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hyvearchitects. (www.
hyvearch.co.uk)How to increase natural light
A common problem with post-war
bungalows is that they often feature long,
dark corridors, designed to separate
sleeping quarters from living. There is
often a lack of natural light, particularly in
the central spaces of the layout.
“There are a few common issues with
bungalow layouts. The first is that the
building plan tends to be quite deep as all
the accommodation is arranged on a single
floor. This means there are often areas
in the middle of the house where there is
little access to light, views and ventilation,”
explains architect Simon Graham. “If
putting bathrooms in the middle of a plan
helps free up some space on an external
wall to allow a bedroom or kitchen to be
relocated, for example, then use rooflights
to bring light into these rooms.
“Electric rooflights are now quite
economical, so you can still have opening
windows. Adding rooflights into a hallway
can also be very effective. If the building
has a pitched roof then box the rooflight
out in the roof space and create a larger
opening at ceiling level which then narrows
down to the rooflight size to get the most
daylight possible.
“You could also consider removing a flat
roof to create an open vaulted space with
rooflights as a way to really transform a
room with a low ceiling into one that feels
spacious and light. An engineer would
need to be consulted on any changes that
might affect the roof structure.”
There are several other ways to bring
in more natural light; solutions are often
by-products of well-designed extensions,
too. “The use of glazed walls and doors
will allow more light into the middle of
a bungalow and create interesting views
from within the property, making it feel
less cellular,” says Simon Graham.
In order to allow light to flow between
spaces, internal windows and a ‘broken
plan’ layout, whereby partial walls and
room dividers are used in place of solid
walls, are ideas worth considering.Adding a new storey
Despitethebenefitsofsingle-storeyliving,
thereis muchtobesaidforaddinga
secondstoreytoa bungalow—and this is
a great way to maximise the footprint of
the building, without the costs associated
with new foundations.
You will need to consider a few factors
to ensure this work is viable.
l What planning issues might stand in
your way (overlooking, for example)?
l How structurally sound is the bungalow?
l What depth and type of foundations is
the existing building standing on?
l Which existing internal walls are
loadbearing?BeFore