Val_303x216p3:Layout 1 - The rooflight Company

Val_303x216p3:Layout 1
28/4/09
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Rooflighting in the Conservation Environment
Natural History
Museum,
London
Replacement and new rooflights
in Listed Buildings
When rooflights or skylights need to be replaced in a
Listed building, or when the introduction of natural light
is required, careful selection of the design is paramount so
that the integrity of the building is not compromised.
As inventors of the original Conservation Rooflight® the
Rooflight Company has been called on to design and
manufacture special rooflights for the National Trust and
English Heritage and for buildings such as Kensington
Palace, Pendennis Castle and Stirling Castle. The case
studies illustrated below are a sample of projects where
careful design and attention to historic detail have been
required and delivered.
Somerset House, London
The Rooflight Company supplied 40 specially-designed
rooflights for Somerset House in 1997. These were exact
copies of the original, bespoke wooden rooflights dating
from the turn of the century. With access to the roof being a
major problem low maintenance was essential, hence the
decision to specify steel rooflights with a protective coating.
All the different sizes and shapes of rooflights had to be
painstakingly surveyed on site with the appropriate design
and dimensions drawn up and proposed to the project
architect, George Goff of TGB Consult. A grey / olive colour
was specified to match the original Cumberland slate tiles of
which most were retained. A second project for a flat roof
at Somerset House consisting of six 600x1200mm white
Plateau Rooflights is currently being completed.
The 48 specially-designed
Conservation Rooflights®
supplied to the Natural
History Museum replaced
single-glazed rooflights of a
similar design as well as
leaded hatches used for
Natural History Museum – 48 Special rooflights service access. They were
supplied over a six year time span in two stages, and two different
designs were specified for the east and west wings. The east wing
project received a commendation by the Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea Environment Award Scheme for architects HOK
International. Apart from precisely replicating the existing rooflights,
the new models had to provide minimum maintenance which was
achieved through the protective coating over the steel frames.
Belle Isle, Lake
Windermere
The Grade I Listed Round House on
Belle Isle, Lake Windermere, which
dates back to 1774, was completely
refurbished in 1995 after a fire
caused extensive damage. A total of
eight bespoke rooflights in 316
grade stainless steel measuring 0.9 x
1.6m were designed with the glass
panels faceted in two directions to Belle Isle, Lake Windermere –
8 Special rooflights
follow the general curve of the roof.
The panels were also required to open for ventilation purposes, and
motorized units were installed to perform this function. More than ten
years on the rooflights are still in impeccable condition and continue to
enhance the exterior and interior of this remarkable building.
Close by at Blackwell, the Arts & Crafts House overlooking Lake
Windermere, designed by M.H. Baillie Scott, four Conservation
Rooflights® have been installed to replace the original cast iron skylights.
To discuss your special rooflight requirements, please call
01993 833108 or visit www.therooflightcompany.co.uk
Somerset House – 40 Special rooflights
The Innovators in Rooflighting