Playing by the rules

Because of the building’s rich history and the importance it held to the local community, the transformation needed to be handled with care. Latitude Architects, a specialist practice that designs and develops some of London's most prized buildings, was engaged to work on the plans for the renovation, undertaken in consultation with Historic England. Planning permission sought approval for the installation of a lift, new internal lighting, the addition of balustrades to the gallery, a new sports floor and secondary glazing — but more on that in a moment. Because Christ Church is surrounded by local shops, residential areas and community buildings (including a school), it was imperative to stop noise from activities disturbing local residents. Also, the original single-pane, stained-glass windows were to be protected at all costs. Thanks to years of specialist expertise, Latitude Architects specified the use of secondary glazing to provide much-needed sound insulation, as well as improving the thermal properties of the building and boosting security. that best allowed for a quick install around the main rennovations. At this stage, Cosmur Construction (London) Ltd, specialists in the sensitive renovation of listed buildings, were appointed as the main contractor. Selectaglaze worked with Cosmur to develop a site plan that allowed for a swift installation alongside the wider renovation works.

A curveball from above

Like many building projects, unforeseen challenges arose. During an early inspection, it was discovered that the 150-year-old roof flexed when touched and extensive repairs were needed. Although the secondary glazing install wasn't as problematic as other areas of the renovation, it still posed some interesting challenges. The windows were huge and had large sweeping curved heads at high level. To enable exact measurements and a snug fit, a laser measurer was used to plot the arches to facilitate the manufacture of the units. Also, the newly created mezzanine level cut the full-height windows in two, which left a void in all the reveals. To address this, the first-floor glazing was designed to also act as a guard to the void, incorporating 12mm toughened glass. In total, 88 secondary glazing units were manufactured and installed, a combination of Series 42 fixed lights with curved and standard heads, as well as Series 80 3HS contra sliding units. Some of the Series 80 units were 1.9m (h) x 2.3m (w) and weighed over 130kg when all assembled, so fixing points had to be checked for their strength to maintain the integrity of the installation. The units came in three separate panes to enable manual handling and access to the specific areas for installation.

Game, set, match

Projects like this are why we do what we do at Selectaglaze. Helping historic buildings take on a new purpose, while preserving the character that makes them special, is something we're proud to be part of. And when that new purpose means changing young lives, even more so. As Greenhouse Sports puts it: “Sport is the hook. But the goal is much bigger: confidence. Connection. A fair chance at life.” If you're planning a sensitive renovation or change of use, we'd be happy to discuss how secondary glazing could support your project. Enter your details at the bottom of the page and our team will be in touch.