The Largest SolaGlide Sliding Panel Roof in the UK Finds Its Home at The Hawk’s Nest, Shepherd’s Bush — a Project Realized in Collaboration with Breezefree
When Bird House London sought to enclose the outdoor space at The Hawk’s Nest, the goal was to create a flexible, all-year venue that could operate at full capacity regardless of the weather—while also improving acoustic control to support extended evening hours on the busiest nights.
Recognizing the need for a more durable and functional solution, Bird House London approached Breezefree to develop a proposal for a permanent architectural system—one that would provide effective weather protection and sound control, without sacrificing the open-air character that had become central to the venue’s identity.
In collaboration with Libart, a fully retractable glass roofing solution was realized—preserving the outdoor ambiance while adding flexibility, comfort, and year-round usability.
The initial proposal was for a double-pitched, retractable double-glazed glass roof, making it the largest Libart retractable glass roof in the UK, at 5m x 36,5m. The SolaGlide product would satisfy the requirement for weather adaptability, whilst providing a significant level of sound-proofing to keep the neighbours happy, however boisterous the crowd got beneath.
Breezefree were appointed by the client as the principal designer for the project, with responsibility for the pre-construction phase, ensuring safe methods of work and eliminating or mitigating any health and safety risks during the construction phase. Breezefree’s installation of the Libart's SolaGlide Sliding Panel Roof Skylights and vertically glazed ends also had to be coordinated with the client’s other contractors who were carrying out refurbishment and fitout works at the same time.
Challenges included satisfying the stringent requirements of Transport for London due to the tube line running immediately above, as well as the venue’s request to have a space to trade in whilst construction work was taking place.
One of TfL’s changes required a redesign of the original double-pitched roof. A single pitch lean-to was requested so that the apex would be running in line with the tops of the arches. However, the structure could not be attached to the brickwork, as this could potentially compromise the structural integrity of the brick railway arches. A bespoke, freestanding steel structure was developed in collaboration with structural engineers, designed to be installed on ground-level foundations without imposing any load on the adjacent Victorian-era brick viaduct. This fully self-supporting solution ensures structural independence while preserving the integrity of the historic arches.
The steelwork construction presented challenges due to Shepherd’s Bush Market trading next door and the location being an extremely busy West London transport hub. Despite this and the fact that the steel framework included extremely heavy lengths of steel measuring up to 9m long, the Breezefree installation team managed to have the whole steel framework installed in just three days.
Additionally, the client required that one end of the structure be fully completed before the rest of the space, so that they could trade whilst construction work continued. This required close coordination with the client and other trades to expedite a useable trading space before continuation of the rest of the works. Bespoke glass infill sections were also installed to fully enclose the parts of the space that were not square to the main structure.
The result is a cutting-edge hospitality space with an elegantly sliding roof that offers an open-air experience in summer, cosy enclosure in winter, and everything in between. The roof also offers enhanced soundproofing, reducing impact on neighbours when things are really taken up a notch on the venue’s most lively nights, and allowing longer trading hours and increased revenue.
The stunning transformation means that the Hawk’s Nest can offer their delicious cocktails, and pizzas that have to be tasted to be believed, underneath an elevated and stylish roof that will help draw in diners and revellers for years to come.
