Private Residence - Atlanta, GA

A Place in a Garden

Home should be a place of peace, where you can enjoy the world around you. In Atlanta, Georgia the lush foliage are tempered by hot temperatures, blistering sunshine, periodic rain, and occasional storms and wind.

This residential project had the simple goal of creating an oasis. The homeowners had a lovely garden and enjoyed entertaining friends on their back patio, but the heat and changing weather limited how often they could use their outdoor spaces.

Finding the right configuration of details is what makes the outdoor space not just livable, but enjoyable.

Using a retractable patio cover system (rather than post-less retractable awnings) provides additional strength and support. With the tougher Ferrari mesh fabric, which is made out of a type of PVC, this creates a system which is able to withstand wind, rain, and hail, as well as providing sun and UV protection. The frame and fabric, fully extended, are rated for 54 mph winds (Beaufort Scale 9). This extends the usable times to functionally year-round, in all but the most extreme weather. The Monza has integrated drainage; this was configured to run from the back to the front and to drain into the yard, preventing visible runoff and minimizing damage to the awning from pooling water.

The Monza frame has a very symmetrical, smooth shape, with a clean L-angle and flush joint for the guides and posts. The fabric guides are hidden in the top posts and the motor is integrated into the awning roller in a safety box, which keeps the frame appearance clean and uncluttered. To cover the entire patio area, the customer used two joined awnings, each with an integrated motor and a continuous piece of fabric (which is stronger).

The home was made out of a classic red brick, so the Monza model was selected because its treated wood is extremely resilient, but has an earthy, soft aesthetic that complemented the house. A hood was added to the awnings to prevent water or debris from accumulating in the fabric folds; this was powder-coated a warm brown to blend into the wooden frame. Purlin covers were used on the beams for additional protection.

The Monza frame has to be installed at two points: against a wall (or eave) and on the ground. For motorized awnings, the cables for the motor are generally run through holes to connect to the electrical system. With this house, the wall and frame were unusually thick yet uneven in depth, which required deeper holes and specialized fasteners. Drilling the required holes and feeding the cable was more challenging.

Patio systems are a lighter-touch than traditional construction. In this case, the homeowner was so pleased with the initial patio system that he has decided to add vertical drop awnings and fabric panels to allow the space to be completely enclosed. He’ll be able to heat the space in winter and air condition it in summer to extend that space’s utility even more.