Practical vs Aesthetic
11 June 2012

Though in essence our products and the shade they create are intended to be of practical use, the truth is much more complicated. Here at Incompar our job is two fold, and design of an installation is equally important to the shady pleasure it provides. We've posted on this blog about the Aesthetics of Shade but today I'd like to speak briefly as to the process usually needed to begin a design, much less build the end result.

There are of course many reasons why people come to us and express interest in a sun sail, but the most common is, of course, the most obvious. The conversation begins with something along the lines of "I want to have shade on 'this' spot." This is a great start, but the questions that follow determine the elements by which we can then provide this seemingly simple service. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly: "What time of day do you want shade in that spot?"

We like to start with this question because it tends to be a reminder that flexibility has a context, but also because if the answer is complicated, then so is the design. Contrary to how that may sound, complicated for us is great! The opportunity to get creative with clients in finding the ultimate solution for their needs (both practically and aesthetically) is what makes our job not only fun, but rewarding. What we like to remind people is that generally, if you can dream it up, we can make it happen. Weird sail colors, strange placement and angles, crazy pattern designs or multi-sail configurations. There are few, if any, limits to what we can achieve with our line of products, and we welcome the challenge.

So once the subjects of "where" and "what time" have been resolved, our job as architects and engineers begins. That is to say that form, in our line of work, is a product motivated by function; and while many people may feel creatively stunted by this process, its exactly how we like to work.