Case Study

Oriel Bay Windows

The Maxlight Oriel Bay Window turns a flat wall into a light-filled architectural feature, creating extra depth, wider views and a stronger connection to the outdoors, while keeping the made-to-measure design minimal and frameless.

Interior view through a Maxlight Oriel Bay Window — an oak-lined projecting bay with frameless glass-to-glass corners framing a garden, set between brick walls above a low timber bench. — A Maxlight Oriel Bay Window, framed in oak and projecting toward the garden.

A modern bay window without visible support

The main appeal of an Oriel Bay Window is that it can be retrofitted into almost any project, from a suburban semi to a new-build, ultra-modern Paragraph 84 house.

The fundamental difference between the modern Oriel Bay Window and a classic bay window is that an oriel projects from within the building envelope and appears to be unsupported, as it does not rest on the ground.

Concealing the structure

We were first asked by the inspirational architect Patrick Michell back in the early 2000s to help him create the modern oriel, and we grabbed the chance with both hands. The results speak for themselves.

The challenge was to conceal the structure within an insulated base, while keeping the corners completely free of framework.

The build-up of the glass-to-glass corners has to be executed with complete precision, as there is no room for error.

Glass specification and solar control

It is essential that the correct glass is used to maintain the thermal performance and structural integrity. If the bay gets direct sunlight, we upgrade the specification of the glass to control UV light and help reduce overheating.

The method of construction has changed a little over the years, particularly where excessively wide or tall bay windows have been required and a tweak to the structure has become necessary. We have even created oriel bays that turn around corners.

A place formed around the view

A well-designed and executed Oriel Bay Window can make the perfect reading corner, garden viewpoint, breakfast perch or favourite spot to sit and ponder.

We are very proud at Maxlight to have created a first in this crowded market, and whether it is for a Cotswold stone creation or a terraced house in Peckham, the finished result never fails to amaze.