Domestic Cupola

I was asked to replace a discoloured and plain cupola in a 1930’s bungalow.

It is lit from above both by a roof light and by internal lighting in the loft space.  This meant that a design could be employed that would be visible both by day and night.

The brief was to bring something of the Arts Nouveau into the design.  The design could have been the repetition of a design element in all eight parts, but I wanted to work with the whole as one piece.  After some discussion on the themes it was settled on a flower and leaves theme.

My first design was developed using a template of one of the triangles forming the cupola.

However, in my enthusiasm for the sinuous curves for the stems and buds, I forgot the need to include the roses that were discussed and agreed upon.

[Anderson 2^nd design web]

This one does include the roses.  And I do know that the roses in nature would be open after the other buds, but some artistic license was accepted. And the building of the panels began.

Installation required the removal of the old glass.  As the house had just been completely redecorated, lots of old carpet and dust sheets over them was required to protect against any glass falling and possibly puncturing the new wood flooring.

Already the simple removal of the nicotine stained amber glass transformed the light within the hallway.

The installation began by installing each numbered piece in order, as any misplaced panel would interrupt the flow of the design.  However, it would have been better if templates for each of the eight openings were taken.  The openings were not completely regular. 

When complete, it provided a new interest to the hallway as well as allowing much more light into the space. The straight lines running through the composition are the location of the support bars for the glass.

Best of all, the client was overjoyed at the result, bringing relatives around to see what had been achieved.

Airdrie Town Centre

I have been remiss in letting people know what I have been doing over the past many months.  I will now try to rectify that with more regular postings.

The town centre has a balustrade to separate the walkway from parking below, and to keep people safe.  

This has long incorporated a number of screen printed images related to the activities in the town.  

Vandals had managed to break one of the discs and it was decided to incorporate a image more directly associated with the Airdrie Cross.  It was also to commemorate the local historical society.  The task for me was to incorporate an image from the Airdrie Historical Society. 

This involved deciding how to crop the image, getting a transfer printed, determining where to place the holes and firing the image. All this was completed successfully, although I have not yet been out to photograph the piece in position.