Louvre roofs offer architects maximum design freedom

Louvre roofs are a hot item in luxury residential construction. And this is not surprising, given the high-quality look and functionality of the aluminum slat roofs. "Louvre roofs are beautiful, open structures that provide shade and sun when residents want it," emphasizes Dolf van den Maagdenberg, director of Livium. "The louvers (slats) can be rotated 180 degrees. This not only allows excellent control of daylight penetration, but also ensures optimal sun protection. When it rains, the closed louvers also provide a waterproof canopy, so that residents can enjoy their outdoor space all year round."

Architecture is emotion and playing with light and space, but it is certainly also about material and function. For an optimal design, all these factors must be perfectly balanced; both inside and outside. Livium supports architects in this with an extensive collection of louvre roofs, louvre panels and shutters, which are designed and produced in its own factory in Hengelo. Precisely tailored and appropriate to modern architectural styles, but also flawlessly integrate into classic and nostalgic architectural styles. Moreover, Livium has a showroom in Hengelo, where the various systems can be viewed and where architects and other building professionals are welcome for a discussion or demonstration.

"If required and in close cooperation, Livium supports architects in the design of a canopy, in accordance with the style of the object in question," said Van den Maagdenberg. "Our assembly teams customize the product on site so that it always fits to the millimeter. The entire process is controlled by us from A to Z, which guarantees both the quality of the product and the service."

Maximum design freedom

Livium is the only supplier in the Netherlands specialized in the installation of louvre roofs, Van den Maagdenberg emphasizes. "This offers architects enormous freedom in the design and application of our products. All we need is a recess in the roof surface. With our slats, spans of up to 4.5 meters can be realized. The number of slats next to each other is unlimited. Lengths up to 12 or 13 meters are no problem at all. Moreover, the aluminum louvers are available in any desired color and gloss level."

Aesthetic and energy efficient alternative to skylights

The Livium louvre roofs are mainly used in roofs behind houses, where residents do not want to sacrifice daylight. "Our louvre roofs offer an aesthetic and energetic alternative to the well-known skylights. Whereas with a skylight in the increasingly hot summers the sun literally burns through the glass and causes high temperatures, this is not the case with louvre roofs. The moment it is warm outside and the louvre roof is opened, the warm air can easily rise. This keeps it very pleasant under the veranda itself. Moreover, by turning the slats in the correct direction, optimum sun protection is ensured."

Fully open roofs

In addition to louvered roofs with rotating slats, Livium also designs, manufactures and assembles systems in which the slats can be completely slid away. This creates a completely open roof, says Van den Maagdenberg. "As a result, in many municipalities the canopy is no longer counted as part of the contents of the house and the maximum available cubic meters of the house can be used elsewhere."

If desired, the louvre roofs can be controlled by the home automation system of the home. Expansion with a rain sensor is also possible, allowing the louvers to close automatically when it rains.