CASE STUDY
Bosham
Products used
Slim Sliding Doors; Structural Glass; Glass Balustrades; Solar Control Glass
Location
Bosham, Sussex
Project Overview
Coastal glazing was specified for Bosham, a residential refurbishment near Chichester where a contemporary rear extension was introduced alongside the property’s existing flint masonry and clay-tile roof.
Designed by Smith Simmons & Partners, the glazing package combines slim aluminium sliding doors, fixed structural glazing, glass-to-glass corner connections, frameless roof terrace balustrades and solar control glass.
Large glazed openings across the ground floor create a stronger connection between the refurbished living spaces and landscaped garden. Dark-toned aluminium framing keeps the sliding elevations visually restrained, while concealed framing and glass-to-glass junctions reduce the amount of structure visible around the fixed glazing.
The property’s coastal setting also influenced the specification. Marine-grade glazing materials were selected to provide increased durability in an environment exposed to moisture and airborne salts.
Project Challenges
Contemporary glazing alongside traditional flint architecture
The main challenge at Bosham was introducing substantially larger glazed areas without allowing the extension to dominate the character of the existing property.
Flint masonry and the clay-tile roof give the house a strong material presence. The new glazing therefore required a deliberately restrained approach, using narrow aluminium profiles and concealed fixing details to create a clear distinction between the original construction and the contemporary intervention.
Several different glazing conditions also had to be resolved across the extension. Wide sliding openings meet fixed structural glass, including a corner where a conventional framed junction would have introduced additional visual weight.
At roof level, an accessible terrace required compliant guarding while retaining open views across the surrounding landscape. The coastal position added another consideration, requiring external glazing components and finishes suited to the more demanding marine environment.
Project Solutions
Slim sliding doors, structural glazing and frameless terrace guarding
Multiple slim sliding door configurations were installed across the ground-floor elevation, opening the refurbished interiors towards the garden.
The dark aluminium profiles maintain narrow visible framing around the large glass panes, allowing the glazing to sit more quietly beside the textured flint walls of the existing house.
A specialist glass-to-glass corner was incorporated where the glazed elevations meet. Removing a conventional corner post preserves transparency through the junction and allows views to continue around the edge of the extension.
Fixed structural glazing was integrated alongside the sliding doors, using concealed framework to minimise visible framing at the perimeter of the glass.
Above the extension, a continuous 15m run of frameless structural glass balustrading encloses the accessible roof terrace. The transparent guarding provides the required safety barrier without creating a visually heavy edge above the glazed ground floor.
Solar control coatings were specified across the glazing package to help manage solar gain through the enlarged glazed elevations.
Project Highlight
The glass-to-glass corner allows the sliding and fixed glazing to meet without a substantial framed post. This keeps one of the most prominent junctions within the extension transparent and supports the deliberately lightweight relationship between the new glazing and the existing flint architecture.
End Result
Performance considerations
The glazing specification at Bosham responds to both the scale of the new openings and the property’s coastal location.
Marine-grade glazing materials were specified throughout the package to improve durability in an environment where moisture and airborne salts place additional demands on exposed external components.
Solar control coatings help reduce solar gain across the larger areas of glass while retaining the daylight and outward views central to the extension design.
The slim sliding door system provides tested performance for air permeability, driving rain and wind resistance while allowing individual panes to remain large and the visible aluminium sightlines narrow.
Fixed structural glazing uses concealed framework to maintain the intended frameless appearance. Glass-to-glass connections reduce visible framing further at key junctions, requiring accurate coordination between the glass specification, supporting structure, fixing positions, tolerances and weathering details.
At roof level, the 15m frameless glass balustrade uses toughened laminated glass to provide guarding while maintaining uninterrupted views from the terrace.
Sieger’s conclusion
Bosham demonstrates how contemporary glazing can be introduced to a traditional coastal property while maintaining a clear relationship with the existing architecture.
Slim sliding doors and fixed structural glazing increase daylight and create wider connections with the garden, while the glass-to-glass corner removes unnecessary framing from a prominent part of the rear elevation.
The frameless roof terrace balustrade continues the same approach at upper level, providing the required guarding without introducing a solid visual barrier above the extension.
The coastal environment is addressed through marine-grade materials and solar control glazing, bringing architectural appearance, environmental exposure and long-term performance together within one coordinated glazing package.
This approach is suited to architects, builders and homeowners working on coastal refurbishments where slim sliding doors, structural glazing, frameless balustrades and exposed-site performance need to be considered together.
To discuss a similar project, contact Sieger Systems for technical advice on slim sliding doors, structural glazing, frameless glass balustrades and glazing for coastal properties
Glass-to-glass corner
15m frameless glass balustrade
Slim dark aluminium framing
Marine-grade materials specified for coastal environment
Technical specifications
| Slim Sliding Doors | Multiple sliding configurations with slim dark-toned aluminium framing and a specialist glass-to-glass corner connection. 21mm sightline with glass thicknesses from 26 to 32mm. |
| Sliding Door Performance | Maximum tested sliding pane area of 8.5m², up to 4.0m high and 500kg. Typical Uw > 1.1 W/m²K. Air permeability Class 4, driving rain Class 7A, wind resistance Class C4/B5 and PAS 24 security. |
| Fixed Structural Glazing | Fixed frameless glazing with concealed thermally broken framework and glass-to-glass corner connections. 63mm fixing profile depth, maximum glass thickness 41.5mm, expected Uw 1.1 W/m²K, minimum fixing setback 55mm and structure deflection allowance of 5mm. |
| Frameless Glass Balustrade | Continuous 15m roof terrace balustrade. Toughened laminated glass up to 21.5mm, maximum height 1100mm, line load up to 3kN and pane widths up to 6000mm subject to project-specific calculations. |
| Coastal Glazing Specification | Marine-grade glazing materials specified in response to the coastal location. |
| Solar Performance | Solar control coatings specified across the glazing package to help manage solar gain through the enlarged glazed areas. |
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