Kennovations Product Design and Engineering installed a custom glass sliding roof system as part of Hornsby RSL Club's refurbishment to provide an ambient solution to their alfresco dining terrace on the first floor.
Kennovations Project Manager Scott explained that the objective was to open up the outdoor section of the restaurant, bar and café to create a large weatherproof dining courtyard. Kennovations designed a solution that would be easy-to-use, reliable, retractable, fully engineered and certified.
Since the existing structure of the building was already in place, the retrofit retractable roof required additional structural members that would support its 550kg weight. Fixed rails made of painted mild steel were welded and bolted onto the existing structure as determined by engineering requirements specified by Kennovations.
Key features of the glass sliding roof system include a 6m x 2m moving structural steel and glass panel fully retractable along two fixed rails and a moving panel; a smart 12V control system with encoder feedback constantly monitoring the roof position (open and close) and speed (acceleration and deceleration), controlled by an operator at the touch of the button; and a 13.5mm heat strengthened laminate for the glass panel, which is trafficable and clear, and gives a remarkably stylish finish in lieu of traditional louver and hatch products.
Hornsby RSL Club CEO Mario Machado comments that the new glass sliding roof has provided a stylish alternative to traditional products, helping the club take advantage of their new alfresco area in any weather condition. Customers are happy to use the area even when it is raining enabling the club to monetise the space 100% of the time.
