This week we feature Shade Sails in the St Kilda in the City of Port Phillip in Melbourne’s innercity south east and bayside area.
St Kilda is a very diverse area in its architecture and character. Also having a beach culture, a harbour of sails and kitesurfers, it is probably appropriate that the suburb appears to have also embraced Shade Sails.
The Shade Sails below at St Kilda Park Primary School are very visible from Albert Park. This is a good example of a design providing shade to playground equipment. They are in a burgundy colour which blend wells with the heritage school buildings.
This particular eight post Shade Sail is in need of a service as it has some holes. It is also quite low to the ground and playground equipment. They probably should be elevated.
Compare to some of our own schools shade solutions.
A residential shade solution but one that is made from Custom Shade Sails, this two piece green Shade Sail solution is attached to six posts but also combined together for additional effect. It was erected only recently and is situated in the yard of an aged care block of apartments on Lorne Street near St Kilda Road and Queens Road.
Another set of Shade Sails a series of three hyperbolic shades at the Junction Oval at St Kilda Junction. These create an instant grandstand out of a terraced area and are actually attached to the fairly new social club buildings with a set of six posts buildings at the other end making an bold and attractive statement.
Compare to some of our commercial and architectural shade solutions.
Near St Kilda Road past St Kilda junction is a medium rise 1980s mirror glass office building that uses a hyperbolic black four post Shade Sail. The Shade Sail provides shade for executive car parking spots. The style of the sail suits the modern style of the building.
Compare to some of our carparking shade solutions.
Finally, St Michael’s Grammar School in St Kilda has a series of about eight Shade Sails strung along Marlton Crescent shelter a playground and extend the area covered by an old style verandah. Some of the hyperbolic beige Shade Sails are supported by two or three posts, but some of them are interesting single post umbrella like structures. Overall they complement the colours of the heritage building at the school and actually make both structures look good.
Compare to some of our school shade and playground shade solutions.
Another commercial example this time. St Kilda Yacht Club down on the St Kilda foreshore has two sets of different shade structures – both in white cloth to match the style of the 1920s heritage building and the sailing boats which call it home. One set of shade sails is stretched out on white metal structures angled out at ground level. Another square sail mounted in a similar structure provides a second level deck area with shade.
Shade Sails are fashionable along Canterbury Way near the light rail line where modern townhouses back onto Albert Park, most with decks are positioned over caports facing the rising sun in the east.
One of these, a small deck areas on a large multi-storey townhouse is created by small triangular sails. Again, the Shade Sails really suit the angular style of the modern townhouse.
At the rear there s a sail made of two small triangular sails stitched together. They are tensioned to just two deck posts with the others wired to walls. The beige sails match the sandstone style cream render of the townhouse which gives the whole composition a real “beach” look.
This next example on the same street uses a square beige sail anchored to eye rings on two tubular steel posts which are themselves bolted to a red brick garage and angled out. The result is quite a robust looking shade structure.
This next example of deck shade is not far away in Cowderoy Street, again, making use of the limited area above a carport. Like the one above, this has a fairly advanced support structure, however the frame one allows a dual purpose. It has a single sail which can obviously be taken down if required. Two posts with an overarching support presumably allow a cloth screen to be erected to enclose the entire deck area.
Compare to some examples of our deck shade solutions.
Another modern townhouse in the residential area of Canterbury Road in St Kilda West has two single post hyperbolic square beige sails. One creates a small deck area, while another creates a carport/courtyard area. oth are attached to the wall cladding In combination they do a great job of matching the architectural style of the building and the sandstone look facade.
Another Shade Sail on a smaller unit nearby provides shade over a carport simply attached to the existing structure.
See also our carport shade solutions.
Finally, a very small triangular shade sail attached to the eave of this house by a simple hook provides shade for a small backyard garden.
In Grey street, there is an apartment building that has a few shade sail examples.
A square beige Shade Sail makes a more visual entrance to the apartment block and provides shelter and shade to people entering the apartments also covering the area where the letter boxes are. Though I’d definitely advise trimming the trees above to keep the sail clean and let some natural light in.
And another square beige Shade Sail behind a carpark provides a sheltered courtyard area for a block of flats. Again, the branches above should probably be cut back.
Another courtyard shade solution appears below in nearby St Kilda West. A simple beige creates an attractive courtyard space protected from the weather and contrasts well with the darker rectangular look of the townhouse.
