Structural Glazing for a Contemporary Country House in West Yorkshire
Making Place House is a contemporary country house on the moorland fringes of Calderdale, West Yorkshire. Designed by Gagarin Studio under Paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework, now Paragraph 84, the project reinterprets the historic Halifax House as a modern zero-carbon dwelling rooted in the South Pennine landscape.
IQ Glass was appointed to design, supply and install an extensive architectural glazing package, including large format slim sliding glass doors, aluminium casement windows, Invisio® structural glazing, fixed and automated rooflights, eaves glazing and external walk-on glass. Together, these systems introduce natural light, frame views across the surrounding countryside and meet the performance requirements of the exposed rural site.
Design Drivers: Vernacular, Shelter and Landscape
The architectural concept draws on the long-established tradition of Yeoman Clothier houses found across Calderdale. Often referred to as Halifax Houses, these robust rural buildings influenced the development of later Arts and Crafts architecture and provided a clear point of reference for the new dwelling. Gagarin Studio reinterpreted this regional vernacular through a contemporary composition shaped by local stone field shelters, enclosure walls and the concept of field rotation and shelter.
The project’s open countryside location required the house to demonstrate exceptional design quality while responding carefully to its setting. The architecture needed to establish a sense of permanence within the landscape, withstand the demanding South Pennine climate and provide a comfortable, low-energy home. The glazing therefore had to balance large openings and minimal detailing with structural strength, thermal performance and long-term weather resistance.
Large Format Sliding Glass Doors
Twelve sets of slim sliding glass doors were installed across the house, opening the principal living spaces to views of the surrounding moorland. The largest arrangement measures approximately 5.3 metres wide and just over 3 metres high, creating a substantial glazed elevation while maintaining a restrained architectural appearance.
Slim aluminium profiles minimise the visible framing around each opening, allowing the landscape to remain the primary visual focus. The scale of the doors introduces generous levels of daylight and supports a close relationship between internal rooms and the rural setting, contrasting with the more solid and protective elements of the building envelope.
The sliding door frames were finished in RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey, creating a consistent visual language across the full glazing package. Clear toughened double glazing with low-emissivity coatings contributes to the thermal performance of the house while retaining clarity across the large glazed areas.
Slim Aluminium Windows and Oak Mullions
A large number of slim aluminium casement windows were integrated throughout the dwelling, with many positioned between feature oak mullions. The combination of slender aluminium framing and natural timber creates a carefully controlled rhythm across the elevations, connecting the contemporary glazing with the material character of the wider architecture.
The casement windows use the same RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey finish as the sliding doors, maintaining consistency across the different systems. Selected areas also incorporate dark tinted privacy glass, allowing the glazing specification to respond to the privacy requirements of individual rooms without disrupting the overall architectural composition.
Structural Eaves Glazing and Walk-On Glass
Five bespoke eaves windows were created around the swimming pool using the Invisio® structural glazing system. These complex glazed junctions combine vertical panes measuring up to approximately 3.8 metres high with external walk-on glass positioned above, allowing daylight to enter around the perimeter of the pool space.
The walk-on glass incorporates an anti-slip dot matrix surface, providing a safe external walking surface while increasing privacy to the areas below. Concealed structural glazing details reduce the visual interruption between the vertical and horizontal panes, enabling the eaves glazing to read as a continuous architectural element.
This arrangement demonstrates how structural glazing can perform several roles within a single detail, introducing natural light, forming part of the external circulation surface and resolving the transition between the building envelope and adjacent landscape.
Fixed Glass Roofs and Opening Rooflights
A combination of fixed glass roofs and automated ARES rooflights was installed across the house to introduce daylight into spaces deeper within the plan. The automated units provide controllable natural ventilation while maintaining a clean, contemporary roofscape when closed.
By combining fixed and opening roof glazing, the design uses daylight and ventilation according to the requirements of each internal space. The rooflights therefore contribute to the environmental performance of the house while reinforcing the light-filled character of the interiors.
Performance for an Exposed South Pennine Site
The glazing package was engineered for an exposed moorland location where wind resistance was an important consideration. Systems were designed to accommodate wind loads of up to 1.8 kN/m², ensuring that the large glazed openings and structural glass elements could meet the site-specific performance requirements.
Clear toughened double glazing with low-emissivity coatings was specified across the principal systems to combine safety, thermal performance and visual clarity. Dark tinted glass was introduced in selected locations where additional privacy was needed, while the consistent anthracite grey framing brings together the sliding doors, casement windows, structural glazing and rooflight systems.
The complete package supports the architectural balance between exposure and shelter. Large areas of glass provide openness, daylight and extensive landscape views, while the glass composition, structural design and robust aluminium systems respond to the long-term demands of the South Pennine climate.
Project Details
Project Type: Paragraph 79 contemporary country house
Location: Calderdale, West Yorkshire, UK
Architect: Gagarin Studio
Builder: MCN Construction
Glazing Contractor: IQ Glass
Primary Systems: Slim sliding glass doors; slim aluminium casement windows; Invisio structural glazing; structural eaves glazing; fixed glass roofs; ARES automated rooflights; external walk-on glass
Glazing Specification: Clear toughened double glazing with low-emissivity coatings; dark tinted privacy glass in selected areas; anti-slip dot matrix treatment to walk-on glass
Key Elements: 12 sets of slim sliding glass doors, with the largest measuring approximately 5268mm wide × 3012mm high; five structural eaves windows with vertical panes up to approximately 3.8 metres high; external walk-on glass; fixed glass roof supported by structural glass fins; glazing engineered for wind loads up to 1.8 kN/m²
Finish: Aluminium framing in RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey
Outcome
Making Place House demonstrates how an extensive architectural glazing package can support a contemporary reinterpretation of regional rural architecture. Sliding glass doors, structural eaves glazing, casement windows and rooflights introduce openness and natural light while remaining integrated with the building’s robust material language.
The glazing establishes carefully framed connections with the Calderdale landscape while responding to the structural and environmental demands of an exposed moorland setting. Through the coordination of minimal aluminium systems, structural glass and high-performance glazing, the house balances transparency with the shelter, longevity and environmental control required of a modern country home.
