Commercial Bioclimatic Pergola & Glass Room Installation for Award-Winning Wedding Venue in Cheltenham

Set within the heart of the Cotswolds in Cheltenham, Manor By The Lake is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most prestigious and award-winning wedding and events venues.

Renowned for its exclusive-use offering, luxury setting and exceptional guest experience, the venue required a solution that would enhance its outdoor space while supporting long-term commercial growth.

Azure Outdoor Living were appointed to design, specify and install a large-scale commercial bioclimatic pergola with full glass enclosure, transforming an underutilised external terrace into a premium, all-weather hospitality environment.

The result is a 13.2m x 6.8m fully enclosed pergola installation, purpose-built for weddings, dining and events, seamlessly integrated with the manor’s architecture while delivering modern performance and flexibility.

Early Consultation, Design Development and Specification

The client journey began with early discussions around size, feasibility, product options and layout. As the project developed, the design evolved to suit the venue’s operational needs, the site conditions and the architectural constraints of the building.

This was not an off-the-shelf project. There were questions around span, bay configuration, sliding glass arrangements, planning alignment, roof type, structural performance and visual impact. Like many larger commercial jobs, it moved through several stages of refinement before the final design was agreed.

One of the key strengths of this project was the way Azure Outdoor Living supported the venue through that process. This included discussing realistic dimensions, explaining how larger sizes affect structure and cost, and working through door configurations and design options in a clear and commercially practical way.

That consultative process matters on projects like this. High-value hospitality installations involve more than product supply. They demand advice, interpretation, design support and coordination with other parties. In this case, the project involved close communication with the venue, their designer and structural engineer, helping ensure that the final scheme was both beautiful and buildable.

Project Summary

• Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Cotswolds)
• Venue Type: Luxury Wedding & Events Venue
• System: Tarasola Technic Commercial Bioclimatic Pergola
• Structure Size: 13,200mm x 6,800mm
• Height: 2,750mm under eaves (approx. 2,990mm overall)
• Configuration: 3-bay system, 8 posts
• Glazing: 10mm toughened sliding glass system
• Lighting: 63 integrated LED spotlights + RGB LED strips
• Colour: RAL 9005 Black structure / RAL 9010 White louvres

The Client Requirement

For a venue of this calibre, outdoor space must deliver more than aesthetics, it must perform commercially.

Manor By The Lake required:

• A weatherproof wedding breakfast space
• Increased guest capacity and flexibility
• A premium indoor-outdoor experience
• A structure suitable for:
  • Weddings
  • Private dining
  • Corporate events
• A solution aligned with their award-winning brand positioning

The objective was to create a space that felt like a natural architectural extension, not a bolt-on structure.

The Opportunity Before Installation

Prior to installation, the area consisted of an exposed terrace and courtyard adjacent to the manor building.

While visually attractive, it presented clear limitations:

• Fully weather dependent
• Limited usability throughout the year
• No defined hospitality space
• Reduced commercial potential

This type of space is common across UK venues, but when designed correctly, it represents a major opportunity for transformation.

Design Development & Technical Planning

This project involved a fully coordinated design process between:

• Azure Outdoor Living
• The venue team
• Architectural designers
• Structural engineers

Key technical considerations included:

• Large-span structural design (13.2m width)
• Multi-bay configuration for load distribution
• Integration with an existing listed building
• Drainage and water management
• Sliding glass door layout and usability
• Lighting design for hospitality use

Listed Building Constraints

A critical factor on this project was that the pergola could not be fixed into the existing manor building, due to its listed status.

As a result, the structure was designed as a fully freestanding pergola system, engineered to:

• Maintain stability across a large 13.2m span
• Perform under wind and weather loading
• Integrate visually without physical attachment to the building

This added significant complexity to both design and installation, requiring precise structural planning and coordination.

Pergola System Specification

At the core of the installation is a Lusso Technic commercial bioclimatic pergola system, designed specifically for high-end hospitality environments.

Structure

• Overall size: 13,200mm width x 6,800mm projection
• Height: 2,750mm under eaves
• Configuration: 3-bay system
• Posts: 8 structural supports

Front elevation split into three bays:

• 4205mm
• 4270mm
• 4205mm

This configuration ensures both structural integrity and open-span usability.

Bioclimatic Louvre Roof System

The pergola features a fully motorised aluminium louvre roof, allowing complete environmental control.

• Adjustable blades for sunlight and airflow
• Fully sealed when closed for rain protection
• Durable aluminium construction

This enables the venue to operate the space comfortably year-round in all weather conditions.

Full Glass Room Enclosure

To create a true all-weather environment, the pergola was enclosed with a frameless sliding glass system.

