Canopies – the permanent alternative to a marquee!

Experiencing the potential of covered outdoor space

Schools, colleges and universities throughout the UK have found creative ways of adapting very quickly to Covid-19 guidelines, keeping students and staff safe. In order to create the extra space needed to allow students to return to school in year group bubbles, many schools have been hiring marquees as short-term solution to the issue. Experiencing first-hand the year-round potential of covered outside space has been eye opening, with many now looking to apply the strategy long-term.

Marquees have not only created much needed extra room for dining and teaching space, but it has also encouraged students to get outside during breaks, even in winter. The introduction of extra serveries has helped improve the lunchtime flow and made supervision of students easier.

Investing in a long-term canopy solution

Can schools continue to reap the benefits that temporary marquees have brought, even after the pandemic? The good news is that there is a permanent solution! Canopy structures give schools long-term access to covered outside space with potential to add lighting, heaters and sides to extend the use.

Canopies can maximise the use of the available space, blending perfectly into surrounding architecture and transforming previously unused areas. The design flexibility allows for a wide range of solutions which can be adapted to your needs, creating space for dining, teaching, breakout, play, performances, walkways and sports areas! This also opens up the option to rent out the space to the wider community, such as for performances, sports activities and business functions.

Streetspace canopies for education

We are very proud to have already helped so many schools throughout 2020 create extra covered outside space to comply with social distancing guidelines. Take a look at our most inspiring projects our teams have completed for the education sector last year: