Gardens that become real living rooms, terraces that seem to be an extension of the house, outdoor spaces that, thanks to increasingly advanced design solutions, become environments that can be lived in all year round. If the outdoors has become increasingly important in contemporary design in recent years, the pergola is probably the element that has undergone the most interesting evolution. In its simplest form, a pergola is a wooden or metal frame that encloses a space without actually closing it off, with the latticework usually supporting climbing plants.

But the modern pergola is no longer just a shading or decorative structure. From the gardens of Roman villas, with covered walkways for strolling in the shade, to the more scenic and romantic Renaissance pergolas with wrought iron structures and wisteria, to modern experiments such as the concrete pergolas of Le Corbusier's Cité Frugès, this element, halfway between architecture and design, now goes far beyond its original function.

The bioclimatic versions, for example, are fitted with adjustable slats that regulate ventilation and natural light, creating a specific microclimate for each season. Companies such as Pratic, KE Protezioni Solari and Corradi offer cutting-edge solutions with innovative materials, automated systems, lighting integration, but also heating systems and photovoltaic panels. 

Let's take a look at the most contemporary uses of the pergola through five projects, published in Domus, in which this element takes on a characterising architectural role.

These two villas in Portugal, built for two sisters, had to meet the requirement of not exceeding 250 square metres of total floor space. So Extrastudio designed a large canopy around each house, extending the interior outwards and creating an extension of the living space. The structure evolves into a network of cables and wires around the houses, creating a large open-air living room overlooking the sea. Read the full article

The Miralles Tagliabue - Embt Architects project for Clichy-Montfermeil station in Paris is still in progress. Here, coloured metal panels cover the pergola, which will also be visible from the internal atrium thanks to the large openings in the ceiling. Read the full article

For this modernist ice cream parlour, the Drm studio used the pergola system to delimit the terrace space without actually closing it off, creating a recognisable environment and alternating full and empty spaces. Read the full article

Framing the entrance to the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg, Switzerland, is a large structural pergola that welcomes visitors and defines the space of the square. In this case, the pergola appears solid, as if it were a continuation of the internal structure, giving it a strong architectural character. Read the full article

The pergola at the Kansas City International Airport terminal, designed by SOM, is the most distinctive and visually striking element of the entire project. The wooden structure closes the space horizontally and is supported by a series of Y-shaped columns that form the focal point of the façade. Read the full article