Requirement

Cardinal Newman College in Preston has stunning grounds but with added pressure on circulation space due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was a need for extra outdoor covered space to allow students to maintain social distancing throughout the year. College Principal, Nick Burnham and his senior leadership team, ably assisted with design by Land Studio, an architectural design and planning company from Chester, selected Zenith’s Vela 150 shade sails because of their unique design and the robust quality of the structures.

Solution

The College selected 4 x 5m x 5m Vela 150 sails joined together with canopies in RAL 7035 light grey and steel frames powder coated in RAL 7037 mid grey, providing a covered area of 10x10m. Composite decking was installed beneath with benches and pods produced from recycled materials.

Outcome

Students at Cardinal Newman College in Preston now have space to socially distance outside whilst still enjoying shade and shelter all year round, thanks to the Vela 150 Shade sail system from Zenith Structures. At the end of October 2020, the Larkhill College unveiled a new outdoor covered social space using the Vela 150, which is manufactured to UK Building Regulations for wind and snow loadings so they don’t have to be removed during the winter months.

 

Testimonial

Nick said: "The covered outdoor seating area has proved very popular so far with the students, as it provides great shelter in unpredictable weather. We look forward to warmer months, where I am sure we will get more use out of the covered seating. The canopies and seating fits well into the surroundings and compliments our grounds".

About the Vela 150 system

The Vela 150 system is ideal for clients looking for the style and shape of a shade sail whilst benefitting from the added strength of a framework that, unlike most sails, is attached to the canopy all the way around its perimeter, preventing canopy sagging or wind damage.

The structure is manufactured from a powder-coated steel framework that works as an integral gutter system whilst the canopy is made from PVDF coated PVC that is fully waterproof and UV resistant.

The Vela 150 is available in sizes from 4m x 4m to 6m x 6m and being modular, has endless add on capacity.