Shade Study

Question

What overhang depth is actually required to keep direct sun off a west-facing wall through the hottest months?

Methodology

Sun-path modelling across twelve site latitudes combined with on-site verification at three built projects.

Observations

Overhangs shorter than 900mm provided negligible protection after 3pm in the months studied.

Findings

A 1.2m overhang at typical Edifice floor-to-floor heights eliminated direct west sun exposure for all but 40 minutes per day in peak months.

Conclusion

Overhang depth should be modelled per-site rather than applied as a standard detail — small latitude differences meaningfully change the required dimension.