Using outdoor shades to improve outdoor living in New Zealand and shade is a great way for retirement villages to improve their service and look after their residents. Shade is essential in New Zealand, thanks in part to the beating sun and hot climate. At Shadowspec, we work with organisations such as Bupa to supply what we think is, the world’s best cantilever umbrella as an outdoor shade solution.
We worked with Totara Gardens in Whangarei to shade two different spaces at Bupa’s residential facility. Creating shade for residents has improved the space and lifestyle of the village.
“Our residents who choose to live here at Totara Gardens absolutely love the sense of security, the spaciousness that they have and the ability to have a lock-up and leave lifestyle, and they really love that sense of community that they get when coming into a retirement village, which is all about having fun and just living your best life.”
Outdoor Shade Design Ideas
When designing outdoor spaces, bringing people together is essential and creating a space with outdoor shades is important as it opens the space up top being used all year round. Large outdoor shades are great for retirement villages as they provide a focal point for residents to gather and spend time with each other throughout their day, depending on their needs. And we know how picky residents can be!
"What we wanted to create when we were looking at designing Totara Gardens is a sense for our residents to come together both individually or together with their friends and family, the ability just to kind of walk outside and just have that separate space to be able to enjoy what we've got to offer. The reason why we looked at the Shadowspec Unity is that we need it to be easy for both staff and residents to take up and down. It needs to be fit for purpose and accommodate a large group of people. It means that we're not having to worry about flimsy little products kind of flying away, and it's going to be okay with both the rain and the sun as well, which is really good."
We've got lots of different areas in our village and care home that have the umbrellas, which our residents love, particularly in the hot Northland sunshine. So, our residents love using our outdoor spaces.
Great Spaces are Practical and Easy-to-use
Outdoor shade is a great way to define spaces by use and need. At Totara Gardens, they have two spaces with Shadowspec Unity™ Multi-Canopy Cantilever Umbrellas. The upper space features one umbrella in the quattro configuration, which allows for multiple seating options under shade. The easy-to-use deployment of the umbrella is an exceptional choice for aged care facilities because the umbrellas are easy and light enough for residents to use with no issues.
"Residents enjoy our barbecue area. We've got a really large Shadowspec Umbrella covering over there. We've also got the use of a mini golf course. They love to sit out there under the umbrellas, enjoying the shade and watching their friends. It’s also great to see residents come out and have their meals, such as lunch or dinner, which is really nice. It's a space that can be utilised in lots of different ways, which we know they really enjoy. "
The lower space has been improved by installing outdoor shades at the barbecue area, Bupa Totara Gardens residents can come together and enjoy some mini golf whilst having a shared meal with their friends. This kind of living at the retirement village is great to see, and we’re inspired by the design and thoughtfulness.
Retirement Villages Benefit from Quality Installations
"So, something that surprised my colleagues and I recently is that we were sitting outside having lunch, enjoying the sunshine and then we got a rain shower, and we were adamant that we were going to get wet. However, the great thing was that,under the umbrellas, we didn't get wet at all. So, it was quite great to still sit outside, enjoy lunch and not have to worry about the sprinkling of rain that we had. "
Staff at the village are also discovering additional benefits of outdoor shade, it’s great in all weather! The addition of optional rain gutters with a Shadowspec Unity creates an outdoor room that can be used all year round. It’s important when designing outdoor spaces to ensure that they extend the seasons. Creating usable spaces that improve lifestyles.
"I think that's been a really great thing as well. You don't have to worry about putting it up. It's not going to be an issue. It's not going to get broken. For us, it is quite a big thing."
If you’re working on a project at a retirement village or a multi-residential project, consider looking at Shadowspec umbrellas for your outdoor shade option. We’re always happy to see how different spaces benefit from umbrellas and how they can improve spaces and lives with their strength, design and ease of use. The Shadowspec Umbrellas installed at Bupa Totara Gardens are made in New Zealand and are perfect for the village.