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— BIOCLIMATIC PERGOLA · SAFFRON WALDEN
An outdoor room for every season.
A fully equipped bioclimatic pergola designed for year-round use, with flexible roof control, integrated shading and seamless access to the garden.
— PROJECT OVERVIEW
Saffron Walden
Gibus Velvet Plus Bioclimatic Pergola with sliding doors and integrated zip screens.
LOCATION:
Saffron Walden
ROOF SYSTEM:
Velvet Plus by Gibus
ENCLOSURE:
Sliding glass doors and ZIP blinds
PROJECT:
Year-round outdoor living
SCOPE:
Design & installation
— THE BRIEF
Understanding the property and the brief.
The client wanted to create an outdoor room that could be enjoyed throughout the year, with effective weather protection and additional shading during the warmer months. Maximising daylight was not a priority; instead, the emphasis was on comfort and the ability to control sunlight, particularly on the sides most exposed to the sun.
The client also had a clear preference for a bioclimatic system combining both tilting and retracting roof louvres, allowing the roof to be adjusted to suit changing weather conditions.
One important requirement was to retain the existing stone paving without introducing decking or a raised floor. The pergola therefore needed a carefully developed a concrete plinth to cover the slope difference.
— DESIGN & TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
Finding the right balance between comfort and design.
With a clear idea of the roof functionality they wanted, the client needed to see how the system would look and perform in a real residential setting. We arranged a visit to another client's completed installation, giving them the opportunity to experience the system first-hand before making their final decision.
Following this visit, we selected the Velvet Plus bioclimatic pergola by Italian manufacturer Gibus. Its combination of tilting and retracting louvres offered the roof flexibility the client was looking for.
The pergola was specified with sliding glass doors, integrated LED lighting and ZIP blinds on two sides, positioned to provide additional protection where the sun was strongest. The aluminium finish was selected to complement the colour of the property's existing window frames.
Key design considerations
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Flexible roof control - Tilting and retracting louvres provide different levels of shading, ventilation and openness.
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Targeted solar shading - ZIP blinds on the two most exposed sides provide additional protection from direct sunlight.
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Ground-level integration - A specially constructed concrete plinth provides the required structural support while allowing the pergola to sit at the level of the existing stone paving.
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Architectural coordination - The pergola's finish was selected to complement the existing window frames and create a cohesive appearance.
— THE COMPLETED PROJECT
A space designed around every season.
The completed Velvet Plus pergola brings together adjustable roof louvres, sliding glass doors and integrated shading to create a versatile outdoor room.
The two ZIP blinds provide targeted protection from the strongest sunlight, while the roof can be tilted or retracted to suit the weather and how the space is being used. Integrated lighting and heating add comfort during evenings and cooler months.
Crucially, the bespoke concrete foundation allowed the pergola to be installed at the existing paving level, avoiding the raised decking the client specifically wanted to eliminate.
