A round of shade

Published On: May 1, 2015

Aresidential remodeling job transformed a Tucson, Ariz., home and back yard into a relaxing private oasis—minus the gently wafting shade of palm trees or any shade at all. The homeowners contacted Phoenix-based SHADE Industries® to devise an elegant solution to a glaring problem. The SHADE Industries “sails” team looked at the yard’s round patio design and went to work on the Discus, a unique shade structure that looks as cool as the shade it provides.

The 20-foot-diameter Discus is made from Synthesis Shadecloth Commercial 95™, manufactured by Gale Pacific USA Inc., Altamonte Springs, Fla., using the latest technologies to combine high-density polyethylene, advanced UV stabilizers and pigments to provide hard-working, good-looking shade. The fabric, laced to a 5-inch round tube, might look like a trampoline—except for the distinctive 12-inch square tube and square struts that support the entire circular shade structure above the patio. The square supporting pillar is cantilevered on only one side, with the low side 6 feet, 8 inches and the high side 8 feet.

The Discus won its developers, SHADE Industries®, a 2014 International Achievement Award of Excellence in the Residential Awnings and Canopies category—and convinced prospective customers that creative design can solve any shading problems.  Photo: ©Eric Hinote Photography

The Discus won its developers, SHADE Industries®, a 2014 International Achievement Award of Excellence in the Residential Awnings and Canopies category—and convinced prospective customers that creative design can solve any shading problems. Photo: ©Eric Hinote Photography