In Conversation with… Daniel Gore, Tyack Architects

A new dialogue between architecture and glazing

The relationship between architecture and glazing has evolved dramatically over the last few decades. Once a purely functional element, windows are now central to how we experience light, proportion and connection to the landscape. 

This month, we spoke to Daniel Gore, Director at Tyack Architects: an established Cotswold practice known for its sensitive approach to blending contemporary design within traditional settings. With over 25 years in practice, Daniel has seen glazing evolve in the Cotswolds along with new, premium systems that have opened up exciting new design possibilities. 

Steel windows: industrial roots to countryside chic

The enduring popularity of metal windows is a case in point. Steel windows first appeared in industrial buildings – factories, schools, and workshops – where their strength, fire resistance and slender profiles offered a practical solution. A century later, they are infiltrating the countryside, where their blend of rustic and contemporary style is especially suited to heritage homes and conservation properties.

“We’d seen steel-framed, multi-paned industrial style glazing in Manhattan lofts and urban apartments in Manchester,” explains Daniel. “But then Soho Farmhouse arrived and brought the look to the Cotswolds. Suddenly, everyone wanted steel-framed windows! We wondered if it was just a passing phase, but, ten years on, it looks like it’s here to stay.”

However, this new-found appeal came with challenges for architects: traditional steel windows lacked the thermal performance and security features that clients expected today.

“We’d been struggling to find a Crittall-style window system with good thermal performance,” Daniel says. “MHB Steel is a good solution as it offers the same look, but with thermal breaks and high security – two of the main considerations for glazing today.”

Hand-crafted in Holland, MHB Steel offers steel-framed windows and doors with the slimmest sightlines on the market and a pioneering patented thermal break technology.  

Sky-Frame and the shift to seamless glass

While MHB Steel has redefined the more traditional end of the spectrum, Sky-Frame represents glazing at its most contemporary – a system that Tyack Architects has specified for over a decade.

“We’ve been working with Cotswold Windows for at least 15 years, in particular with their Sky-Frame system,” Daniel notes. “That kind of large format glazing suits Cotswolds homes that are in a great location, with a great view and where you want that inside-outside appeal.”

Over the last two decades, Daniel has seen how large format glazing trends have evolved, as technology has made it possible to push architectural design even further. Standard patio doors gave way to bifolds, and bifolds are now yielding to something far more refined.

“Bifold doors were popular in their day, but they’ve started to feel a bit clunky,” Daniel says. “Sky-Frame, on the other hand, is beautifully engineered. You can open up an entire elevation with a single movement – it’s completely effortless.”

Whether it’s designing for historic houses, barn conversions or new homes, for Daniel and his design team, there is one rule that has never changed when it comes to glazing – making sure the proportions are spot on.

“As a designer, we always ask – does this rest easy on the eye?” he says. “You can have the right glazing system but if the proportions are wrong – even if the colour is wrong – it just won’t look right.”

The value of collaboration

That attention to proportion and performance is supported by close collaboration with specialists like Cotswold Windows. Daniel describes the partnership as both practical and creative, rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to quality.

“James [from Cotswold Windows] and his team are always accessible,” he says. “They know the products inside out, from the SAP performance data to the regulatory details. They’ll help us develop tender schedules or work through technical queries with contractors. That depth of knowledge – but also the enthusiasm with which it is shared – makes our job so much easier.”

It’s a relationship built on experience – and on Cotswold Windows’ ability to bridge the gap between architect, client and contractor.

“James has long-standing relationships with many of the builders we work with,” Daniel explains. “He understands their challenges as well as ours and that all helps to make the process easier.”

Engaging the client in the process

In Daniel’s experience, glazing is one of the most tangible aspects of a project, and he encourages clients to explore the systems first-hand. 

He often takes clients to the Cotswold Windows showroom where they can see for themselves how the MHB Steel and Sky-Frame glazing systems work.

“No matter what the size of the project,” says Daniel, “if we point our clients towards Cotswold Windows, we’re generally expecting them to work with Cotswold Windows. That’s because we’re confident that they can deliver on what the client wants and their products speak for themselves. ”