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Apollo NZ Global · Knowledge Centre · Outdoor Living & Architecture

Plan the structure, shade and material system before choosing the product.

Use the Outdoor Living & Architecture Knowledge Centre to work through ARKEN architectural louvres, FASGAR fixed and retractable roofs, CADARN modular louvres, outdoor blinds, shade, enclosure, drainage, coastal exposure, high-wind planning, outdoor rooms and related architectural systems before the final product is selected.

QUESTION→KNOWLEDGE→DECISION→PRODUCT→PROJECT BRIEF

Find a Knowledge resource

Search this Outdoor Living & Architecture cluster.

41 resources

Cornerstone guides

Start with the complete decision, not a single product feature.

These 15 resources cover the main planning questions in this knowledge cluster.

01CADARN · Definitive planning guide

CADARN Louvre Pergola Kitset Planning Guide

Plan an aluminium louvre pergola kitset around size, mounting, manual or motorised operation, drainage, enclosure, foundations and installation before ordering CADARN.

Open guide 02Apollo Kitsets · Project planning guide

Kitset & Modular Systems Planning Guide

Plan kitset and modular projects around system type, size, site conditions, foundations, services, delivery, assembly and the point where a bespoke architectural pathway is more appropriate.

Open guide 03ARKEN · Definitive planning guide

ARKEN Architectural Louvre Roof Planning Guide

Plan bespoke architectural louvre roofs around span, rotating or retracting operation, multi-bay structure, drainage, glazing, exposure and project-specific engineering.

Open guide 04FASGAR · Definitive planning guide

FASGAR Fixed & Retractable Roof Planning Guide

Compare fixed aluminium roofs and motorised retractable fabric roofs around shelter, openness, drainage, structure, controls and hospitality or residential use.

Open guide 05AUVENOR · Definitive planning guide

AUVENOR Retractable Roof & Enclosure Planning Guide

Plan retractable tilt roofs and coordinated outdoor enclosures around movement, structure, integrated blinds, drainage, controls, services and adaptable outdoor-room use.

Open guide 06Cornerstone guide

Complete Outdoor Roof System Planning Guide

Plan an outdoor roof system around the site, mounting relationship, opening behaviour, drainage, enclosure, services and local project requirements before selecting the exact product.

Open guide 07Comparison guide

Fixed Roof vs Louvre Pergola vs Retractable Roof

Compare fixed roofs, adjustable louvre pergolas and retractable roof systems by shelter, openness, ventilation, moving parts, maintenance, project cost drivers and site requirements.

Open guide 08Cornerstone guide

Complete Outdoor Blind Planning Guide

Plan outdoor blinds around opening dimensions, fixing zones, exposure, fabric openness, controls, severe-weather operation and maintenance before choosing the exact system.

Open guide 09Exterior shutters

Exterior Architectural Shutter Planning Guide

Plan exterior aluminium architectural shutters around panel type, opening method, stacking space, sightlines, solar control, wind exposure, fixings and maintenance before the final system is selected.

Open guide 10Cornerstone guide

Complete Outdoor Room Planning Guide

Plan an outdoor room as one coordinated system across roof, side enclosure, drainage, lighting, services, furniture, cooking and climate exposure.

Open guide 11Coastal guide

Planning Outdoor Systems for Coastal Sites

Plan outdoor roofs, blinds and enclosure systems for coastal sites around salt exposure, material combinations, cleaning, drainage, hardware and maintenance access.

Open guide 12High-wind guide

Planning Outdoor Structures for High-Wind Sites

Plan architectural outdoor roofs and blinds for exposed sites around configuration, enclosure, fixing, substrate, operation and project-specific technical review without relying on generic wind-speed claims.

Open guide 13Timber systems guide

Architectural Timber Project Planning Guide

Plan architectural timber cladding, decking, screening and builder systems around application, timber and profile selection, substructure, drainage, ventilation, finish, evidence, prefabrication and local project responsibilities.

