Thanks to the retractable roof, which Tilt designed, manufactured and managed the installation of, the newly opened Tequila Mockingbird Restaurant in Paddington is able to operate at maximum capacity and offer a variety of flexible dining options.

“Having the operable roof gives us a point of difference to most venues – it has that wow factor and changes the whole dynamic of a small venue,” said Tequila Mockingbird Director, Michael Fegent.

“We’re able to book out the entire venue without having to worry about it raining, while having the flexibility to offer an ambient open-air courtyard space during fine weather,” he added.

According to Tilt’s Managing Director, Tim Phillips, an increasing number of hospitality venues are seeking versatile all-weather spaces.

“It is important for restaurants and bars to be able to offer patrons not just seasonal variety but also assurance that the venue can manage their event despite the weather,” he said.

“This type of security means venues can confidently operate at maximum capacity and optimise the dining experience based on the weather – providing alfresco dining in clear weather and fully enclosed dining in times of rain.”

“It also enables the available space to be fully maximised in smaller venues,” he added.

The one touch control system enables the roof to be stopped at any position and includes battery backup to ensure it can be closed in the event of a power outage.

According to Tim, aesthetics were also an important consideration in this custom roof design.

“We designed the roof specifically to suit the architectural intent,” he said.

“Rather than adapt an existing product type to a property, the architect maintains a large amount of control in the resulting aesthetic of the Tilt design.”

Tilt was contracted to Arcon Projects and engaged in a collaborative design exercise with several project consultants, to realise the retractable roof design for this challenging renovation.

Tequila Mockingbird was designed by Luchetti Krelle. Base building designed by Ian Burl Architects and Arcon Projects.

View project case study here.