Aluminium and louvred pergolas in Dubai

An aluminium pergola is a frame of extruded aluminium posts and beams carrying a roof of slats or blades. The metal is usually powder-coated, does not rust and keeps its shape in heat and humidity that crack and twist timber, so it is a common choice for a metal pergola beside a contemporary villa. The real decision is the roof: fixed slats, louvres you turn as the sun moves, or a motorised roof. On a Dubai terrace it suits owners who want to use the space for more of the year, with little upkeep beyond rinsing off dust.

General guidance on the four options villa owners usually weigh up.

Most of these have to be settled before the floor is laid or the villa wall is drilled.

• Size and spanHow much of the terrace the roof covers, and how far it spans between posts. Wider spans can need deeper beams or an extra post.
• Attached or freestandingFixed to the villa, the frame needs a wall that can carry it and must clear windows and the roof edge. Freestanding, it stands on its own footings.
• DrainageA louvred roof that closes sends rainwater down through the posts. Decide where it comes out: a drain, a planter or the garden, not across the terrace or into the pool.
• Lighting and fansA pergola with lights built into its beams looks tidier than one with fittings added later, so plan it with the garden and outdoor lighting. The posts and beams are hollow, so cables for lights, a fan or a motor can usually run inside them, as long as the route is set before the frame goes up. A fan also needs a fixing point in a beam and its own power supply.
• What goes underneathA dining table, a lounge, a WPC deck or an outdoor kitchen. Over a grill, the slats or open louvres must leave room for smoke and heat to rise out.
• Side screensFixed or sliding screens on the western side block the late sun that comes in under any roof, and add privacy.

Short films of Project Miracle and Project Murano, whose aluminium pergolas are shown on this page.

For timber, steel, composite or rendered masonry, our pergola design and construction page explains how each material behaves. For full shade under a solid roof, a freestanding garden gazebo may suit better; our guide pergola vs gazebo compares the two.