Creating Community Space with Structural glass at St Lawrence, Bourton on the Water

    Ion Glass developed the re-ordering of the historic church of St Lawrence’s at Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire to create a meeting room and kitchen, mezzanine gallery space and a new entrance lobby.

    A glass lobby with bespoke glass doors; internal double glass doors; structural glass balustrading to the new gallery and staircase; bespoke glass panels to protect the original stained glass windows

    There has been a place of worship on this site at Bourton on the Water since 709 AD and the church has undergone many changes and improvements over the centuries. Most recently a re-ordering project was commissioned to make the entrance and interior more suited for the needs of the present community.

    The main entrance to the church was moved to the West door and two sets of bespoke glass double glass doors installed, creating a welcoming glass entrance lobby that provides visitors with a stunning view of the South aisle and the altar.

    Adding a mezzanine floor to the church created additional space with seating on the new balcony area, with a glass balustrade ensuring uninterrupted views of the nave. The addition of the mezzanine floor facilitated the conversion of unused space to the rear of the church into an attractive meeting room, with a kitchen space and toilet facilities.

    The outer glass lobby was created with the installation of bespoke double glass doors set between tall fixed return panels with a glass over panel above the doors. The original wooden entrance door remains although the glass doors are fitted with locks set into the floor for additional security.

    A second set of glass double doors was installed internally, creating a visually welcoming and practical entrance area for the church, retaining heat and minimising draughts. The bespoke frameless glass balustrade has been designed to run seamlessly across the face of the mezzanine floor and down the staircase, channel set for a sleek, minimal appearance.

    Each glass panel was individually manufactured to different widths to accommodate the slight curve of the balcony without the additional expense of commissioning curved glass panels – the result is a gently curved balustrade constructed from straight panels.

    Adding the mezzanine floor created a need to protect the ancient stained glass windows: formerly above the nave these are now accessible and subject to potential damage. Ion Glass fitted bespoke glass protection panels across the windows, ensuring the stained glass is both fully protected and fully visible.

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