative.

To prevent this happening at the Saïd Business School, Estates Director Mat Davies was keen to balance the need for additional space with a clear design direction. To make sure the space had its own character, he came up with the creative idea of making it a garden room. Not only did this decision give the project a very clear personality, but as an organisation situated in the heart of Oxfordshire, it also made the best use of the stunning landscape by incorporating an abundance of windows and rooflights to perfectly frame the stunning countryside just beyond the building’s boundaries.

Architecture firm Dixon Jones, which had previously designed the business school’s main building and executive education centre, got onto the job of the garden room, which would be bathed in natural light during all hours of the day, no matter the season, to the benefit of up to 60 people.

Naturally, rooflights were to play a key role in bringing as much light from above into the room as possible but also as a design element. Mat was keen that they looked sleek, fit in with the existing building’s character, gave a clear and unobstructed view out, and didn’t stand out on the exterior by sitting proud on the extension’s new copper roof. Only one rooflight on the market could offer all of that, the Conservation rooflight from The Rooflight Company.

The Conservation rooflight perfectly marries high-spec design with a traditional look and can sit completely flush with the exterior roof material. On the interior, the plasterboard can be taken right up to the glass, leaving behind a completely seamless look, like the glass pane has simply been installed with putty. This also maximises the view out and the amount of light that enters the room.

Specified for the scheme were four sets of three rooflights all linked together by one baseplate. Each baseplate is made up of three CR15 rooflights each measuring 1021 x 1635mm. This ‘stringed’ approach creates the illusion of one larger rooflight, when they are in fact multiple individual products.

Not only do the rooflights provide an abundance of natural light, which was key to avoiding the dull and industrial feel, but the middle rooflight of each set was fitted with a motor to provide the required ventilation. The glazing bars were also removed to minimise the sight lines and provide a completely uncluttered view out to make the most of the beautiful Oxfordshire surroundings. Finally, each rooflight was painted in traffic light grey to further blend in with the new copper roof which would naturally turn green in colour after being exposed to the elements.  www.therooflightcompany.co.uk