A Bank Entryway Skylight in Portsmouth, NH
We’ve completed hundreds of home renovation projects and custom additions for homeowners throughout our service era in New England. But what you might not know is that we’ve also completed a number of commercial construction projects in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Commercial ventures give us a chance to bring our diverse range of skills to bear as we determine how to achieve interesting construction and design-related goals in unique spaces. These projects are often completed in metropolitan areas or town centers and thus have different organizational and preparatory requirements. In addition, these projects are often large in scope which gives us a chance to team up with other talented professionals in our industry (ranging from architects, to fellow design-build firms, to other general contractors, and more).
In a recent blog post announcing the opening of our new workshop in Hampton, New Hampshire, we introduced our latest commercial design and construction project: a custom glass roof system that’s to be part of the brand new entryway of the Piscataqua Savings Bank in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Portsmouth’s DeStefano Architects are leading the project and Pine Brook Corporation of Kittery, Maine is serving as the general contractor.
Sunspace Design’s role in the project focuses on the manufacture and installation of a gorgeous commercial glass roof and skylight system that will serve as the centerpiece of the new entryway. We’ll be documenting the start-to-finish construction journey in this post. Take a look:
An artist’s rendering of the future entryway (provided by DeStefano Architects).
The vision is stunning and will completely transform the building’s facade.
A rendering of the finished interior (provided by DeStefano Architects).
A view of the front and side elevations for the new glass roof installation.
Every project we complete involves multiple carefully engineered CAD drawings like these.
A classic “before” photo of the existing space.
This photo depicts the bank’s entryway prior to the start of construction.
This brick wall and flat roof mark where the new glass structure will be installed.
A LVL Ledger is installed to provide an attachment point for the new glass skylight.
Roof sections framed in mahogany are assembled in our workshop.
The center glass dormer section of the custom glass roof has been assembled in our shop.
Pre-assembling key components in our shop helps accelerate construction times.
An early onsite view of the installation depicting the right side gable end.
A view of the dormer being assembled with a hidden steel ridge beam.
Our use of concealed steel in glass construction projects enhances durability and strength.
The dormer valley assembly is underway.
A close-up of an embedded steel ridge…
…which is eventually concealed by mahogany trim.
The valley frame is now complete.
This mid-construction view was taken from grade level.
This photo provides a good sense of the project’s overall scope.
Another mid-construction shot which provides a clear view of the existing entrance.
The initial glass installation proceeds.
High-performance glass was used for this project.
Units are 1.25″ thick and utilize Solarban 70 XL tempered glass on the exterior.
Argon gas-filled, insulated, heat-strengthened laminated safety glass is used on the interior.
Units are being installed along the slope of the entry’s glass roof frame.
Glass installation continues; the glass dormer has not yet been glazed.
A view from the exterior with the glass roof’s panes installed.
Argon gas-filled Solarban 70X units were chosen for their performance characteristics
We’re getting excellent heat retention and great control of solar heat gain.
Workers are installing the copper flashing.
An angle of the gable-side glass and mahogany framing.
The view from the interior. We’ll soon be ready to apply the finishes.
Work on the exterior continues. The Piscataqua Savings Bank logo looks gorgeous up there!
A view from the unfinished interior toward the street.
We’re nearly there! Progress continues at a steady pace.
The final copper wall covering has been installed above the glass roof.
A view from the front as the project comes together.
The interior is complete.
The new living plant wall is growing nicely thanks to the ample levels of natural sunlight provided by the glass roof.
That’s one beautiful bank lobby!
Solid mahogany rafters have been finished and double-sealed.
If you’re interested in enlisting Sunspace Design’s help for a future residential or commercial glass construction project, don’t hesitate to contact us. You can submit your project details and goals via our contact form, send an email to info@sunspacedesign.com, or ring us up on the phone at 1-800-530-2505. We look forward to bringing the beauty of natural light to your spaces!
Original Post Date: 2018-08-07
Last Updated: 2019-05-10