Motorized awnings are a great addition to any project. Nothing beats adding tons of protected outdoor living space at the touch of a button. DWF Contract recently finished installing a huge motorized awning on a spectacular 7th floor terrace overlooking downtown Manhattan. At 27 feet long and 14 feet wide it was like rigging a sail boat except it was attached to the side of a building.
The terrace was instantly transformed from a hot and sunny disappointment into a personal and private oasis in the sky. Best of all, when the sun goes down and the city lights up, the client can entertain under the stars in a matter of seconds. It doesn’t get any better than this!
The unique challenge for us was the method used to construct the building. Poured concrete columns and floors produce a strong structure, but the brick veneer exterior walls are inherently weak. Attaching an awning directly to the brick is a recipe for disaster. If you’ve ever seen a flag pole bend in a breeze or a yacht heel over in the wind the problem is obvious.
We had to engineer a solution to transfer the wind load to the structure and remove the brick from the equation – at least to the extent that it only carried a vertical load. The “motion arm” and bending force caused by the 14 foot arms greatly amplified the load on the mounting points. The solution was not an “off the shelf” fix.
Our staff designed a custom steel fabricated bracket system made of ¼” angle and ½” plate. The bracket allowed for maximum flexibility and strength, and was securely anchored to the concrete deck with Hilti bolts drilled directly into the floor. Was it easy? No! Was it the right way to do it? Yes! We were lucky that the interior walls were already opened due to an ongoing renovation.
With the awning system bolted thru the brick – backed up and locked down with heavy square washers and nuts – and then anchored on both sides of the bracket with more washers and nuts – the awning was not going anywhere!
As an added safety and comfort feature a remote wind vibration sensor was placed into the leading edge of the awning. It will automatically retract the fabric if the load and movement exceed pre-set and adjustable limits.
The renovation project is still being completed but everyone is fascinated by the awning. It magically makes the terrace a favorite place for the workers to have coffee and lunch. The owner can’t wait to move in and “party in the sky”.
