The Harrison

Bespoke glass boxes and rooflights for the refurbishment of this historic London building.

Completed late 2025

Client

Aviva

Architect

Anomaly

Location

London

Contractor

RED Construction Group

Sector

Commercial

Office

History

The Harrison (formerly known as Curtain House), located in the heart of Shoreditch, London, is an architectural gem with a rich history. Originally built between 1881 and 1887, the six-storey, 54,000 sq ft building was designed by Richard Crease Harrison & Son as a warehouse and showroom. Its Victorian engineering marvels and heritage features have made it one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Shoreditch.

For over a century, Curtain House has stood as a symbol of engineering excellence. The building was extended in 1887, and throughout its history, it has been a focal point for the local community, known for its distinctive design and cultural relevance. As time passed, the building’s original features, although worn, remained an essential part of its identity.

The Harrison underwent a significant refurbishment to transform the building into modern, flexible Cat A and B workspace. This ambitious project aimed to preserve its heritage while introducing state-of-the-art facilities to meet the needs of today’s workforce.

Street view of a brick building with large windows and bespoke glass boxes, a clock mounted above the entrance, and people entering and walking past. A car is parked on the road in front.

A four-storey brick building with large grid windows, bespoke glass boxes, arched doorways, and people walking along the pavement in front.

Outdoor courtyard with modern patio furniture, potted plants, and brick walls, featuring bespoke glass boxes, surrounded by buildings and greenery under clear daylight.

Spacious, modern loft with white wooden floors, large windows, exposed beams, columns, globe lights, bespoke glass boxes, and a central black spiral staircase.

Spacious, empty industrial loft with bespoke glass boxes, white painted floors, ceiling, and columns, large windows, spherical hanging lights, and a central black metal staircase.

Project Brief

RED Construction Group appointed us to design, manufacture, and install over 220 m² of bespoke rooflights and specialist glazing for the Curtain House renovation. This scope of work included a variety of custom solutions to improve both the aesthetic and functional qualities of the building while adhering to the architectural integrity and modern requirements of the refurbishment.

Our design featured bespoke glass boxes for the new roof terrace, fixed rooflights to the main roof, and self-supporting pyramidal lanterns to replace the existing low-level rooflights. Additionally, we incorporated dual-pitch and multi-section rooflights over office space and the internal lightwell. Each of these elements was tailored to suit both the existing and new openings in the building.

In line with our commitment to safety and sustainability, all our rooflights were designed to meet CWCT Class 1 or Class 2 non-fragility standards, ensuring that they provide a safe and durable solution for the building. These rooflights will allow daylight to filter through to the top floor offices and the newly introduced internal mezzanine, creating a bright and inviting workspace.

We were thrilled to collaborate with the RED Construction team and the project’s architect, Anomaly, on this exciting refurbishment. We shared focus on sustainable practices, the project aim to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and an EPC A rating, contributing to a greener future for The Harrison.

The project was completed late 2025 and when re-opened the building was renamed The Harrison, in memory of the original designer.

In our clients words:

We recently had the pleasure of working with Next Generation Rooflights on the design, manufacture and installation of a large bespoke mono pitch atrium rooflight. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. The team demonstrated outstanding professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail throughout the entire process. The rooflight itself was perfectly tailored to our specifications and enhances the natural light in the space beautifully. The quality of the materials and craftsmanship is evident, and we have received numerous compliments on the stunning design. We were particularly impressed with the team's commitment to meeting our deadlines and their ability to navigate the complexities of the project with ease. Their communication was clear and consistent, ensuring that we were always informed and confident in the progress. Overall, we couldn't be happier with the result and highly recommend Next Generation Rooflights for any rooflight installations. Their dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction is truly commendable.

James Hunt, adt workplace

We've been working with the team for quite some years and find their customer care second to none. The products are always on point and manufacturing is flawless. Communication is always swift and informative. All we really want in the rooflight world is, quick answers, good prices, great products, and delivery on time. They tick all these boxes.

Sam Goodwin, Alpha Structures

The Hurlingham Club project demanded a sensitive and technically complex approach, and Next Generation Rooflights proved to be a good partner throughout. From early design development to installation, the NGR team worked with us to deliver bespoke rooflights that both complement the Club’s historic character and improve the quality of the internal spaces. Their technical capability, collaborative approach, and attention to architectural detail were key to the success of the project. We would happily use their expertise on our future projects.

Howard Pye, Associate Director, Jestico+Whiles

The Hurlingham Club was a highly detailed project that required careful coordination across all trades. Next Generation Rooflights proved to be a reliable partner on site, delivering bespoke rooflight solutions to a very high standard. Their team’s professionalism, proactive approach, and commitment to meeting programme requirements ensured the installation was completed safely and efficiently working closely with the Knight Harwood project team and interfacing sub-contractors. We valued their collaborative attitude and the successful outcome, and would be pleased to work with them again on future projects.

Peter Howe, Director, Knight Harwood

We have been working with the team for approximately 3 years now. Their sales and technical team are always very proactive and helpful with any request to quote for projects or alter technical drawings. We use them as their quality of product is unmatched, we look forward to continuing to build the partnership with them over the coming years

Luis Evitt, Rooflight Solutions

Our associations

Carbon Neutral Organisation

At Next Generation Rooflights we are committed to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and offsetting the remainder through verified carbon offsetting schemes.

Constructionline Gold Member

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Next Generation Rooflights is certified BSI ISO9001 to ensure the standards of our high quality rooflights

Made in Britain

Next Generation Rooflights are designed and crafted to clients exacting specifications at our Suffolk factory to ensure high-quality British products – Proudly Made in Britain.

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