Discover the Aesthetic Appeal of Sunshade Designs
Sunshades come in highly customizable shapes, sizes, and colors.
Sunshades Overview
Want to add an interesting aesthetic element to the outside of your building while also improving its energy efficiency on the inside? An architectural aluminum sunshade is precisely what you need. Without a doubt, the most customizable architectural metal that PCG fabricates offers endless options to meet your desired design results.
Besides being a visually appealing addition to a building's exterior, our sunshade designs offer a great way to shade windows, blocking the sun's entry and reducing the overall temperature inside the building, thereby decreasing the energy required to condition the space. Blocking up to 90% of the sun's rays, studies have shown that sunshades can reduce energy bills by as much as 25% while still allowing natural light to enter the interior space.
Sunshade Options
COLORS
First, all of PCG's sunshades come with a standard powder-coat finish. This alone allows for hundreds of color options, and, if you don't mind a little longer, wait, even a custom-matched color.
SUPPORTS
Similar to canopies, sunshades can be either overhead-supported or outrigger-supported, depending on the desired aesthetic. Typically, overhead supports allow for a larger projection (the distance from the face of the wall to the sunshade). At the same time, outrigger supports offer a lower profile and enable attachment in tighter spaces where overhead supports are not feasible.
Overhead-Supported Sunshades
Outrigger-Supported Sunshades
FASCIA
Besides the support structure of the sunshades, another item that can be customized on a sunshade is the fascia component. Sometimes, a thicker appearance on the front is required, making an aluminum tube the best choice. At other times, the design calls for a rounded front, in which case a round pipe would look best. There are even options for a blunt nose or open front design if that would fit with the building.
Sunshade Fascia Options
BLADES
The most visible portion of the sunshade—the fins or blades—is also likely the most customizable. If you want the blades to match the tube or pipe on the fascia, we can accommodate that. If you want it to resemble a horizontal louver with a 'Z' blade or an oval-shaped tube, we can accommodate that as well. We have even created sunshades with wire mesh or perforated panels for a unique design.
Sunshade Blade Options
CONTINUOUS VS. INDIVIDUAL UNITS
Some buildings have individual window units that require individual sunshades. Others have storefront systems that turn corners and need long, continuous runs of sunshades to cover the whole system. Both are possible in almost every design and situation.
Corner Sunshade
Do you see something here that would work for you? Let the experts at PCG help execute your next project. Don't see what you have in mind, but still want a sunshade? Let us help you work through your design and get you what you need. PCG provides fully engineered systems with lead times typically ranging from 4 to 6 weeks.
How can we help you with your next architectural metal project? Let us know! Contact us today.