The Suspended Glasshouse

Omega Windows + Doors was approached Derek Little of Custom Home Products (CHP) to assist him with an unusual project.

He had been asked to provide a ribbon of high-performance glass and framing to wrap around a suspended steel home, essentially a bridge over a small creek. We are incredibly proud to have been part of this challenging and rewarding project featured on Grand Designs NZ.

"Your product is performing beautifully! I have no hesitation in endorsing Omega products or the stellar service and workmanship from Custom Home Products."Harlem Irwin - Home Owner

Initial Situation

Clients, Nicola and Harlem had a vision for a modernist inspired glasshouse, built across a steep gully, surrounded by native bush with a stream running directly below. With so many design constraints to consider in this one-off residence, the obstacles provided a great opportunity for a creative solution.

The Design

The bridge-like steel structure is deliberately expressed as a design element, while the exposed concrete slab acts as thermal mass to store solar from the expansive glazing elements, providing passive heating. The floor to ceiling windows provide transparency to the surrounding bush and enhance the bridge-like structure, reducing its scale and augmenting the light touch the building has to the land.

Omega’s Thermally-Broken Glazing Solution

The brief was to provide high-performance thermally-broken joinery to provide a seamless solution for glazing to wrap around the house. The glazing was specified as the highest performance ‘Low-E’ glass available and had to be partnered with framing solutions up to the task. The thermal insulation properties of the completed windows had to exceed the 6-star criteria of the Window Energy Rating System (WEERS), the highest level of performance.

The home had to be warm and comfortable to live in despite its vast glass content. Omega Windows + Doors has achieved everything the client desired from their brief, an incredible solution that has continuity with the design, advanced thermal properties that work with extreme temperature fluctuations and seamless integration with the interior construction.

We are incredibly proud to have been asked to partner in a project like this and seeing it come to fruition is serious kudos for an innovative company like us. A unique design, executed to the highest standard, which pays homage to some outstanding historical homes.