Appropriate Awnings For Historic Buildings

Backlit awnings and dome awnings are usually inappropriate for 19th century and other historic buildings while aluminum awnings may be perfectly compatible with buildings from the 1950 or 60s.

Appropriate awnings for historic buildings. Industrial awnings and shade structures are excellent and cost effective tools to increase weather protected usable square footage for working areas inventory storage loading docks employee break areas and more. Please keep this in mind when considering awnings for your historic home. If you need another reason to convince you to reuse a historic building rather than building new. Avoid applying a bubble concave or convex awning to your building unless you have evidence that your building originally had this style of awning.

Traditional awning styles are still available and can add a splash of summer color to your home. This is what i call overkill. These vintage photos of minneapolis bungalows taken in the 1920s or 30s show folded and extended awnings. There is nothing worse than seeing every single fenestration window and door opening covered by an awning.

Marufish flickr cc by sa 2 0 5. Shed style awnings are the most appropriate for rectangular openings and arched awnings are the most appropriate for arched openings. Traditionally awnings were installed only where necessary for shade and weather protection. Canvas awnings are entirely appropriate for bungalows and they can significantly reduce interior heat gain.

Consider installing renewable energy sources. It provides suggestions on how historic awnings can best be maintained repaired and preserved and recommends the varying circumstances in which replacement or new awning design may be appropriate for historic buildings. This preservation brief provides historical background information about diverse awning applications in the united states. If awnings already exist on a historic building they should be evaluated to determine whether they are appropriate to the age style and scale of the building using the criteria identified below.