Skylight @ new Hounslow Civic Centre building

Unique bespoke 'harlequin design' timber/aluminium glass roof.

Custom-built by Solarlux of Germany for Spectrum. Specialist installation by Spectrum.

Client: Bouygues UK. Architects: Sheppard Robson

Inspecting the roof at Solarlux HQ Germany

We supplied and installed a distinctive, bespoke high-performance roof for contractors Bouygues UK. The roof is entirely set at unusual and intersecting angles which was challenging to design let alone build and install. We had weeks of meetings, phone-calls and emails between ourselves, the developers, the architects, our own architects and Solarlux to finalise a construction design which would realise the architect's vision.

The roof was fully constructed and asembled by Solarlux at their headquarters in Melle, Germany. We flew our staff over to inspect it for discussions with their engineers about reassembly on site.

Installation was challenging to say the least. We had to have our Unic spider crane lifted up to the seventh floor using the site tower crane. The roof weighs 9 tonnes and all the joists and transoms are made at 40° to the vertical. But we have some very experienced staff which is why we were given the contract in the first place and we had the knowledge, skill and experience to overcome the various difficulties.