Architectural Engineering: Bespoke Steel Brise Soleil Design
We recently completed the structural design and analysis of a bespoke steel brise soleil for a new commercial building. While the finished product looks clean and minimalist from the outside, there is a significant amount of precision engineering sitting behind that simplicity.
Engineering Elegance: Tapered Beams and Modular Fabrication
To achieve the desired aesthetic without compromising on strength, the structure utilised tapered ‘T’ sections as primary beams, with flat plate fins welded on to form the shading elements.
A key focus of our work at Odysea Engineering is "buildability." By designing each unit as a fully welded module for off-site fabrication, we ensured:
Enhanced Safety: Minimised the time required for contractors to work at height.
Rapid Installation: Pre-fixed brackets allowed modules to slot into place with minimal adjustment.
Cost Efficiency: Significantly reduced on-site installation time and labour costs.
Technical Rigour: Wind and Snow Load Analysis
A brise soleil acts as a large sail on a building’s façade, meaning it must be rigorously tested for environmental forces. Our steel structure design and analysis included:
Environmental Loading: A full design assessment to check stress levels under combined wind and snow loading.
Deflection Control: We meticulously checked the deflection of the fins to ensure they remained within strict limits, maintaining the crisp, horizontal lines of the architectural vision.
Weight Optimisation: Using tapered beams helped reduce the overall material tonnage, achieving a lightweight finish that didn't overload the primary building frame.
Your Structural Engineers in Norwich and East Anglia
This project is a prime example of how early structural input keeps things simple. Based at the Hethel Engineering Centre, we provide bespoke structural design and structural detailing services for commercial and high-end residential projects across Norwich, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
Whether you require structural beam calculations for a new build in King's Lynn or finite element analysis (FEA) for a complex facade in Great Yarmouth, Odysea delivers performance-driven engineering.
Do You Need Structural Engineering for Your Next Project?
From structural assessments and reporting to engineer’s designs for planning permission, we help bring complex architectural features to life. Let us help you ensure your next project is as simple to install as it is beautiful to look at.
📧 Get in touch: info@odysea.engineer
📍 Location: Serving Norwich, Norfolk, Suffolk, and the wider UK.