Roka - Roof Terrace

With such magnificent views over Canada Square, the backdrop of Canary Wharfs city skyline, along with the relaxed and elegant lounge style dining, the roof terrace at Roka is a popular destination for local business people. However, the unpredictable rainy British weather meant that the terrace could not be used to its full potential, often having to be closed due to the wet weather.

Designers and project managers for Roka Restaurants, B3 Designers, were tasked with sourcing and implementing a suitable screening solution to the front of the terrace that could allow this unique outdoor area to be used in wet weather, with the views of the park maintained.

After in depth discussions and a comprehensive on site consultation between Caribbean, B3 Designers and Canary Wharf Estates, which included a full demonstration on the proposed solution and detailed explanation of installation methods and options, we were selected to incorporate our Antiguan external zip-guided roller blind systems where the fabric is held locked in the side channels, to the front elevation of the terrace.

As there was no available fixing points, other than the ground and overhead roof structure, we had to design bespoke steel uprights to allow the blinds to attach directly to. These uprights were strategically positioned in line with the railing uprights and colour co-ordinated (as were the blinds) to exactly match the colour of the main terrace structure.

The 8no. blinds which each measured circa 10m² were positioned side by side and each featured twin clearview panels to allow the sensational views to be maintained for the diners along with allowing the terrace to flood with natural daylight, all whilst keeping a uniformed look. Each blind can be operated individually through a hand held transmitter or alternatively a wall mounted wirefree switch allows operation of all blinds as a group.

To minimise disruption to surrounding businesses and potential hazards to passers by below, the installation was carried out over night. Caribbean liased directly with Canary Wharf Estates to ensure all drawings, plans and installation methods were signed off as required and to gain all appropriate work permits.

From initial discussions through to installation took just 6 weeks.