The first being for the upgrade of the existing steel windows to double glazed units. These being the historic Crittall steel window system.
The Second Planning permission was for the upgrade of the large windows giving onto Grosvenor Square from single glazing to double glazing.
The third planning permission was for the addition of an Air conditioning system to the apartment with external air conditioning plant.
The permissions for the upgrade of single glazing to double glazing demanded a close dialogue with the Westminster planning department combined with working with the manufacturers of the proposed windows in order that we could clearly demonstrate to the planning department how the proposed windows would appear. The Grosvenor Square elevation was particularly sensitive.
In designing the new windows it is critically important that whilst the double glazed unit is a thicker than a single glass pane that the window frame details match as closely as possible the existing window. This was achieved with a series of large scale details looking at each and every junction and was key in satisfying the requirements of the Westminster planning department.
In obtaining planning permission for the air conditioning system we had again to work closely with the planning department and demonstrate through an acoustic survey the level of noise that the AC units might produce and prove that these satisfied the environmental standards. Equally important was the appearance of the AC units that were located on an existing flat roof and these are housed in a structure with steel grating to the front and sides and a metal lid. The grating shields the AC units from view and also allows air to flow through.
Since obtain these planning permissions Shape Architecture has been contacted by a number of new clients to obtain planning permission for the upgrade of single pane windows in their properties. We have now been successful in upgrading windows in a similar manner at a property in Palace Gardens Terrace in Kensington and are currently working on several the similar projects in Westminster.