Gloucester Services is situated on the M5 motorway and is operated by the Westmorland family.
Glazing Vision’s Ridgeglaze rooflight was incorporated into the design build to maximise the use of natural daylight and provide a modern and spacious feel to the new service station.
Unlike many other service areas, Gloucester Services provides a refreshing change for passing travellers. Featuring its own farmshop, café and butchery, it has helped to transform the way in which service stations can be managed, providing an alternative from the usual fast food and snacks on offer at motorway service stations throughout the country.
It was important for Steve Gorman at AFL Architects and Philip Balman, Senior Quantity Surveyor at the Buckingham Group, to specify a roof light with a high quality slim line framing system. The roof light not only needed to create a sense of light and space, but it also had to compliment the interior aesthetic and achieve a modern contemporary finish.
The building itself is faceted with two curved walls front and back, and is finished with a green roof to allow it to blend in with the landscape behind. This meant that externally, the visual impact of the rooflight had to be considered. This included the requirement for the rooflight to follow the faceted lines of the building and fit in with the existing layout of the roof purlins.
Working from the original proposal drawings submitted by AFL, Glazing Vision relied upon their expertise and made several recommendations and changes to the perimeter frame detail. This ensured that their proven Flushglaze section could be used in order to improve manufacturing lead times.
Changes to the glass specification were also made in order to comply with a class 2 rating for non-fragility, meaning that although the unit is not designed to be walked upon, they are required to be non-fragile in the event of a maintenance person falling onto the surface. Because of this the inner pane was upgraded to a 9.5mm laminated section in accordance with CWCT TN92.
These changes, combined with a bespoke pitch and tapered layout that would meet the design requirements on site, resulted in the design and manufacture of a bespoke modular Ridgeglaze rooflight.
Pitched at 3° the innovative Ridgeglaze rooflight was the perfect solution for this project. The finished rooflight closely follows the contour of the roof, which combined with the natural vegetation and planting that surrounds the rooflight, ensures a low impact final finish.
Glazing Vision were delighted that their Ridgeglaze rooflight played a fundamental role in capturing a feeling of light and space into a service station fuelled by a food revolution. The project has been a proven success and has now been duplicated on the opposite side of the M5 motorway.
Working in association with Gloucester Gateway trust, Gloucester Services not only provides the opportunity for local suppliers and farms to flourish; it also promotes employment and training opportunities in the local area.
It remains evident that the Westmorland family have successfully restored a sense of community in the most unexpected of locations.
