When architectural designer Felix Padfield set out to design a contemporary café and shop for his brother’s cheese company, he called on a close friend, Nick Vassilopoulos whose business supplies steel windows for clients across the south of England.

Nick Vassilopoulos supplied and installed multi-frame screens and doors to form the frontage to the Bath Soft Cheese Company’s new destination at Park Farm on the outskirts of the city.

Felix Padfield explained: “The superstructure is an industrial warehouse steel frame with exposed glue-lam purlin beams under an insulated aluminium panel roof. We wanted to use on-trend industrial materials such as polished concrete floor and steel windows to reflect the industrial use of the building, and working farm location, whilst also referencing a contemporary, members’ club style.

“We decided to use steel frame doors for the slim sightlines. I have known Nick and Dan at Perla for years and we’ve used their steel windows and doors for many of our coolest residential projects. The Perla Team was very patient with our many revision requests and deliberations.”

Nick Vassilopoulos said the hot dip galvanized and polyester powder coated steel frames not only offer excellent security and durability, but high energy performance was also a key consideration for the contract. The 4-12-4 toughened glass IG units feature krypton gas filling and warm edge spacer bars to cut heat loss, while control of excessive solar gain was also addressed in detail.

Felix continued: “The solar gain of the south facing aspect of the main façade was a great concern. Perla windows worked with us providing lots of samples of heat reflective double glazing with various tinting. We worried the tinting would be visible and give the glass a smoky 70’s effect but, in the end, the glazing is beautifully clear and colourless. Our concerns over solar gain have not materialised: with the large gable end providing an overhang and shading during the hottest months.

Perla Windows is a member of the Steel Window Association.

www.steel-window-association.co.uk 

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