Neo-Angle Enclosure: Solving NYC's Odd-Shaped Shower Bases

Not every shower sits in a neat rectangle. In NYC — especially in pre-war buildings, converted spaces, and apartments with non-standard layouts — you'll find shower bases that are angled, pentagonal, or otherwise irregular. The neo-angle enclosure is designed specifically for these situations.

Built for non-standard and angled shower bases

A neo-angle enclosure typically uses three glass panels arranged in a diamond or pentagon shape across a corner. Instead of two glass walls meeting at 90° (like a standard corner enclosure), the panels are set at angles — usually 135° — which creates a distinct geometric shape.

This geometry matches neo-angle shower bases, which have a flat front with angled sides. These bases are manufactured specifically for corner installations where a 90° layout doesn't fit. The glass follows the angles of the base exactly, creating a tight, custom enclosure.

The overhead photo above shows the typical geometry: glass panels connect at multiple angles using precision clamps, with the door at the front. Every angle needs to be measured exactly — there's no room for error when you're fabricating glass to fit non-90° angles.

Common in pre-war NYC buildings

Pre-war NYC buildings — built between roughly 1900 and 1940 — are full of bathroom layouts that don't follow modern standards. Walls that aren't square, corners that aren't 90°, and shower bases that were installed decades ago in whatever shape fit the available space.

We see neo-angle bases frequently in:

• Upper West Side and Upper East Side co-ops where bathrooms were reconfigured during mid-century renovations
• Greenwich Village and West Village walk-ups with irregular footprints
• Brooklyn brownstones where bathrooms were added into spaces that weren't originally designed for them

In these situations, a standard rectangular enclosure won't work. The neo-angle follows the actual shape of the shower — and because we measure every angle on-site with precision tools, the glass fits exactly.

How neo-angle maximizes space in small bathrooms

The angled entry of a neo-angle enclosure cuts across the corner rather than sitting flush against one wall. This has a practical benefit: the doorway faces the bathroom diagonally, which often gives you more clearance for entry and exit compared to a standard corner door.

For small NYC bathrooms where every inch matters, this diagonal entry can be the difference between a comfortable shower and one where you're bumping into the door, the toilet, or the vanity.

Neo-angle enclosures also tend to have a smaller total footprint than rectangular enclosures — the angled front wall cuts into what would otherwise be wasted corner space. You get a functional shower in a smaller floor area.

Cost and complexity

Neo-angle enclosures are among the more complex configurations we install. Multiple angled glass panels, precision clamps at non-standard angles, and custom fabrication to match irregular bases. Typical range is $2,000–$3,000+ installed in NYC, depending on size and hardware. The measurement process takes longer than a standard enclosure because we need to capture every angle precisely — but the result is a shower that fits your space perfectly.