Architectural Canopies: A Glimpse

Canopies have been an iconic exterior detail on many types of buildings around the globe for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Architectural canopies are today’s highly customized and improved versions. They can be found everywhere, from schools and churches to retail shops and municipal offices. They combine premium materials with sophisticated design properties to serve a multitude of functions and complement a building’s aesthetic.

Our roof canopies that have curved roofs are rapidly becoming the most sought-after among our school shelters. Made from the most durable materials and designed with artistic broad lines, these are appreciated by secondary and primary schools as well as universities and colleges. 

Amazingly versatile, they can be utilized for many different applications such as covered eating, outdoor learning, and even outdoor play. Each can create a barrier around the room by adding doors, sides, and sides.

Architectural Canopies, which was founded nearly seventy years ago, specializes in high-performance aluminum canopies. The material is extremely durable and design-friendly. It’s also very cost-effective. Mark Mundorff is a 30-year veteran of the industry and is the vice president for product design and promotion at the company. He is an expert in this field.

He says that modern canopies almost always follow function. The function is usually to protect people and equipment, whether it’s at the main entrances or rear loading ramps. Mundorff states that it keeps these pathways open for business use. “Canopies make it easier to identify where people should go for wayfinding.”

Canopies For Cold Weather

To protect the people from the weather, Mapes Lumishade canopies were installed on the first floor at Catholic Charities offices. They are both beautiful and functional. 

Mundorff states that the canopy must be able to withstand snow loads to prevent them from collapsing. A canopy should be able to withstand at least a minimal snow load.

Mapes customers can choose to install something from their pre-engineered Lumishade and Super Lumideck lines. These deckings are made of solid aluminum and, which is vital, meet all building codes. An underside smooth and clean soffit allows for mounting LED lighting fixtures.

Mundorff states that a lot depends on the climate, and the importance of protected activity. You should consider the heavy-duty canopies, which are built to withstand high snow loads.

Canopies For Warm Weather

SuperShade can be pre-engineered to fit most wall conditions. It helps keep the design clean and protects it from the sun, as seen at Linwood Center School. Mapes Architectural Canopies. Photo by Linwood Center School.

Mundorff states that the weather is less important the further south you travel. He also notes that canopies found in most of the southern US are not as resistant to the elements.

He explains that while the sun can fade materials, it doesn’t cause them to crack like snow. This makes warmer climates the ideal places for lighter-weight options such as Mapes Super shade. The SuperShade canopy, an open-deck louvered canopy that provides passive sun control and reduces solar gain, is a more durable alternative to canvas. 

It is better to block the sun from entering a structure. This will prevent sunlight from reaching windows and doors. This also warms the interior and reduces the efficiency of cooling systems.

How To Incorporate Branding

Mapes designed this canopy to enhance Walmart’s brand and offer a protected entrance with light fixture mounts that are attractive and secure. Mapes Architectural Canopies. Photo by Mapes.

Although a canopy’s aesthetic qualities are often less important than its functional attributes, this is not the case for corporate branding. Street appeal plays an integral role in corporate branding. 

Because canopies are often the first thing prospective customers see about a company, they need to reflect its design aesthetic. Mapes collaborates with many well-known national chains from restaurants to retailers to design customized canopies that meet their needs.

Kendall Frantz is the director of national account development for Mapes Architectural Canopies. “Some colors are synonymous with particular brands,” she says. The color must be properly executed. Aluminum is uniquely equipped to match any color, more than other materials. You must make sure you use a professional-applied finish.” Mapes uses a 70% fluoropolymer coating that is superior in color retention.

At SkyScape Canopies we manufacture canopies. We believe that quality is the most important thing and most of our designs include galvanized or PPC steelwork, and roofing that is unbreakable aluminum rainwater items. Our increasing number of returning customers is a testament to the high quality of our products as well as our experienced installation teams.

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