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Summers are hot in San Ramon, Calif., located 35 miles east of San Francisco in the San Ramon Valley. The community is home to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, designed in the 1980s by Aaron Green, an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. The church features a beautiful patio that congregants like to use for Bible study and other events. But it’s too sunny and hot for use part of the year.
To combat the sun, a canopy was installed at St. Joan of Arc to shade the patio. Acme Sunshades, a San Leonardo, Calif., fabricator and installer of custom awnings and shades, was contracted for the project. The company designed and installed a custom Infinity Canopy and support structure to provide complete shade.
The 50-foot by 18-foot canopy is made of five rows of 10-foot by 18-foot Phifertex Plus Stucco fabric. The woven vinyl-coated polyester mesh withstands inclement weather and is infused with mold-, mildew- and odor-fighting properties. Each canopy section is comprised of nine panels that are operated independently with a pulley system.
The Infinity Canopy features a slide-on-wire system and, because of its modular design, it can fit any space and be modified to meet specific shade needs. Customization possibilities include multi-colored panels, using flat or bellowing panels, removal of panels to create an open space, and creating a canopy of varying width sections.
The supporting structure is made of four-foot by four-foot galvanized steel posts and cross beams welded together onsite. For more information, visit www.acmesunshades.com.
