Sun helps as a source of natural light for your home but even at that, sometimes it can be too much. You need something to control the amount of sun that comes in. Canopies and architectural sunshades are two very popular sun control options. More often used in a variety of buildings and properties. Mixed-use properties happen to be one of the property types witnessing a such surge. A lot of them now want to have the means to control the amount of sun they receive. The more helpful the practice is, the more appealing it is. 

Mixed-use buildings are now one of the most popular structures around. One of the reasons because they allow you to make use of land space in an intelligent way. They encourage walking, creating interesting destinations, and more. This attracts diverse tenants of both commercial and residential spaces.

More people are now less interested in distant journeys, easy access to essential things, and a place where they can live, work and play. This has made mixed-use development grow in recent years. People are feeling the burden of home maintenance, running errands with cars, and others. The sense of creating a friendly community is what makes it more attractive. 

Why Sun Control is Important in Mixed-use Buildings

Whether in commercial or residential mixed-use buildings, having a sunshade is important. As part of building design, some architects like to add awnings and canopies to their mixed-use building designs. Architectural sunshades are not left out as well. 

These architectural sunshades offer some aesthetic beauty to the mixed-use building design. They also provide a cover that blocks sunlight from causing the interior to deteriorate among other side effects. 

Each sunshade you use for your building comes with it various advantages and aesthetic benefits. Regardless, there are some sun control tips you need to follow and be aware of. These tips will help you out when it comes to mixed-use development.

Tips for Sun Control and Best Practices

• You can add architectural sunshades to add to the building’s aesthetic and also support the design. They help prevent damage to interior design elements and furniture. It also helps your cooling and heating systems work well. This might not need a more powerful cooling system after all.
• The top floor of residential mixed-use buildings often uses canopies as their preferred sun control product. More because they are solid. The residential spaces below don’t need their respective systems. They will get enough cover from the canopies of the higher floors.
• The ground-level retail spaces are the best place to make use of awnings. They are more often used for decorative purposes. You can also add other architectural sunshades to the upper floors for design purposes. This helps you shake things a bit and makes the building more pleasing to the eyes.
• Make use of separate colors for your specific sunshade.  Having your canopy and building in the same color makes it blend too much and turns less attractive. They should have a contrast in color to make them more appealing. You can try matching the with your window mullions.
• Have sunshades installed at the east and west elevations of mixed-use properties. This will help protect each mixed-use building from setting sunbeams and strong rising.
• For better edgier designs in the cityscape, you should use sunshades and canopies. Using glass canopies gives mixed-use development a more modernized look. If you want the look of a more traditional mixed-use building, use canopies with more awnings.

Final Thoughts:

Architectural sunshades, awnings, and canopies are three of the most popular sun control products. Each of them comes with its various benefits and uses. Using any of them depends on the preference, architect’s vision, intended look, and budget. 

For those looking to stick with a tight budget, it would be preferable to go with canopies or sunshades for your mixed-use properties. You can use them at specific points in the building. An example is the main entrance. 

If you are trying to maintain your budget as well, to save cost, you can add sun control solutions to the sides of the building facing the street. You can forgo those places that aren’t seen often by visitors and tenants. 

For more on mixed-use development, sun control tips, and products, contact S3DA design firm. Our experts are always available to help at all times.

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