Glass Specification

• System: GSW17 sliding glass
• Glass: 10mm toughened safety glass

Door Configuration

• Front (13.2m):
  • 3 openings
  • 4-track sliding systems
• Sides (6.8m):
  • 6-panel configurations
  • 3-track sliding doors

This provides:

• Full enclosure in poor weather
• Maximum opening flexibility
• Seamless indoor-outdoor transition

Overcoming Height Constraints for Frameless Glass Systems

A further challenge arose due to the overall height of the pergola structure, which exceeded the maximum tested height of the frameless sliding glass system (2700mm).

Rather than compromise the design, we engineered a bespoke solution.

Bespoke Aluminium Packing Solution

We designed and installed a bespoke aluminium packing profile, positioned between:

• The head of the sliding glass doors
• The underside of the pergola eaves beam

This allowed us to:

• Maintain the intended structural height
• Stay within the tested limits of the glazing system
• Ensure long-term performance and reliability

The aluminium infill was designed to:

• Integrate seamlessly with the frame
• Maintain clean architectural lines
• Deliver a consistent, high-end finish

Precision Integration

This detail required careful coordination between:

• Structural installation
• Glazing system tolerances
• Final finishing levels

The result is a solution that preserves both performance and aesthetics without compromise.

This is a key consideration on many large-scale commercial pergola installations, where bespoke detailing is often required.

Colours & Architectural Integration

The colour scheme was carefully selected:

• Structure: RAL 9005 Black
• Louvres: RAL 9010 White

This creates:

• A clean, modern contrast
• Strong architectural presence
• Seamless integration with the manor

Integrated Lighting System

Lighting transforms the space into a premium event environment.

• 63 LED spotlights integrated into louvre blades
• RGB LED strip lighting to beams

This allows:

• Day-to-night functionality
• Custom ambience for events
• Enhanced guest experience

Installation Process

Groundworks & Base Preparation

The pergola was installed onto a newly constructed concrete base, completed by an external contractor appointed by the client.

The internal flooring finish was also carried out by the client’s contractor, ensuring consistency with the venue’s wider design.

On-Site Challenges & Technical Adaptation

During installation, the slab was found to be up to 60mm out of level in areas.

For a project of this scale, particularly with frameless sliding glass, this presented a significant challenge.

To resolve this, our team:

• Adapted the steel foot brackets of the pergola
• Carefully packed and adjusted levels beneath sliding door tracks
• Corrected tolerances progressively across the full structure

To achieve absolute accuracy, we used a Hilti rotary laser level, allowing us to:

• Establish a consistent datum across the entire installation
• Ensure perfect alignment across all bays
• Guarantee smooth operation of the sliding glass doors

This level of precision is critical on large-scale commercial pergola installations.

Collaboration with External Contractors

We worked closely with the client’s appointed contractors throughout the project to ensure:

• The base met structural requirements
• Installation sequencing ran smoothly

This collaborative approach ensured a high-quality finish across all elements.

The Finished Result

The transformation is substantial.

What was once an exposed outdoor space is now a fully enclosed, high-end glass room, capable of operating:

• 365 days a year
• In all weather conditions
• Across multiple event formats

The structure now functions as a core part of the venue’s offering, not an optional space.

Why This Pergola Installation Matters for Wedding Venues

This project highlights a growing trend in the UK hospitality sector.

Commercial pergolas with glass enclosures are being used to:

• Increase venue capacity
• Reduce weather risk
• Improve guest experience
• Drive higher-value bookings

For wedding venues, this is especially powerful:

• Enables all-weather ceremonies and dining
• Creates premium, photogenic spaces
• Enhances overall guest experience

Commercial Impact

Increased Revenue

• Additional covers and event capacity
• More flexible layouts
• Higher booking potential

Enhanced Guest Experience

• Comfortable environment in all seasons
• Seamless indoor-outdoor feel

Stronger Market Position

• Premium feature space
• Competitive advantage
• Elevated brand perception

A Benchmark Commercial Pergola Installation

This project demonstrates how a bioclimatic pergola with glass sides can operate as a fully functional hospitality extension.

It combines:

• Architectural design
• Engineering precision
• Commercial performance

All delivered within a single, cohesive installation.

A Standout Installation for a Standout Venue

There is also a reputational dimension to this project that should not be understated.

Manor By The Lake is not an ordinary client. It is a prestigious, established, highly visible venue with a strong brand and strong expectations. Delivering a project there sends a powerful signal to the market. It shows that Azure Outdoor Living can work at a high level, deliver at scale, and create the kind of polished, commercially intelligent structures that premium venues demand.

That is exactly the sort of credibility that future hospitality clients look for when researching large pergola and glass room installations.

Comment from Project Lead – Andrew Loader

“This was a standout project for us. The scale, the venue and the constraints, particularly working with a listed building and a freestanding structure, meant everything had to be carefully considered. The end result is a space that not only looks exceptional, but genuinely enhances how the venue operates commercially year-round.”