Pergolas: The Perfect Complement to Any Outdoor Room
Manufacturer Support
As a whole, architects prefer working with pergola manufacturers who provide a high level of support and guidance. For example, accurate, easy-to-read drawings, installation and maintenance guides, and informational videos are very helpful.
“Working with a company that offers in-house engineering and support services is actually a great benefit for both designers and homeowners,” Gillow says. “The last thing you want to do as a designer is to create a structure that does not stand the test of time.”
A high level of manufacturer support is particularly important for customized projects. In fact, Lichtenberg will only work with companies who offer in-house engineering/design support for these types of projects.
Along these lines, Draughon points out that pergolas have weight, wind, and distance tolerances that determine the design and placement. Consequently, manufacturers with in-house expertise can help designers ensure that the pergola will meet these requirements.
And because all pergola projects need to navigate the local building codes as well, manufacturer knowledge and support can be very helpful in establishing code compliance.
When building a pergola, homeowners may be tempted to build it themselves, as there are plenty of low-cost, in-store products on the market that can be assembled very quickly and easily. However, Matt Leacy, director and principal designer with the Sydney, Australia-based landscape architecture firm Landart, advises against this, pointing out that these types of products are often mass-produced with little consideration for quality and design.
Pergola Popularity
Overall, Willard defines pergolas as a great in-between space, not totally inside in a controlled climate nor totally outside exposed to the elements.
An expansive PVC polymer pergola creates an inviting area for diners to enjoy the outdoors while taking advantage of the visually appealing setting that this New Jersey restaurant affords.
“I think that they are popular because they respond to highly variable exterior conditions,” he says. “Sometimes you want to see the stars, and sometimes you do not. Sometimes you want to feel the warmth of the sun, and sometimes you do not.”
Wrapping up with a few more design ideas, some recent JZA+D projects have included a trellis that took on the curving, flowing form of butterflies in flight to create a focal point in a meditative memorial, a pergola to act as a centerpiece service station for an outdoor beer garden for a corporate office park, and a three-acre pool deck renovation with lattices for a major resort-casino.
Beyond public spaces, experts anticipate that residential pergolas will continue to gain traction, particularly as people spend more and more time at home at this unique point in history.
CASE STUDY: ROOFTOP PLANTER PERGOLA
Conforming to the local building code, this 25-foot x 50-foot terrace with a pergola is anchored to planters instead of attaching to the building, creating sought-after seating, dining, and entertainment space for residents and their guests on the 10th floor rooftop of this Boston residential building.
When an upscale Boston mid-rise residential building sought to build a sizable pergola on the rooftop, it ran into building regulations that restricted attaching anything to the building structure. While this would not have been an issue for a traditional pergola mounted to the ground with concrete, rooftop pergolas typically rely upon the building supporting the structural load.
Patricia Starfield, owner of Starfield Landscape Design in Boston, had no previous experience with anchoring pergola posts in large planters for above-ground applications, but was driven by a determination to pursue all means to satisfy her client’s desire for a beautiful terrace garden with a pergola. Though the pergola manufacturer Starfield was targeting also had not done this type of a project before, it was up for the challenge, putting its engineers to work to bring the landscape architect’s design to life.
Located on the building’s 10th floor, the approximately 25-foot x 50-foot terrace with pergola—decorated in vines and integrated lighting, and surrounded by fencing and large planters—serves as a sought-after seating, dining, and entertainment space. “The pergola provides spatial definition as well as softening the feeling of exposure—both to the sun and the surrounding buildings more than 10 stories high,” Starfield relates. “Vines planted on the custom-designed, crafted-metal supports grow over the top of the pergola and contribute to this visual screening and added natural interest.”
In determining the right material for the project, the owner required that it be long lasting and durable with ease of maintenance. Further, the pergola had to withstand the harsh Boston weather and high winds, in addition to complying with standards for weight distribution. While the owner was hesitant to go with a material that was not a natural product, Starfield had experience with solid cellular vinyl and made a strong case that it would meet the project needs.
