UltraLight Monopitch (Internal)

The Timeless

Beauty of... GLASS

Beauty of… GLASS

Although UltraLight and polycarbonate glazing really works wonderfully well together and can offer some considerable advantages over more traditional glazing solutions, we fully understand that when it comes right down to it, for many of our clients (and indeed their clients), there really is only one serious glazing option for them... and that’s glass.

 

Of course the idea of letting sunlight in through the roof of a building to provide light is not exactly a new one!

Rooflights... The Very Early Days

Once a magnificent Roman temple but now both a church and major tourist attraction which welcomes

visitors from all over the world, The Pantheon was built circa 120 A.D. by the Emperor Hadrian on

the site of two earlier temples, both of which burnt to the ground.

 

Today, The Pantheon is one of Rome’s best preserved ancient buildings and still features one of the largest

unreinforced, concrete domes ever built... spanning an amazing forty three metres, at the centre of which

is an approximately eight metre diameter opening or oculus. Unfortunately although its oculus is this stunning

temple’s only source of natural light, there is one slight problem: a problem which means that, even today,

whenever it rains visitors to The Pantheon still tend to get rather wet, whilst at the same time, the cleverly

designed and original, slightly convexed marble floor immediately below the roof opening sometimes has to be0

cordoned off whilst twenty-two, discreetly positioned integrated drainage holes do their job.

 

Thanks to the dedicated work of learned historians who have a real passion for their subject, we now have, perhaps rather surprisingly,

solid evidence which proves that by the time Tutankhamun had become their Pharaoh, ancient Egyptians had already been making glass

(mostly small decorative items) for at least one hundred and fifty years... and also that (and this is of even more significance), by

the time the Romans were expanding their vast Empire, not only were they capable of making exquisite glass beakers, cups and vases... some

of their wealthier citizens had already started to install small panels of rather thick, spun, translucent glass (which they then framed

in bronze) as early windows for their villas and bath houses.

The Pantheon, Rome

However, it was not until the middle of the eighteenth century before man’s knowledge and 

ingenuity, together with major advancements in design, manufacturing and construction skills

had reached the point whereby it was possible for royal palaces and highly important centres of commerce to be ’crowned’ by magnificent vaulted glass roofs or ‘ribbons’ of glass rooflights...

as could be seen (and in some cases still can today) at La Galerie des Batailles in

the Palace of Versailles and La Halle aux Blés (Corn Exchange) in Paris and of course at

Italy’s oldest shopping centre, the magnificent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, which was

designed and built over a period of sixteen years before being opened in 1877.

La Halle aux Blés, Paris  c.1782

It originally featured a timber cupola complete

with twenty five large glass rooflights

Background Photo:-

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan

Today, happily it no longer needs to cost a ‘king’s ransom’
to 'crown' a house, a school, a hospital or even a 'state of
the art' stables (apparently daylight is also very good for the
well being of some highly prized four-legged friends) with a
glass rooflight or glazed roof that can be as individual as
you are... whilst being every bit as practical and affordable
as it is stunning to look at.

For the owners of this custom built stables in Lambourn, our

design team even had to come up with a special ventilation

solution that gave all their horses all year round and continuous

fresh air and complete protection from the vagaries of the British

climate.

A Self Supporting

UltraLight Max Glass Ridgelight…

almost 19 metres long

Whether it’s for a home, commercial or public building, here at Mercuri Architectural, we are fully committed to providing you with the very best roof glazing solution that we

possibly can... and at a realistic and sensible price, that is designed not to break the bank!

 TopLite VISTA... Delivering Superb Thermal Efficiency and Ventilation

Available in a range of popular sizes up to 1200mm x 1200mm, our

TopLite VISTA range cleverly and securely harmonizes the clarity of

glass with the superb thermal insulation properties of uPVC to achieve

some excellent U values.

 

Each of these non-fragile rooflights comes complete with its own dedicated,

white uPVC upstand and these contemporary styled rooflights can also

incorporate a choice of effective ventilation solutions.