Open guide 14Weathered steel guide

Weathered Steel Outdoor Project Planning Guide

Plan weathered-steel pergolas, planters, screens, landscape features and selected fire products around material verification, patina, runoff, drainage, fixings, fabrication and local project interfaces.

Open guide 15SVALDR planning guide

SVALDR Elemental Outdoor Architecture Planning Guide

Plan a SVALDR outdoor project across fire, cooking, water, planting, screening, lighting, weathered steel, services, circulation and project-specific fabrication.

Open guide

Specific answers

Find a focused answer to a narrower project question.

Each answer stays focused, then links to the relevant guide, tool or product pathway.

Do Louvre Roofs Stop Rain?Closed louvres can provide useful overhead rain protection when the system and drainage are correctly configured. Wind-driven rain, side openings and site conditions still matter.Read answer Manual vs Motorised Louvre RoofThe best control method depends on how often the roof moves, who uses it and how large or accessible the operating mechanism is.Read answer Attached vs Freestanding Outdoor RoofAttached and freestanding roofs can create similar usable spaces but transfer loads, water and site responsibilities differently.Read answer Can a Roof-Only System Fit an Existing Frame?A roof-only pathway can be useful where a sound pergola or frame already exists. The existing structure should be treated as a technical interface, not assumed to be suitable because the opening dimensions fit.Read answer Where Does Rainwater Go on an Outdoor Roof System?Integrated drainage only solves the first part of the water path. The project also needs to know where collected water leaves the roof and what happens when it reaches the site.Read answer Can Blinds or Glass Be Added to an Outdoor Roof Later?Yes, later enclosure can be possible—but the original structure should ideally be planned with that future state in mind.Read answer What Outdoor Blind Mesh Openness Should I Choose?A tighter mesh can improve shade and privacy while reducing view and airflow. A more open mesh can preserve view and ventilation but provides a different level of screening.Read answer Do Outdoor Blinds Stop Rain?Outdoor blinds can improve day-to-day weather control, but the outcome depends on fabric, wind direction, opening geometry and the level of enclosure expected.Read answer Can Outdoor Blinds Handle Wind?Outdoor blinds are used in exposed outdoor spaces, but there is no single wind number that safely describes every model, size and site.Read answer How Do You Plan a Very Large Outdoor Blind Opening?Very large openings are not simply small blinds scaled up. Product class, structure, handling and servicing become more important as the opening grows.Read answer Glass vs Outdoor Blinds for an Outdoor RoomGlass and blinds can both close the sides of an outdoor room, but they create very different levels of permanence, ventilation and weather control.Read answer Do Side Enclosures Change Wind Loads on an Outdoor Structure?Yes. An open-sided roof and a substantially enclosed outdoor room do not behave the same way in wind.Read answer Can You Cook Under an Outdoor Roof?Outdoor cooking should be planned as a heat, ventilation and service issue—not simply as furniture placed under a pergola.Read answer Can an Outdoor Room Be Waterproof?An outdoor room can become much more weather-protected, but a roof plus blinds is not the same as a conventional sealed building envelope.Read answer How Should Outdoor Roofs and Blinds Be Maintained Near the Coast?Salt and airborne contamination can accumulate on coatings, tracks, hardware and moving parts. Coastal maintenance should be planned at purchase rather than treated as an optional extra later.Read answer What Information Does Apollo Need for an Outdoor Roof Quote?A useful project brief reduces assumptions and helps Apollo identify the right system family before manual pricing.Read answer What Information Does Apollo Need for an Outdoor Blind Quote?Width and drop are essential, but a good blind brief also explains the structure, exposure and what the blind needs to achieve.Read answer How Much Does a Louvre Roof Cost in New Zealand?There is no single useful dollar-per-square-metre number for every louvre roof. A modular CADARN kitset, a wall-attached roof and a made-to-measure ARKEN architectural project can have very different scopes. This guide owns the question of quotation inclusions and cost drivers; the product pages own current configurations and technical evidence.Read answer Does a Louvre Roof Need Building Consent in New Zealand?It depends on the exact configuration. New Zealand Building Performance guidance defines the Schedule 1 pergola exemption around simple-framed unroofed structures, so an operable louvre roof should not automatically be assumed to be exempt simply because it is marketed as a pergola.Read answer How Much Do Outdoor Blinds Cost in New Zealand?Outdoor-blind prices are difficult to compare from a single headline figure because the opening, fabric, operating system and included site work can be completely different. Apollo prices Velaris as a supply-focused project system after the opening and required outcome have been reviewed.Read answer Fixed Roof vs Retractable RoofA fixed roof prioritises consistent cover. A retractable roof prioritises the ability to substantially open the space. The better choice depends on how the area should behave day to day.Read answer Fixed Aluminium Roof vs Louvre RoofA fixed aluminium roof and a louvre roof can cover the same terrace, but they solve different operating problems. The decision should start with how much movement and ventilation the space actually needs.Read answer Retractable Fabric Roof vs Retractable Louvre RoofBoth systems can create a substantially open roof condition, but they do it with different materials, mechanics and architectural character.Read answer

