Company:
SHADE Industries Inc. Phoenix, AZ

Project Details

Fabric 1

Commercial 95
Producer: Gale Pacific USA Inc.
Supplier: Gale Pacific USA Inc.


Engineer Name 1
Nick Keizer

Engineer Company 1
RNK Structural Engineering

Design Name
Ashley Poulton

Design Company
SHADE Industries

Installation Company
SHADE Industries


Please describe the project specifications

11 wall brackets and a single column support (eventually) three approximately 38 foot by 38 foot shade sails over a high school courtyard.


What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

The high school was in need of shade over a popular courtyard utilized for lunch breaks and a hang out for kids between classes. Three large shade sails were designed to provide ample shade during lunch periods over the school year. Although design and engineered as an entire project, due to budget restraints, the school requested the project be constructed in three phases. The first phase, completed in September 2015, consisted of installing a single column, all eleven wall brackets, and a single shade sail with the school Falcon logo sewn into it. The second phase, completed on January 18, 2016, consisted of fabrication and installation of the middle sail.


What is unique or complex about the project?

The shade sails are situated between two fairly tall school buildings, which provided decent shade to begin with. Using 3D modeling software, shade studies were conducted to maximize shade during the desired time frame. The resulting design required each sail to be suspended on almost every corner with extension cables. The initial phase of this project was installed while students were at school. Installation shifts were arranged so that drilling holes in the walls for epoxy anchors happened before students arrived and after school was dismissed. The school had also requested the mascot be sewn into the sail. With the logo requiring four fabric colors, this proved to be the most complex logo in the history of our company.


What were the results of the project?

Funds are currently being raised to complete the third shade sail. The school has also requested designs for shading bleachers at the school’s baseball field.


Content is submitted by the participant. IFAI is not responsible for the content descriptions of the IAA award winners.