Responding to the demand for higher levels of daylight, the Rooflight Company’s neo range of roof windows maximise light ingress and style
In association with
Fulham house extension, London, by Jenny Harborne of Imago Architects. neo, the roof window for pitched roofs, is designed to look like a sheet of glass.
More clients than ever are demanding increased natural light. They are knowledgeable about health and wellbeing, as well as the energy-saving benefits that natural light provides. Furthermore, they want to create a ‘wow-factor’ with large expanses of vertical and overhead glazing.
A room with a window might be considered a naturally lit space, but daylighting experts would argue that for any space to be considered daylit it must use natural light as the principal source of daytime illumination. They would also insist that the external environment and internal space are seamlessly connected, and that the natural light creates a thermally comfortable place.
The good news is that top lighting allows up to 30 per cent more natural light to enter a room than vertical glazing of the same size. Top lighting also connects people with the sky above, bringing it into the room below.
With many options available for pitched roof windows and flat rooflights, it is not difficult to specify a top-lighting solution. However, the real challenge facing architects is finding a solution that elegantly expands daylighting on their projects.
The clean lines and modern design of the neo roof window are a perfect fit for the standing seam roof on a house in Fulham, London
Elegant simplicity
The neo range from the Rooflight Company comes in sizes of up to 2.3×1.4 metres. Architect Jenny Harborne of Imago Architects was asked by her client to add elegant roof windows to a house extension in Fulham, London. She specified neo from the Rooflight Company because unlike most modern roof windows it provides totally clear views and is uncluttered by opening mechanisms when closed. Privacy was a key element of the brief as the property is flanked on either side by houses overlooking the extension. With this in mind, the glazing was upgraded to Optifloat Opal privacy glass.
Three neo S12 roof windows were specified, two being motorised and one fixed shut. The motorised roof windows are fitted with rain sensors to ensure automatic closure during adverse weather conditions. “I like the clean lines and modern design of the neo roof window”, says Harborne. “It merges well with the standing seam roof at this project and complements the minimal design perfectly.” Featuring a sleek, contemporary and elegant aesthetic, as well as flush edge-to-edge glazing, the neo roof window specified by Harborne perfectly complements the modern architecture and interiors of the Fulham house. Designed entirely from the specifier’s point of view, its clean lines merge unobtrusively within the roof line.
neo Plateau provides quality natural daylight without compromising heat retention
Light from above
The neo Plateau range employs superior design features, such as the unique Thermoliner® detail that minimises the risk of condensation and mould, as well as an insulated kerb detail for retaining heat inside the building. It also follows the elegant design of the neo pitched rooflight. Gallery, a high-end residential and commercial installation specialist based in London, was looking for a solution that could give its project quality natural daylight, without compromising heat retention. Its team identified the neo Plateau as the perfect solution.
Founded by architect Peter King more than 25 years ago, the Rooflight Company understands the wants and needs of architects. It appreciates the importance of aesthetics, which is why its ranges are designed to complement architectural projects and provide an unobtrusive finish. In March 2019, the Rooflight Company made the transition to employee ownership. The news came at the same time as London-based architectural practice Assael revealed that it had turned down a large offer from the United States, before also making the decision to become an employee owned company.
