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The Architects Practice wins residential Benedictus Award for garden pavillion in Highgate, North London

Glazing sub-contractor F.A. Firman Ltd. fixes pool house laminated glass roof on triple laminated glass beams and glass columns

London-based The Architects Practice has won the new residential category of the 1996 DuPont Benedictus Awards for Innovation in Architectural Laminated Glass for the design of a laminated glass garden pavillion housing a privately-owned swimming pool and gym in Highgate, North London.

The garden pavillion is tastefully set between, and under the canopies of, four large oak trees and contains a sauna, changing facilities and a machine room as well as the pool and gym. It was designed by Simon Foxell, a partner with The Architects Practice. The structural engineers were Dewhurst Macfarlane and Partners and the glazier was F.A. Firman (Harold Wood) Ltd, both of London.

The building's structure is comprised of a steel frame supported on piles above ground. The steel frame encloses two wings set at angles to each other. The courtyard between the wings is covered with a laminated glass skin – a double-glazed, flat, frameless roof sailing over and beyond the front glazed wall – supported on triple-laminated beams and columns. Sliding glass panels allow the spaces to run into each other or to be used as individual rooms. Laminated glass panels with translucent interlayers are used as diffusion panels to light the gym area from the wings.

The fixing of the laminated glass roof consists of 12mm toughened, 12mm cavity, 2 x 6mm laminated float glass on triple laminated glass beams (3 x 12mm laminated clear float glass) and glass columns (3 and 4 x 12 laminated clear float glass).

The judges noted: "It's the singular location and function of this small pool house which allows such a heroic introduction of glass in both vertical and horizontal planes. It is shaded by trees. It is in London and therefore there is a very high proportion of cloudy days. And the space itself is for a gymnasium, for an outdoor-indoor space. This is a highly specialized setting in which the total openness of the glazing is completely successful."

Pool house, bar extension, interior, through glass looking at fence, columns of laminated glass supporting roof of laminated glass Pool house, exterior, north front side, night, showing glazed roof spreading over front entrance