Crane Contribution
Another unique aspect of the project was the siting restrictions, which required that everything be craned up to the 10th floor terrace. Consequently, the planters and the fabricated and finished solid cellular vinyl members for the pergola and fencing were brought up by crane followed by crates of soil, mulch, light drainage, plants, irrigation, electrical conduit, and lighting fixtures. Then everything was put together and constructed like the pieces of a puzzle on-site.
Prior to assembly, Starfield laid out the entire design in painter’s tape for the placement of all the conduits for irrigation and lighting in the space between the existing terrace pavers and the roof, as it had to be very specific. “These conduits needed to be located exactly so that irrigation and electric would come up precisely to be threaded into planned channels to keep all inner workings invisible,” she explains.
In addition, metal supports were incorporated inside the planters to add strength and stability to the pergola structure, and to attach each planter to the next. At the same time, the metal could not interfere with the space needed for the larger root balls. So Starfield carefully reviewed all plans with the pergola manufacturer and made the necessary adjustments before anything was built.
The final product dimensions incorporated a post-to-post pergola of 18 feet x 20 feet with covered steel beams for longer spans, an upper height limit of 8 feet per the building code, and the top cross pieces running approximately 11⁄2 feet apart with a 2-foot overhang.
In retrospect, Starfield attributes the success of this unique project to a great collaborative process. “This terrace was much more complicated than a suburban property,” she says. “Everyone had their own expertise, and we worked together to bring my image to reality.”
CASE STUDY: HOME GARDEN PERGOLA
The master bathroom of this home opens up from the shower into a beautiful orchid pergola with a bronze cupid fountain.
When Ryan Perrone, president of Nautilus Homes, entered his client’s previous home in Sarasota, Florida, he noticed a makeshift orchid area near the front entry. Upon further discussion with his client, he learned that she had a love for three main things: family, piano, and orchids.
Perrone then began working with this homeowner to develop a new home, keeping in mind her “three pillars of happiness.”
The piano room and master suite were located near the entry and in sight of the beautiful orchid pergola. The master bathroom opens up from the shower into the pergola with a bronze cupid fountain.
In fact, the softened, filtered light of the orchid conservatory was the perfect setting for a peaceful refuge, explains architect Andrew Etter who designed the pergola. “Punctuated with a sculptural bubbling Cupid fountain, multiple sensory layers promote a spa-like Zen experience right outside of the master bath.”
In selecting a material for the pergola, Nautilus Homes tends to favor “authentic materials.” However, in this case, exposure to the elements was too much of a risk to use wood. Perrone is also not a fan of aluminum on account of its hollow sound and the fact that it does not look real, even from a distance. Ultimately, PVC polymer material was selected as the best option.
“The solid cellular vinyl material is well suited for the sunny Florida climate from a maintenance and longevity standpoint. The material is lightweight and very workable in comparison to other options,” Etter explains.
A slightly off-white alabaster color was selected.
In creating the pergola design, Etter referenced the neighborhood and region’s architecture. “Using the scale and proportion of a classical style as a guide, this helped generate and reinforce the rhythm, symmetry, and balance.”
The pergola design, which is attached to the house, features 8-foot traditionally styled columns, a 14-foot overhead beam, and two styles of lattice panels in each corner. The lower panels measure 3 feet 3⁄4 inches in height and feature a denser design, while the upper lattice panel measures 5 feet 6 1⁄16 inches with an oval cutout in the middle. The north and south elevations also incorporate lower lattice panels, serving as gates on each side.
Because oval windows are found throughout the house, the project team decided to incorporate oval shapes in the pergola design. Emphasizing the importance of symmetry, Perrone ensured that all six panels were exactly the same size. The oval shape, in addition to the design of half columns where the structure attaches to the house, serves to engage the pergola and integrate its architecture with the home.
In selecting a manufacturer to work with, the builder and architect conducted an extensive search as a high level of design and engineering assistance was essential for this project. “This level of support was a tremendous asset during the fabrication stage,” Etter explains.
Offering advice to building teams embarking upon pergola projects, Perrone recommends getting the manufacturer involved during the design document phase to consult on the design drawings as they have a wealth of knowledge.
“Effective, efficient coordination is the prescription for best avoiding mistakes, and it can stimulate ideas to enhance, improve, and innovate,” Etter adds.
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