Vertical Retracting Door│London Wall Place

Challenge: Seamless Indoor‑Outdoor Dining Beside Ancient London

Located steps from the original Roman London Wall, built around 200 AD, London Wall Place presented a unique architectural challenge and opportunity:

Proximity to heritage: Guests would be dining mere yards from a priceless relic, so preserving a clear, respectful line of sight was essential.
Modern hospitality vs. ancient backdrop: The goal was to offer premium dining and café experiences, while integrating respectfully with a centuries‑old structure.
Maximizing seating and light: The venue needed to bring in natural illumination and expand usable space, transforming a static façade into a dynamic environment.

The client’s brief: create a space that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior, while showcasing the London Wall—all without obstructive frames or barriers.

Solution: Panora Vertical Retracting Door System & Windows

The answer came in the form of Libart’s Panora vertical retracting door system, designed especially for high-performance architectural openings:

At ground level, the café features three PanoraView vertical retracting doors sized approx. 3 m × 4 m each, which rise vertically to disappear into a concealed overhead pocket, Breeze Free.
These door units use insulated glazing (6 mm + 20 mm + 6 mm), operated via electric motor with a touch‑button interface, enabling seamless indoor-to-outdoor transitions Stoett Industries.

How it works:

Closed mode: The doors act as floor‑to‑ceiling glazing—fully transparent, thermally efficient, and permitting uninterrupted views of the landscaped zone and Roman wall.
Open mode: Panels lift vertically, opening almost the full width of the façade—creating a naturally flowing connection to the outside.

This configuration solved multiple priorities: increased seating, max natural light, and maintaining a purely unobstructed view of the stone wall.

Benefits: Architectural Harmony & Customer Experience

1. Uninterrupted Sightlines

With no horizontal threshold or bulky frames, the Panora vertical retracting doors offer a clear, cinematic view of the historic London Wall, merging modern architecture calmly with ancient stones .

2. True Indoor‑Outdoor Flexibility

Guests may enjoy alfresco-style dining when doors are open, and cozy, climate-controlled seating when closed—all powered by the smooth operation of the vertical retracting door system .

3. Space Optimization & Seating Expansion

Because the Panora doors retract vertically without requiring stacking space, every inch of the café’s floor area remains fully usable. The venue gains season‑round seating capacity, even operating year‑round with the best of both indoor and outdoor ambiance.

4. Elevated Design & Brand Appeal

The retracting doors lend a sophisticated and modern character to the café, creating architectural contrast with the ancient wall. They work as both functional elements and a design statement, enhancing the venue’s prestige and visitor experience.

5. Operational Ease & Guest Convenience

With touch-button control, staff or guests instantly switch between open or closed configurations—no manual struggle, no interruptions to service. The glazing ensures safety and insulation without compromising transparency.

6. Versatility and Customization

The Panora system’s flexibility allows for custom panel counts and finishes in any RAL color. Opening capacity ranges from 66% to 75% of the rough opening, ensuring maximal usable space regardless of configuration.

Summary Table

Challenge	Solution	Benefits
Balancing ancient setting with modern function	Panora vertical retracting door system & windows	Seamless sightlines; unobstructed views of London Wall
Need for seasonal flexibility & seating	Motorized doors opening vertically	Indoor/outdoor switchable space; year-round hospitality
Desire for increased footprint and seating	Vertical retraction uses full usable area	More seating, revenue, and open flow
Aesthetic alignment with heritage architecture	Frameless, minimalist glazing design	Visually sleek; honors and highlights historic context
Ease of operation in hospitality environment	Push-button automated system	Staff and guest‑friendly, efficient, climate‑controlled

Final Word: Where Ancient Wall Meets Modern Glass

By choosing the Panora vertical retracting door system, London Wall Place achieved its vision: a café façade that raises up at the touch of a button, offering a transparent and continuous connection to one of London’s oldest historical remnants.

Guests can dine steps from a 2,000-year-old Roman wall, with views unobscured by mullions or frames.
When the doors lift, the boundary dissolves—what was once interior becomes open-air seating with downtown ambiance.
When closed, the venue remains bright, insulated, and connected to the city’s architectural tapestry.

This very flexible solution demonstrates how Panora’s innovative door and window systems—especially the vertical retracting door system—can transform venues into dynamic, context-sensitive, and visually striking spaces.