PENUMBRA under TWO SHADOWS

A PERGOLA DESIGN

Type: Residential Addition

Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Year: 2019

Status: Built

Design Team: Armando Rigau & Silvana Herrera

Collaborators: Florán Creative Metal (fabrication)

Description: Traditionally in Puerto Rico, coffee beans are cultivated in the shade, a farming method that benefits from the shadows created primarily by two types of vegetation: the plantain plant at a lower level and the guava tree at a higher one. This process, referred to as shade-grown coffee, translates into the design of a pergola with two layers that allude to the typical flora of the Island. Given the south-facing location of the project, the resulting pattern addresses solar penetration issues, while also permitting views to the sky.