A pergola as a landscape architecture element: integrating with the surroundings and creating harmonious spaces
Pergola OpenSky 120
The pergola is an architectural form that dates back to ancient Egypt, around 1500 BC. Despite its ancient origins, it fits seamlessly into the demands of modern architecture. The key is to choose a design that complements the building’s style.
Pergola: a hybrid of open and enclosed space
The 21st century has taught us how to bring together things once considered contradictory. The idea of work-life balance has blurred the line between personal life and work - now often hybrid in nature - with many people working partly from home. The pergola embodies the same sense of hybridity. It is a space that is simultaneously open and enclosed. It may be physically attached to a building or stand alone while echoing the building’s style and colour palette.
A sense of architectural continuity is often achieved by matching the pergola’s colour to the window frames. Aluprof’s MB-OPENSKY 120 and MB-OPENSKY 140 pergolas are available in 12 RAL colours, making it easy to tailor them to any façade.
“When designing the pergola, our goal was to make sure it could blend seamlessly into its surroundings. We focused not only on stability and comfort, but also on aesthetics. Mounting brackets, actuators and water drainage systems are all concealed. The connections between profiles are virtually invisible, while additional elements such as access panels for installing heating units are designed so that the structure appears unified, cohesive and in tune with the building,” explains Emmanuel Gregoire, Managing Director at Aluprof Belgium NV.
Pergola OpenSky 120
Modern terrace pergolas
Garden shelters providing shade have been part of our lives for centuries. Their form, size and materials have evolved over time: from the wooden pergolas of the 15th and 16th centuries, adorned with climbing plants, to the elegant stone-columned pergolas that became fashionable in the 17th century. Today, aluminium sets the standard!
Thanks to this durable material, pergolas can now serve their purpose not only in summer, but all year round, whatever the weather.
Made of adjustable louvres that can tilt from 0° to 135° and are fitted with sealing gaskets, the roof makes the space comfortable even on rainy days. Rainwater is no obstacle either, as integrated downpipes hidden within the posts channel it away with ease.
Pergola OpenSky 140
The option of adding side screens, such as all-glass sliding doors like MB-Slide or SkyRoll screens, protects from both wind and rain. When not needed, these can be easily folded or slid away.
As a finishing touch, pergolas can also be equipped with built-in lighting systems or designed as wall-mounted structures with a built-in console that allows the adjoining wall to be insulated, extending the building’s form.
Aluminium pergolas also reflect the growing focus on sustainability in construction. Aluminium is fully recyclable and perfectly suited to the circular economy we are increasingly striving for.
Not just for homes – pergolas in the city!
Pergolas are not only for houses with gardens. This type of small-scale architecture also works perfectly in urban settings. They are increasingly installed on the rooftops of residential and commercial buildings to provide extra usable space.
They are an excellent way to transform the flat roof of an office building into an inviting area for staff. Their uses are wide-ranging: from a space for relaxation to a setting for team meetings in a more scenic atmosphere.
Our OpenSky 140 pergola is perfectly suited for this. With its impressive dimensions (up to 7 metres long and 5 metres wide), it creates a space of 35 m2. Its electrically operated roof, with adjustable louvres, means it can be used in comfort all year round. The pergola can be transformed into a conference room, an additional meeting area for staff or even a convenient mini office when fitted with SkyRoll screens, which reduce glare on monitors while still providing a clear view outside,”notes Emmanuel Gregoire.
Pergola OpenSky 140
Pergolas are becoming an increasingly popular feature in office buildings. They make it possible to turn roof and terrace areas into usable spaces, while their contemporary design blends seamlessly with the architecture of modern glass office blocks.
Let’s build a better future
Aluminium pergolas bring together functionality and aesthetics. They fit effortlessly into modern architecture, and their versatility makes them equally suitable for private homes, as a terrace or patio cover, an attractive entrance feature or an outdoor dining area, and for office buildings and public facilities, where they can serve as comfortable meeting spaces, open-air conference rooms or an extension of the building’s usable area.