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Fountainhead Arbor
Architectural Copyright VA1-260-159 US
5/14/04
That's Monterey Bay out there in the distance and on a clear day the view
from the patio is spectacular.
This arbor was designed as an architectural prop for growing a living
shade canopy. By itself it provides little sun shade but with living
plants filling in the open spaces, it can provide a natural shade umbrella
without any interior obstructions. (See
the Costello project for an example of this.)
Once vines start growing up the posts and throughout the canopy, the
vastness of interior space will visually contract and the larger-than-patio
size will appear more appropriate than ever.
The owner was planning on doing just that, but the arbor was so
striking in its own right, he decided to eliminate the planned wisteria
vines completely. They were delivered but to my delight were hauled away.
I concurred with his decision: vines might bury the unique features of this
designer arbor in this gorgeous setting.
The arbor's diameter is 5 feet larger than the patio below. This
allows a wrought-iron railing to be placed around the patio that is
continuous rather than spanning the area between the arches in a segmented
fashion from post-to post. This is a much better look for the overall
structure and provides more functional space than the alternative.
From afar the arbor has a distinctive Spanish style
architecture.
A central grid as a skylight provides a natural light source overhead
for under-lighting the canopy should vines fill-in among the radial elements
but in any case offers a beautiful design element as a focal point when viewed from
within.
The entire arbor is built from brilliant-white
PrimoPlank solid-plastic. Eventhough the canopy's radial elements are
plastic 2x2s , the configuration itself is quite rigid.
Only stainless steel screws were used for
fasteners throughout. The entire arbor will never need painting or renovation.
Climbing vines will never discolor nor damage the plastic elements or
fasteners, regardless of the canopy's age. I have found the whiteness of the
plastic has not yellowed one degree after 4 years here nor on other projects I've built with it
over the years such as the railings on the Taxera
and Huss-Thomas projects.
The columns support the base rim of the canopy, so are
positioned around and directly beneath the canopy's perimeter. The columns
are mounted outside the patio beneath the canopy on exposed pillars.
Check out the
Spanish-Colonial Arbor
in the Design Orphanage for yet another instance where this style of arbor
and patio configuration may be appropriate.
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