 

For larger sized energy saving, self cleaning glass rooflights

please refer to our range of PRISM Rooflights

Can Achieve

U Values of

0.95 W/m²K

TopLite VISTA with Optional Security Frame

 UltraLight... Without doubt, our most versatile rooflight glazing system

UltraLight Glass Ridgelight with Optional Ventilation

From a five degree pitch to vertical

UltraLight

is designed to be safely installed

almost anywhere

UltraLight Glass Monopitch Rooflight

with Electrically Operated Ventilation

Limited only by the thickness of the glass required and the amount of interim support available (if any), UltraLight and glass are, for many of our clients,

the perfect solution for their roof glazing needs.

 

Engineered to the tightest of margins and frequently required to be

self supporting, your AutoCAD designed rooflight can be fabricated to any

length at all and with a cornucopia of RAL colours to choose from, (which are mostly all available for the same price), we are confident that the structural polyester powder coated and thermally broken aluminium glazing bars, which are such an inherent feature of the UltraLight roof glazing system, can meet even the most challenging aesthetic and performance demands.

 

In fact it is now perfectly possible to have the glazing bars finished in

two different colours, so that they will simultaneously co-ordinate with

both the roof finish and the internal décor.

 

In addition, UltraLight can fully incorporate plenty of optional ‘state of the

art’ ventilation and be glazed with some of the best specialist performance

glass that is currently available in the U.K. for example self cleaning and

solar control.

 

And of course, with its integral drainage channels,

UltraLight is ideally suited to being installed in either

flat or pitched roofs.

UltraLight Glazing Bar

Custom Designed Steeple

Continuous UltraLight Rooflight with Hipped End Glazing

For more information about

UltraLight Glass Rooflights

or if you just want some

assitance with your current project

and think we could be of some help

just call 01253 827633

 

We will be pleased to help you

in any way we can.

 PRISM... Superb quality and ultra clean lines that make their own statement

Technology, just like fashion is constantly evolving and

rooflights are no exception to this.

 

That is why with its minimalist framework, contemporary clean

styling and super smooth flush glass, the recently introduced

PRISM is a very important addition to our extensive range of

rooflights and roof glazing systems.

 

Whilst the majority of these thermally broken, aluminium

framed rooflights are specifically designed to be installed on to a

flat roof, two styles within this range, the flat pane and a

specially designed, unventilated Ridgelight are ideal solutions to

let the light into pitched roofs as well.

PRISM (Flat Topped)

PRISM’s elegantly simple flat glass rooflight is also available

with a hinge…  allowing plenty of ventilation or even secure access to the roof.

Available as either double or triple glazed, these minimalist,

contemporary styled rooflights have excellent thermal

performance… with even just a double glazed rooflight achieving

an impressive overall rooflight U Value of 1.6 Wm²/K.

 

As well as the flat pane and ridge light designs, the PRISM range also includes a true 40⁰ pyramid as well as an elongated, rectangular version (from which this range actually gets its name) all of which are custom manufactured to suit your

specific project requirement, up to the maximum sizes of

3000mm x 1000mm or 2000mm² or 3000mm x 1500mm

downslope.

PRISM with a Light Oak Inner Liner in a Pitched Roof

Given that one of the design concepts for this range was to be

as unobtrusive as possible, all PRISM rooflights are

usually supplied with either a Black or Slate Grey polyester

powder coated, aluminium external framework. However, if you

have a particular colour scheme in mind for your project

(corporate colours perhaps?), then please tell us and we will

do our very best to accede to your request.

 

Similariy, when it is to be installed in a pitched roof, PRISM is

normally supplied with a solid light oak inner liner, but if you

believe that this would present a problem with the planned

internal décor, if you let us know what timber you think would

work in better for your project, we will be pleased to see what we

can do to provide it.

Solar Control, Self Cleaning Glass

As Standard

40º Slope

PRISM Glass Pyramids...

Available Up To 3000mm Long

PLEASE NOTE THAT PRISM FLAT GLASS ROOFLIGHTS ARE NOW ALSO AVAILABLE AS

CIRCULAR OR SILICONE JOINTED CONTINUOUS ROOFLIGHTS

With uninterrupted ‘crystal’ clear outlooks PRISM glass rooflights bring 'a touch of class' to any home, office or just about any

other type of building you can think of.

              To discuss your glass rooflight or roof glazing requirements in complete confidence

              just call 01253 827633 or email us at sales@mercuriglazing.co.uk and we will be

              pleased to help you make the right choice.