ADLA Studio was designing a new pergola for this South Austin backyard, and the homeowner's brief was two words: maximum shade. Rather than bolt something on after the build, the design-build team brought us in during design — so the structure and the shade could land as one finished piece.
We worked directly with the homeowner on fabric — samples mailed to her door — and landed on a sand-toned mesh chosen with a purpose: by day it delivers the maximum shade she asked for, and at night it catches the pool lights and softly illuminates the whole space. The two retractable systems deploy and hold with magnets, and a simple wand pulls them back when she wants open sky.
This was a true team build — pergola, pool, misting, and shade each done by a specialist, landing as one backyard. That's what happens when the shade specialist is in the room before the structure is built.