Planning tools

Turn research into a usable project brief.

Use the tools to structure the site, system and project questions Apollo needs before quotation and project review.

01

CADARN Configurator

Work through roof dimensions, mounting format, controls, lighting and enclosure intent for the current louvre-roof kitset pathway.

Open tool 02

Outdoor Blind Selector

Choose the blind pathway from opening scale, shade/privacy/weather outcome, fabric, controls and site exposure.

Open tool 03

Outdoor Room Planner

Coordinate roof, side enclosure, cooking, drainage and exposure as one room before the systems are frozen.

Open tool 04

Global Project Builder

Add destination, climate, access, freight and local compliance information for international outdoor projects.

Open tool 05

Climate Exposure Selector

Reuse Apollo's master exposure logic for coastal salt, UV, heavy rain, high wind and remote-project conditions rather than maintaining separate AUVENOR climate rules.

Open tool 06

Outdoor Architecture Project Brief

Compile the roof, blind, enclosure, drainage, exposure and local-interface decisions into one structured AUVENOR review brief.

Open tool 07

Project Upload Tool

Send drawings, site photographs and opening information with a structured Apollo project reference.

Open tool

Handbook pathways

Use a structured reading path when the project is larger than one question.

These web handbooks bring related Apollo planning resources together in one reading path.

AUVENOR Architectural Systems Handbook

A structured web handbook for planning AUVENOR roof, enclosure and architectural-motion projects from brief through technical review and supply.

Open handbook

Outdoor Blinds Planning Handbook

A web handbook covering opening measurement, fabric outcomes, controls, exposure, operation, maintenance and Velaris technical resources.

Open handbook

Outdoor Roof & Room Planning Handbook

A long-form planning path for outdoor rooms combining roof, side enclosure, drainage, services, cooking, climate and local project responsibilities.

Open handbook

Related Knowledge pathways

Keep the project connected when the question crosses systems.

Use a related knowledge area when the next decision crosses into another product or project category.

Outdoor Kitchens & Entertaining

Coordinate cooking, appliances, heat, shelter and services with the wider outdoor room and landscape.

Open Knowledge pathway

Climate & Global Projects

Carry coastal, high-wind, tropical, severe-weather and destination logistics into the architectural decision.

Open Knowledge pathway

Architectural Façades & Surface Systems

Move from outdoor architecture into the building-envelope detail, material, joint, finish and mock-up workflow.

Open Knowledge pathway

From planning to product

Knowledge explains the decision. The product brands own the systems.

Use Knowledge for neutral planning and comparison. ARKEN owns bespoke architectural louvres, FASGAR owns fixed aluminium and retractable fabric roofs, CADARN owns modular louvre kitsets, VELARIS owns guided blinds, AUVENOR covers broader architectural-motion pathways, and Technical Resources holds current verified documentation.

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