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© Morley von Sternberg


ing a greenhouse. The effect on summer’s first hot day, when I visit, is of dappled shade, or being underwater. "A fully glazed atrium can become a dark ‘void’ at night; the


introduction of the silver panels into the glazed roof allows indi- rect lighting to be reflected back into the space and provides a sense of enclosure and intimacy to the space." Obviously, the partial covering also helps ease the heating


load. Poots says it’s designed to be the same temperature – cool and fresh – every day of the year, despite having no powered heating or cooling. Instead, the roof creates a stack effect with the south-westerly wind. As the internal air pressure drops, fil- tered, cool air is drawn into the space through a concrete plenum. The whole system is controlled by the silver tilting roof panels that open and close automatically according to the inter- nal temperature. Designing the structure to avoid water pooling was the hard-


est part of the job, Poots tells me. The task was not helped by the fact that no weight could be placed on the old building, because it might fall down. At any rate, the plentiful supply of cooled air helps minimise


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From top to bottom: The reception desk in the foyer; a working floor showing the graphics for the stationery closet and other fixed amenities


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