Seamless shading solution

Devising a system of external awnings to prevent heat build up and sun glare in the bedrooms of a children's hospice proved to be one of the most demanding but rewarding projects ever undertaken by Dorset-based Broadview Blinds.

Naomi House, located six miles from Winchester, is a beautiful curved building, which provides each room with a pleasant sunny outlook onto a grassed courtyard. Unfortunately, at times too much sunshine was causing discomfort for the children.

Effective shading

To provide the rooms with an effective shading solution that was easy-to-operate and blended seamlessly with the curved architecture of the building Broadview's design team proposed a system of 12 cassetted awnings powered and controlled by Somfy technology.

Each awning is equipped with a Somfy Orea tubular motor and a radio receiver, which allows the awnings to be operated remotely at the touch of a button.

Broadview specified Somfy Telis multi-channel handsets so that the awnings can be operated individually or in unison, and for comfort and safety, the awnings are also linked to four strategically-placed Soliris radio light and wind sensors, which will cause the awnings to open or close automatically according to the weather conditions.

Maintaining the visually appealing aesthetic of the building was a key requirement for Broadview's client. This meant that the awnings had to blend in with the building roofline when retracted and the fixing brackets had to be invisible. When fully extended the awnings all had to run in a perfect straight line and be level.