Tanglewood Conservatories Blog – Alan Stein's Writings about Custom Conservatory Design and More

We recently completed an interesting project outside of Toronto, Canada. The owners had purchased a log cabin on a beautiful wooded property and added a very contemporary addition which features a “silo” with a glass domed observation deck at the top.

On the interior of the silo is a spiral staircase that ascends to a small round room at the top covered by the glass dome. The room is a 13’ diameter retreat, just big enough for the owners to escape from earth and watch stars light up the night sky, clouds sail past and the sun set over the trees on the distant horizon.

For years people have inquired if we had ever built such a room (a domed silo conservatory) but we never had, so I was delighted when Jon Goulding, the in-house designer at the time for Matthew Sapera Fine Homes in Toronto, first called and inquired.

Jon was great to work with. We had to make sure the room functioned as an actual usable space- for example, there needed to be enough head room at the top of the stairs to meet code, and Jon wanted it to have just the right look. The dome is one half of a sphere and there are twelve windows around its base. We settled on twelve facets because on the one hand, we didn’t want it to have too many facets- then it would seem too crowded and the windows would be too narrow for the view, but on the other hand, if there were not enough facets, the dome would not seem “round”.

Working with Jon, we came up with a good compromise, a terrific, unique project and another very satisfied customer.

Jon Goulding’s background includes over 20 years of education and experience in fine art, architecture, construction and film & television art direction. Jon operates Goulding Design Inc., a Toronto-based studio focused on custom residential design of traditionally inspired and finely detailed city and country homes. Projects include both buildings and interiors for alterations, renovation/additions and new-built homes, as well as specialty buildings including coach houses, stables, pool, garden and guest houses. Scope of work includes full project support from conceptual design, through all municipal approvals, to construction drawings and consultant coordination with an emphasis on detail, materials and craftsmanship.

Goulding Design Inc. / 245 Bessborough Drive, Toronto, Ontario M4G 3K4 / Jon Goulding, Principal / Tel: 416 571-1735 / email: jon@gouldingdesign.com / website: www.gouldingdesign.com