Berryfields Primary School

Buckinghamshire County Council commissioned Waverley to supply and install a 15m x 4m  free-standing canopy  at Berryfields Primary School, to create a stimulating outdoor learning environment adjacent to the new-build extension.

Unable to fix the canopy to the building so as not to exert any load, the canopy was required to stand as close as possible to the building so as to maximise shelter from rain. The WeatherSpan canopy range is constructed from aluminium making it significantly lighter than conventional steel canopies without compromising wind and snow loadings. This means that the requirements for concrete foundations are lessened and allowed Waverley to install the canopy within inches of the main building.

Aluminium flashing closes the gap between canopy and building

The inevitable gap between a canopy and the main building is accepted as a necessary evil by architects, contractors and school users. However Waverley are able to overcome this with an aluminium flashing which is fixed to the top of the canopy frame and sits up-close to the outside wall of the building. This protects children and teachers as they walk between the classroom and the canopy. The flashing is shaped so that all rain water runs onto the canopy roof and into the integral gutter. Powder coated to match the canopy frame, the flashing is almost unnoticeable.

Modern canopy design matches new build architecture

Thanks to the WeatherSpan canopy’s unique integral drainage system, the canopy has a distinctive sleek appearance with no unsightly gutters visible. The gutter is hidden within the canopy frame and connected to a pvc down pipe concealed inside the front post of the canopy. The pvc down pipe exits the canopy post just above the finished ground level.

The end result is a strikingly smart canopy which, when powder coated to match the window frames and roof trim appears as an integral part of the building rather than an after thought.