When the architect of Hillstone Restaurant Group was given the green light to design a new restaurant in Bal Harbour, Florida, he knew that only one manufacturer of steel windows and doors could help him achieve his unique vision and, at the same time, meet the stringent Miami-Dade impact and wind loading hurricane standards.
The manufacturer is Hope’s®, the leading source of custom, handcrafted solid hot-rolled steel and bronze windows and doors for more than a century. The restaurant is The Grill at Bal Harbour, the newest addition to the exclusive Bal Harbour Shops, a luxury shopping destination that attracts clientele from all over the world.
Prominently situated atop the open-air mall’s main entrance, The Grill at Bal Harbour features Hope’s Jamestown175™ Series steel windows and doors and a 5000 Series™ pocket door. “Prominently” is an important element of this story because Bal Harbour, located on Miami Beach, is a place to see and be seen.
For Rakesh Patel, the Senior Project Architect for Hillstone, the first challenge was to figure out how he could transform the second floor’s “back wall” orientation into the “front and center” experience that patrons of the mall would expect. “Architecturally the space had a ‘bird’s nest perch’ quality to it, which was enhanced using the large winged roof overhang and the wrap-around operable glazing system,” says Patel. He describes the windows as simple and mid-century modern lines with steel rolled sections and maximum glazing to make the building as transparent as possible.
In fact, Patel’s design offers numerous lines of sight, providing a dining experience appropriate in nature to the shopping experience. The 6,400-square foot restaurant’s exterior view takes in the mall’s lush landscape – including koi ponds and palm trees – while the interior showcases an exhibition kitchen. Throughout, as with the preparation of the food, craftsmanship reigns supreme.
Image Courtesy of: Hope’s Windows
“To us, Hope’s Windows is a form of art,” Patel says, “elegantly working with the architecture. We like for our patrons to interact with the architecture and, in the case of Hope’s, the texture of the solid hot-rolled steel window frames offers a tactile, artisan sense, especially when experienced up close.” Patel says his past experience working with Hope’s told him the company would be innovative when necessary, engineering solutions as needed. A 13-foot wide and 12-foot high laminated curved on plan glass section and hot-rolled steel frames pushed the boundaries of curved glass. The curved glass was made in one of the few autoclaves in the world large enough to accommodate a single piece of glass of such magnitude.
The strength of solid hot-rolled steel frames allowed for the creation of a 90-degree butt glazed corner to complement the open-air design. Custom designed and engineered vertical sliding windows transform the entire space from a beautiful enclosed facility to an outdoor dining experience at a moment’s notice. Patel says he greatly appreciates how Hope’s was willing to work with structural, mechanical and pneumatic specialists from other firms to synchronize the opening and closing of operable windows in unison (along with other design requirements).
“This professional cooperation not only produces a splendid dining experience, but it also greatly contributes to the uninterrupted safety and comfort of our customers in the event of a hurricane,” Patel says. Hope’s Jamestown175™ Series steel windows and doors feature solid hot-rolled steel profiles to achieve the narrowest frame dimensions and maximum glass area producing the best views. These windows and doors have been installed in prestigious cultural and commercial projects and luxury residential projects across the country.
“Hope’s is one of the very select few, if not the only, steel window manufacturer that meets the demanding Miami-Dade impact and wind loading hurricane standards – an obvious choice,” Patel says. “Hope’s relationship with the Hillstone Restaurant Group goes back many years,” says Randy Manitta, President of Hope’s Windows, Inc. “It is always a pleasure working with their staff to produce a look only attainable utilizing Hope’s steel windows and doors.”
The Grill at Bal Harbour has since been renamed Hillstone at Bal Harbour.
Feature Image Courtesy of: Hope’s Windows
