SCHOOL CANOPIES

Make outdoor space usable year-round


Rain, direct sun and unpredictable weather can interrupt physical education, sport, outdoor learning, breaks, assemblies and school events.


AWS designs clear-span fabric canopy systems that help schools use existing outdoor areas more consistently throughout the year. Solutions can cover a single court, multiple courts, a courtyard or a shared activity space.

GET MORE FROM THE SPACE YOU ALREADY HAVE

Building a new indoor hall can be costly and may require land a school does not have. Covering an existing outdoor area creates a flexible space without adding internal columns across the usable surface.


One covered area can support:


  • Physical education and sports training
  • School and interschool competition
  • Outdoor teaching and group activities
  • Assemblies, prizegivings and performances.
  • Break-time recreation and student gatherings
  • Before-school, after-school and holiday programmes
  • Community sport and events outside school hours.


This gives schools greater value from courts and activity areas already on site while improving timetable certainty for staff and students.

COMFORT, NATURAL LIGHT AND PRACTICAL OPTIONS

Translucent membrane options allow natural daylight beneath the canopy while providing shelter from rain and direct sun.


Depending on the selected system, AWS can incorporate lighting, side curtains, gutters, downpipes and drainage. Court surfacing, turf and surrounding works can also be coordinated with relevant project specialists.


Clear-span designs preserve sightlines and movement across the covered area. Installation can be planned to minimise disruption, with major site work scheduled during school holidays where practical.

THREE CANOPY SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOLS

Semi-Permanent Unsupported Canopy

A hydraulically operated canopy with no internal posts. It remains elevated for everyday use and can be lowered when required for severe weather, maintenance or special events.

Permanent Unsupported Canopy

A permanent tensile-membrane roof supported from an engineered perimeter structure, leaving the covered court or activity area free of internal columns.

Permanent Steel-Arched Canopy

A robust clear-span membrane roof supported by engineered steel arches, suited to larger courts, multi-court facilities and high-use school spaces.

DESIGNED AROUND YOUR SCHOOL

No two school sites are identical. Each AWS canopy is developed around the area’s dimensions, intended uses, ground conditions, local climate, drainage, budget and applicable building requirements.


Led by AWS, the project team can coordinate structural engineering, geotechnical assessment, foundation design, membrane design and fabrication, civil works, specialist installation, health and safety, and local approval documentation.


AWS operates through a lean delivery model, assembling the specialists needed for each project. This helps direct more of the available budget into engineering, quality materials and construction.


Where appropriate, the canopy and supporting features can be delivered together or planned in stages around the school’s priorities and funding.

CREATE A YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL ASSET

AWS can help your school identify the canopy system best suited to its site, programme and budget.