Glass Room, Abu Dhabi

A bespoke garden room addition to an Abu Dhabi villa, with the specific brief of creating a usable, comfortable outdoor living space that could be occupied year-round — including through the Abu Dhabi summer.

Abu Dhabi summer temperatures make a standard conservatory or glass room uninhabitable for 5 months of the year without significant climate engineering. The challenge was to design a glass room that was both visually open and thermally manageable without visible mechanical systems dominating the space.

Full insulated glazing with low-e solar control glass significantly reduced solar heat gain. Integrated ceiling ventilation was concealed within the frame system. The roof structure incorporated a high-performance insulated panel between the glass elements to limit direct overhead heat gain while maintaining natural light diffusion.

The client now uses the garden room as the primary family dining area year-round. In their words: 'We use it every day — even in July.' The project has become our primary reference case for garden room feasibility in Abu Dhabi's climate.