A Garden‑Focused Extension Within a Sensitive Historic Setting
Marygate House is a neoclassical residence located on one of York’s most historically significant streets, overlooking the remains of St Mary’s Abbey and adjoining the Museum Gardens. The property sits within the Central Core Conservation Area and an Area of Archaeological Importance, placing strict limits on the scale, expression and visibility of architectural change.

ArkleBoyce Leeds led a comprehensive refurbishment and deep retrofit of the house, paired with the introduction of a contemporary pavilion‑style brick extension extending into the garden. IQ Glass was appointed to design and install specialist sliding glazing systems that would reconnect the interior spaces with the landscape while remaining visually restrained and appropriate to the conservation context. 

Re‑establishing Spatial Clarity and Garden Connection
Prior to renovation, a sequence of ad‑hoc additions had fragmented the ground floor plan and weakened the relationship between the house and its garden. Despite its central location, the property enjoys a strong sense of seclusion, enclosed by historic stone boundary walls. Preserving this inward‑looking character while improving daylight and spatial flow was central to the architectural strategy.

The new extension was conceived as a calm, garden‑facing structure that would act as a hinge between old and new. Glazing played a key role in achieving this, required to provide generous openings without visually dominating the historic fabric or disrupting the composed, private nature of the site.

Slim Sliding Doors as a Spatial Connector
IQ Glass designed and installed two large-format slim framed sliding glass door systems positioned on opposing sides of the kitchen and dining space. These mirrored openings form a transparent connection between the original house, the new extension and the surrounding garden, effectively establishing the kitchen as the centre of gravity within the ground floor plan.

Each opening uses a three‑panel, three‑track configuration, allowing two sliding panels to move across a fixed pane. When fully open, the doors dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, enabling the kitchen, dining space and garden to operate as a single continuous environment. When closed, the minimal aluminium framing maintains uninterrupted views while preserving the quiet, ordered appearance of the façades.

Detailing for Everyday Living
Thresholds were detailed flush with internal polished concrete floors and external terrace surfaces, creating a level transition that supports daily family use and unobstructed circulation. Integrated drainage channels are concealed within the threshold zone, ensuring performance without compromising the clean architectural lines of the openings.

The slim aluminium frames are finished in a dark powder coating selected to complement the brick extension, timber elements and zinc detailing used elsewhere in the project. Integrated locking hardware is discreetly incorporated, allowing the sliding doors to function as secure envelope elements without visually prominent ironmongery.

Light, Performance and Retrofit Strategy
Beyond their architectural role, the sliding glass doors contribute significantly to the environmental and experiential performance of the house. The expanded glazed openings bring daylight deep into the plan and reinforce a strong visual axis that runs from the entrance through the main living spaces to the garden beyond.

The wider refurbishment included upgrades to insulation, building fabric and fenestration to meet contemporary comfort standards. Within this context, the slim sliding doors balance openness and performance, demonstrating how carefully detailed glazing can support deep retrofit projects in sensitive historic environments without compromising privacy or character.

Project Details
Project Type: Deep retrofit and garden extension to a historic residence
Location Context: Conservation Area and Archaeological Priority Area Primary Glazing System: Slim framed sliding glass doors
Configuration: Two mirrored three‑panel, three‑track sliding door systems Approximate Dimensions: 4.8m wide × 3.0m high per opening
Glass Specification: Double‑glazed units with toughened glass and low‑emissivity coating
Frames: Slim aluminium profiles finished in dark powder coating
Thresholds: Flush detailing with integrated drainage
Role of Glazing: Visual connection, daylight enhancement and spatial flow