The Find is an award-winning residential project located within a secluded valley in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site originally included a Grade II listed gamekeeper’s cottage in extremely poor condition, yet its setting provided a rare opportunity for a highly sensitive contemporary transformation. Found Associates designed a new extension that redefined the property while respecting its historic character. The project received a RIBA National Award and was shortlisted for the Manser Medal, confirming its standing as an exceptional achievement in modern architecture.
The inclusion of minimal windows® glazing systems, particularly large format sliding doors for an award-winning project, was central to the architectural language of this home. The extensive use of floor to ceiling glass created strong visual connections to the surrounding landscape while supporting the environmental strategy developed for the building.
Designing a Landscape Led Home Through Minimal Glazing
Found Associates approached the site with the intention of creating a contemporary family home that would feel deeply connected to nature while remaining visually subordinate to the listed cottage. Their concept positioned the extension as a sequence of dry-stone walls and terraced levels following the gradient of the hillside. Planted green roofs further anchored the building within its environment and softened its presence within the valley.
Inside, the architects pursued a design that emphasised calmness, natural light and uninterrupted views. This required clear structural logic, seamless junctions and large spans of minimal glazing. The minimal windows® sliding systems allowed the design to achieve these goals through extremely slim sightlines and precision detailing that supported the clean architectural aesthetic. Natural light, framed views and solar gain all became integral to the experience of the home.
Integrating Contemporary Architecture Within a Protected Landscape
The Find presented a series of technical and regulatory challenges due to its sensitive location and heritage status. Planning restrictions required the extension to remain visually subordinate to the original Grade II listed cottage, even though the brief called for a large new home. The steep topography of the site added structural complexity, requiring the building to be embedded into the hillside using terraced construction.
Environmental performance formed a major part of the brief, which meant the design needed to incorporate natural ventilation, efficient heating systems, solar gain and high thermal performance. Integrating a long frameless glass elevation of more than twenty-two metres with sliding openings also required a glazing solution that could deliver structural capability and visual clarity without compromising compliance or buildability.
minimal windows® Provided Precision Engineering for the Complex Contemporary Design
The minimal windows® system provided the technical capability and aesthetic consistency required to achieve the architectural vision for The Find. A bespoke adaptation of the pocket sliding door detail allowed two large sliding panels to move over the inner surface of the frameless glass wall which was a key and focal element of the design. This preserved the uninterrupted appearance of the glass elevation and ensured that no visible framing interrupted the lines of the façade.
The ultra slim profiles contributed significantly to meeting planning expectations by ensuring the new structure remained visually lightweight. The glazing also played an important environmental role. Its placement along the southern elevation enabled the building to benefit from controlled solar gain, which helped warm the living spaces naturally.
The minimal windows® sliding doors were also used throughout the home to deliver consistency of appearance and performance across a range of opening sizes and configurations. This ensured that every element of the glazing package aligned with the architects’ desire for a calm, highly refined and materially coherent interior.
A Benchmark Project Showcasing Sliding Doors for Award Winning Architecture
The completed project at The Find stands as a leading example of how contemporary architecture can be sensitively integrated into a protected landscape without compromising scale, comfort or ambition. The combination of dry-stone walls, concrete interiors and minimal glazing gives the home a sculptural yet understated presence. The sliding doors for an award-winning project played a defining role in shaping this outcome, offering expansive views, natural light, environmental benefits and strong architectural clarity.
The Find continues to be recognised for its excellence within the architectural community. Its design approach and use of minimal windows® systems remain influential in shaping how high quality contemporary architecture can coexist with sensitive heritage settings.
If you are looking to explore how minimal windows® can support the vision of your next architectural project, contact our technical team who are available to guide you through specification, detailing and project integration.
