Winter Garden Pleated Blind

The Greenhouse Effect and the Roof Slope in the Winter Garden

The winter garden works like a greenhouse in the summer sun. In a high-glass-ratio volume the interior heat exceeds the outside and the volume becomes unusable. Shading in this space is not comfort but a usage condition. Fitting a blind on a single surface without handling the roof plane and the side façades together does not solve the heat load.

On sloped roof glass a vertical blind does not work. In the railed tensioning system the fabric moves between two rails along the slope and stays tensioned in every position. On the side façades standard vertical units are used. When the two planes are produced from the same fabric series the volume keeps a single-system look.

In the fabric choice heat and moisture are considered together. The winter garden produces steam with its plant density, moisture-series fabric suits this environment. The sunscreen class cuts most of the radiation at the glass surface while keeping the outside view. Full blackout is needed only on the roof plane taking dense noon sun.

The winter garden’s usage calendar is extended with the blind. Without shading the volume is unusable at noon hours between April and October. With the right fabric this interval turns into a year-round sitting area. Since the heat load is cut at the glass plane, the interior temperature drops a few degrees and the space’s seasonal window opens.

Balance is also needed for plant health. Full blackout cuts the plants’ light need. The sunscreen series prevents leaf burn while leaving enough light for photosynthesis. In a plant-dense winter garden the fabric is taken per this balance.

In the use of the winter garden’s second function as a dining and sitting area, the blind provides evening privacy. While the interior lighting is on, the glass surfaces show the inside from outside. The day-night model offers daytime light and evening privacy with its sheer and blackout layer.

Condensation management is continuous in this volume. The glass surface producing drops on cold nights can touch the fabric. The rail depth and the moisture-series fabric make this contact unproblematic. The drops dry with morning airing. This routine is written in the usage guide.

The plant-watering routine chooses the fabric’s contact with water. Water can splash onto the units on the pot line during watering. The moisture-series fabric tolerates this contact and is wiped with a damp cloth. Pot coasters with water accumulation not landing on the unit rail is checked in the layout.

In the snow-load season the build-up on the roof glass cuts the light. The unit is kept in the open position in this period to take the available light. The closed unit builds a buffer against the glass’s coldness. The two regimes change by the season in a single unit.

The winter garden’s sitting-group layout chooses the blind position. The sofa-back line and the table eye level are the zone where the band is kept closed. The top glass band stays open for daylight and the sky view. The furniture plan is drawn on the measurement form.