Sun shading
Although a south facing garden is high on people's must have lists when looking to buy a new property, the reality is that there are many more wonderful properties where the garden has a less than optimum orientation. As architectural designer, one of the challenges I quite often work with is to design a solution that will not only look beautiful but that will work really well regardless of site specific challenges.
A garden facing due west is one of them. I have just submitted planning and Listed Building Consent for a new garden room extension with large west facing stacking doors. My clients wished to have as much light as possible coming into the extension and the existing cottage beyond. They also asked for a visual and physical link to the garden whatever the weather, even on those hot summer afternoons when the western sun will be beating down on them.
Although I shall be specifying high performance triple glazed doors with low E glass, the idea of sitting cooped up inside with internal blinds or curtains drawn with no view into the garden didn’t appeal.
As part of the design concept development, I tracked the sun path. This identified the worst time of year and day and to design a solution that actually fulfils the challenge I have been set. In mid June, the sun will be hitting the room from 14h30 and by 17h30 it will reach the back wall of the room.
Shutters open at 6pm mid June
I have developed a design for a sunscreen which is set 1m away from the building. The timber louvre stacking system can be slid open across the open stacking doors during periods of intense sunshine. This will retain an actual physical link to the part of the garden that is shielded from the worst of the summer sun through adjacent structures whilst providing a filtered view into the rest of the garden.
Shutter closed at 6pm mid June
As is often the case, no one solution can offer the best of both worlds. In the case of this garden room extension, the compromise my clients had to consider was whether complete protection against the sun was more important or partial protection but with a high degree of visibility into the garden.
Louvres closer together provide more shielding against the sun but with less visibility into the garden (as seen from inside, existing walls stripped away).
Using the 3D model I created, and tracking the sun path, we could explore which width, depth and distance between louvre blades would provide the optimum balance between protection against the sun and a visual link with the garden beyond.
Louvres further apart provide less shielding against the sun but offer more visibility into the garden(as seen from inside, existing walls stripped away).
See more photorealistic visualisations for the design here.
PROJECT TOOLBOX
Consider the impact of the sun’s position at various times of the day and year. Is there too much glare, is it too hot or too dark.
External screening strategies are better than internal shading mechanisms such as curtains and blinds.
Build some flexibility into your screening strategy - how are you covered during different times of the day and year?
If you have a tricky orientation and too much or too little sun, give me a call to discuss on 07415 865 720 or email me at henda@hendaknobel.com.
