How we developed energy-saving fixed shading systems

Buildings have a similar relationship to the sun. Not enough shade and too much glass and we over heat in the summer and loose heat in the winter. Applying films on glass (like sun glasses) means we get less daylight, so we turn on the lights and we loose the quality of view. Or, we make the windows too small and don't take advantage heat gain in the winter.

We see fixed shading as much a quiet social instrument as a technical one—thoughtfully tuned to its climate and context. It reduces heat gain and glare yet preservers views and comfort—an approach that supports healthier, more sustainable everyday life.

Our process is as simple as it is rigorous: early parametric testing helps us to establish thoughtful geometries, refined through daylight and thermal feedback, coordinated from the outset with assembly integration. The result is shading that is durable, buildable, and resource-conscious, allowing the architecture to perform steadily and responsibly, from day one through decades to come.

Our goal is to harvest daylight, protect the occupants from heat and glare, and above all preserve views. By using fixed shades that don't depend on user behavior, complex controls, or fragile mechanisms, these elements become part of the building’s social contract—reliable in all seasons, for all occupants, without waste or worry.

To reach this, we rigorously test orientations, geometries, and materials against real climate data, cost, and carbon. Each shading strategy must earn its place, demonstrating measureable reductions in cooling loads, glare, sensible maintenance, and an architectural presence that feels integral rather than applied.  

Our process involves a wide range of tools and techniques to design, optimize, and test the shading structures, including physical models and mockups, light labs testing, state-of-the-art digital modeling and analysis tools.