Wind-ResistantPergola Project
Unpredictable weather can often be frustrating for homeowners looking to enjoy their outdoor spaces. Finding a patio shade that can keep the family cool in the summer, and warmer in the winter, is a small eye to thread. Common solutions like awnings or sun shades can not stand up to heavy winds or snow loads. A custom-designed durable modern wind-resistant pergola, though, will deliver year-round access and enjoyment on the patio, deck, or pool deck. This was the challenge that our manufacturing partner, Azenco, faced with a recent project near its facilities in Florida. To create a storm-beating pergola, the design team needed to overcome a few challenges with this project. Ultimately, the result was a gorgeous one-of-a-kind outdoor living space.
Wind-Resistant Pergola in a Luxurious Covered Outdoor Space
The proud owners of this mid-century architectural beauty loved spending time in their already-gorgeous backyard. With a sprawling patio extending into a pool surround, the outdoor space was a family favorite destination to relax on the weekend and host family gatherings. With no shade on the patio, though, afternoon parties could become unbearably hot. Plus, the constant afternoon rain showers often drove guests off the pool deck and back into the house. Adding a wind-resistant pergola was the ideal combination of style and function that would satisfy their every wish.
The Elegance of Quality and Functionality
Challenged to provide shade for three large areas of the patio – a seating area, an outdoor dining space, and an outdoor bar – the team developed a grand 22’ x 16’ insulated roof pergola. With the pergola mounted to the home, the R-SHADE™ covered all three areas with a blanket of full-time shade. With no external assembly hardware, the R-SHADE™ perfectly complemented the home’s Mediterranean architecture and the aesthetic of the existing outdoor space.
Azenco’s Wind-Resistant Pergola Attached to The House
The team also customized the pergola footprint to cover the bar area that was tucked into an exterior corner of the home. With the large pergola extending almost to the pool, there was plenty of shaded space over the cooking areas with room to spare for guests to enjoy being in proximity to the pool while still in the shade. To seamlessly fit the new modern pergola with the home’s mid-century styling, the team also incorporated a cantilevered roof section into this pergola to give it a bit of offset flare. Clad in gray bronze beams and support columns, the sandwich panel roof sections are appointed in white to give the structure a soaring sensation and accent the pair of integrated patio fans.
The Ultimate Challenge: Storm-Resistant Pergola Design
Similar to the unpredictable weather patterns that make their way through the Denver area and Colorado in general, this project also needed to be able to withstand heavy winds and rapidly changing weather. Luckily for these homeowners, Azenco has secured certifications for its products’ storm resistance. The region of \Florida where Azenco fabricates the pergolas that we design for our customers, is well known for its especially-strict building codes. Often ravaged by hurricanes, regulators have prescribed standards for storm-resistant outdoor structures like pergolas, cabanas and carports. To streamline project review and approval, the local country inspectors test some building materials like windows and doors, and some structures like pergolas, to make sure they are best prepared to withstand a hurricane. Azenco’s R-Shade pergola has undergone this testing and received Miami Dade NOA Certification and Approvals as a result. While no outdoor structure can be guaranteed to survive a massive storm like the most-powerful hurricanes, knowing that the pergola products we erect for our customers already carry these stringent certifications, gives us the confidence to recommend them for use here in the mountain west as well.
