How do you also turn a patio into a practical living space?

Screens and slatted roof shade sunlit villa

Inside a glassy villa in the south of France, the bright sun quickly causes temperatures to soar. Outside, even on the south-facing terrace, the sun soon burns too hard. At Domaine Du Prieuré, a solution was found with the help of Renson. The corner windows and the large, flat windows received Panovista Max and Fixscreen blinds; on the terrace an Aero slatted roof was integrated. The screens block the sun's rays reaching the large windows. The roof with moving slats makes it possible to control the flow of light and air on the terrace, as well as keeping it dry in case of sudden rainfall. 

In southern France, ten remarkable villas are located on an exceptional estate. Not far from the Côte d'Azur is Domaine Du Prieuré, dotted with 100-year-old olive trees and a panorama stretching from the hinterland of Cannes to the mountain villages of Grasse, with the red hills of the Esterel massif in the background. 

Topography defines architecture

Each of the villas on the 2,500-square-meter estate is unique, but has an interior that opens to the garden and landscape. Architect Didier Frega was guided by the topography of the site to define the sober volumes, composition and spatial layout: "With the villas at Domaine Du Prieuré, I tried to create architecture that can step out of its frame and context. 'Outside the box' as they say. Architecture of course remains something personal; it either appeals to you or it doesn't tell you anything... In any case, we wanted to create something exceptional. Each villa is an individual design, yet it fits the entire property. For each plot, a villa was built that best fits that location with that implantation. With particular attention to the finishing down to the smallest details, the villas are equipped with the best materials." 

Screens and slatted roof

One of the villas uses Renson screens to shelter from the southern sun's rays. In addition to Fixscreens on the tall windows, Panovista Max is also provided for the corner windows. The latter is also the reason the owner and architect came to Renson.

"We were looking for a solution to screen off the large glass-on-glass and sliding door corner windows without impeding the panoramic view," the owner recalls. "Those solutions - and their providers - are not thick on the ground. The search led us to Renson's Panovista Max, which, thanks to a zipper system on the corner, is windproof without annoying side guides."

"This house faces southwest, so after noon the sun comes full on the terrace and the house with its large glass windows," Didier Frega knows. "Even with thermally perfected glazing, exterior shading is then crucial for a comfortable indoor climate. For the terrace, we also found our liking at Renson in their range of terrace coverings. We were immediately sold on the Aero slatted roof. As a roof section (without the four columns) we could integrate it perfectly into a roof construction that partly blends into the building and partly rests on stone pillars. The movable slats that allow you to control the incidence of light and airflow were an interesting feature."

Outdoor room, year-round

The least you can say is that the integrated Aero slatted roof - which covers a good portion of the terrace - attracts attention. "The terrace becomes a real outdoor room with the Aero slat roof," the owner believes. "Especially since I also finished the terrace with freestanding, wind-resistant awnings to be protected laterally from the sun and wind as well. The canopy not only extends the outdoor season, it also makes it start earlier. We practically sit there all year round, in all seasons. That terrace is practically my living space. I'm there from early morning and spend most of the day there, at least when I'm home. The terrace doesn't get excessively hot either, because closed slats shelter from the sun, and with the tilting of the slats there is a natural ventilation that immediately feels pleasant."

Functionality and aesthetics

"We are very satisfied with the products installed by Renson," echoes the owner. "In addition to the functionality, I also really appreciate the aesthetics of the screens and the slatted roof ... and the fact that they are extremely easy to operate. We use them daily and I couldn't live without them."

The architect and carpenter were also very pleased with the installation: "Integrating the slat roof was very simple. We wanted to put something of a canopy there anyway, and the Aero, with its moving slats, was the solution. Renson tailored the Aero perfectly and provided all the necessary information to fit it into the design and install it smoothly. The installation went flawlessly. It could hardly be any different, because Renson took the trouble to give our regular joiner a short training course beforehand, both for the screens and for the slat roof."