The clients for this project asked for a shade sail to cover their north-west facing courtyard.
The solution from SunCraft NZ, Ltd., won an Award of Excellence in the Commercial Awnings & Canopies category of the 2024 Advanced Textiles Association International Achievement Awards.
It was important for the clients to have a solution that provided shade late into the afternoon/evening. One of the clients is also an interior designer, so the overall look of the system was important to them, too.
SunCraft designed a 50-square-meter square motorized retractable shade sail mounted on three poles and one bracket attached to the roof of the house. The pole at the north-west corner was fitted with a winch to operate the height adjustment feature, which lowers the sail as the sun sets in the afternoon/evening to give more shade.
The SaturaMax fabric used has a UPF rating of 50+ and is water repellent, making it great for sun and light rain cover. The clients chose a light grey color which complements the colors of the house and the surrounding landscape. Automatic cloth tensioning ensures the sail cloth is always sitting perfectly between the connection points. The teardrop-shaped poles hide all ropes and wire, making for a stylish and tidy finish.
Due to the location being a high-wind zone, the system is operated by both remote control and wind sensor. When wind gusts of up to 40 kilometers per hour are detected, the sail will automatically retract.
“We entered this project as we believe it demonstrates how with careful design, shade sails can act as not only a source of shade but also a design feature,” SunCraft wrote in its IAA entry. “This particular project was planned to blend in with the architecture of the house and surrounding landscape.”
Project Details
Fabrics: SaturaMax by WeatherMax/Soliday, Soliday C by Soliday
Hardware/Findings: Focal Stainless Steel Bracket Focal, Groundscrews NZ G4 1300
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