We knew this heatwave would be tough, but we didn’t expect it to be this bad. We’ve had a stifling week. live in spain one of the worst summers It is the most important example of the country’s history, where temperatures of up to 44 degrees have been reached in some parts of the country (and we have not yet reached August). Institutions put half of the peninsula on orange alert and citizens were followed. googling how do you get your fan to blow cold air from a frozen water bottle.

we were not prepared. On the other hand, there are countries that are. There are areas that can fill their squares with giant umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. There are countries that can help us survive these hellish heatwaves. We just have to watch them and learn from them.

currently in saudi arabia Temperatures of 46ºC are recorded. We’ve commented over several articles at Magnet about what these communities do to protect themselves from extreme temperatures, what they suffer from, there’s no doubt about it. In fact, thousands of pilgrims descend on their heads to the Masjid an-Nabawi Mosque in Medina with these degrees. And what did they do to avoid dying trying?

Umbrellas. Giant umbrellas.

SEFAR Architecture designed a prototype of a giant umbrella covered with PTFE fabric to meet the climatic needs of the country. They are at least 25.5 meters long and wide and have a height of 20 meters. If we collect 250 of them (the ones currently in Plaza De Haram), An area of ​​143,000 square meters can be shadedlarger than the entire floor of the square.

And this results Temperature drop up to 8ºCIt helps absorb the heat and offers pilgrims a comfortable place to pray.

It stands out not only in its functionality, but also in its elegant aesthetic, which when closed look like pillars of its architecture. And suffice to say that it only takes three minutes to turn them on and off. Everything has been thought of: even the color. If umbrellas were pure white, they would blind the people under the plane. Therefore, it is made of a fabric similar to the color of sand.

The planning of this large-scale architectural project was handed over to Germany-based SL-Rasch GmbH. The Saudi Binladin Group was aware of the use of PTFE fabric made by the Swiss Sefar, and it was later discovered that only this fabric could meet the exceptional climate demands. Why? Why? This fabric provides UV stability, flexibility and fire resistance.

in other countries of the world

Saudi Arabia is not the only country that uses them to adapt to the current climate. At Schlossplatz square in Stuttgart, Germany used for important events in recent years, including festivals or concerts. Some 70,000 people gather in the courtyard in front of the Neues Schloss palace. But weather conditions often punished visitors. Not anymore.

Inclement weather is no longer an issue, as SL Rasch has made its offer to the city (to equip the square with four funnel-shaped umbrellas). In rain or heavy sun, the telescopic arm system of the parasols opens hydraulically in five minutes. And it provides overlaps 6,000 square meters of sun or rainproof protection without affecting the historical character of the site. In other words, even with a wingspan of 46 meters, they do not obstruct the view of the facades when opened.

These umbrellas even reached the USA. In Fort Worth, Texas’ second largest city, he decided to use them in his Sundance Square Plaza. Thanks to these umbrellas, this public space can be used day and night and is not affected by weather conditions.

In this case, they wanted to make it even more aesthetic and harmonize it with the architecture. During the day, the white membranes look like vaults that provide protection from the sun. At night, an LED system with changing colors adds a modern twist to it.