Designing a Double Height Living Space With Light and Volume
The architectural intent at Kingston Road was to create a calm yet expansive family environment centred around a double height living space. A mezzanine level was introduced to overlook the kitchen and dining area, forming a vertical connection between floors and transforming the rear of the home into a light filled social hub.
To support this vision, glazing needed to operate at an architectural scale, reinforcing the height and openness of the space while maintaining subtlety in detailing. minimal windows® systems were selected to achieve this balance, with slim aluminium profiles ensuring that the glazing remained visually recessive and that the garden views became the focal point of the interior experience.
Engineering Oversized Glazing Beyond Standard System Limits
Achieving a sliding door height of over 4.5m introduced a significant technical challenge. The required dimensions exceeded the standard tested height of the system, demanding careful engineering to ensure smooth operation, structural integrity and long term performance.
The presence of the mezzanine added further complexity, as the glazing formed a visual backdrop across two storeys and needed to align precisely with floor levels and internal sightlines. Stability, safety and accessibility were key considerations, alongside the requirement for discreet drainage and robust locking suitable for a family home.
How the minimal windows® Sliding Door System Was Integrated to Resolve the Project Challenges
The minimal windows® sliding door system was engineered to accommodate the exceptional height required at Kingston Road. A three track, three panel configuration measuring 4.6m high and 3.8m wide was installed, using reinforced 21mm interlocks to support the increased structural demands while maintaining ultra slim sightlines.
Subtle adaptations were made to the system design to enable reliable performance at this scale, including enhanced reinforcement and an integrated base drainage channel to manage water effectively without disrupting the clean architectural lines of the interior. A type 4 internal key locking system was specified to provide added security while preserving the minimal aesthetic.
Finished in a matt RAL 9004 powder coat, the frames sit comfortably within the restrained interior palette, allowing the double height opening to read as a single, sculptural element within the space rather than a collection of components.
A Teddington Home Defined by Double Height Sliding Doors
The completed Kingston Road renovation demonstrates how oversized glazing can elevate a residential interior when integrated with architectural precision. The double height sliding doors in Teddington bring daylight deep into the home, accentuate the verticality created by the mezzanine and dissolve the boundary between inside and out.
For architects and homeowners seeking to introduce genuinely large scale sliding doors within residential projects, Kingston Road highlights the flexibility and technical potential of minimal windows® systems. The project stands as a confident example of how ambitious glazing can be successfully delivered within a domestic setting.
To explore how double height sliding systems could support your next project, our technical team is available to provide specialist guidance and early stage design support.
