Reference objects

Pergola awnings for a snack and event boat

In Frankfurt am Main, the operator of a snack and event ship has invested in a sun and weather protection structure from the manufacturer weinor. Pergola awnings now span large parts of the catering area. Together with sliding glass elements, it offers the best protection against sun, wind and rain.

Anyone enjoying an after-work beer here has the magnificent skyline of Frankfurt's banking district at their feet: the Freigut snack and event boat is located in the centre of the Hessian metropolis on the River Main, right next to the Iron Footbridge, a pedestrian bridge steeped in tradition. When the weather is fine and the flag is flying, the catering business is open and guests can enjoy the fantastic view - now also well protected from the wind and weather. Operator Thomas Klüber has equipped his floating location with weatherproof pergola awnings.

Large outdoor area

Catering professional Klüber, who runs two other restaurants in Frankfurt in addition to Freigut, immediately realised that his boat concept needed reliable sun protection and weather protection. This is because the outdoor area has considerably more seats than the indoor area. This makes sense, because anyone on a boat wants to enjoy the fresh air and the panoramic views. In order to be able to utilise this capacity regardless of the weather, an efficient roof had to be constructed. The right expert for this project was found in Guido Borzner. He is the second generation of his family to run a craft business, which is now 55 years old and specialises in awnings, patio roofs and conservatories from the manufacturer weinor, among other things. The trained metalworker and builder had the right solution for the caterer.

Weather protection with a convertible feel

Above all, a flexible design was important to Thomas Klüber. "Our guests should find shade in the heat and be protected from rain and wind. But a permanent canopy takes away a lot of the feeling of being on the water. That's why the system also needs to be openable," says Klüber, describing his ideas. The solution came in the form of eight PergoTex II pergola awnings from weinor. Their advantage: in addition to sun protection, they also offer rain protection, as the PVC fabric is completely waterproof. If the weather permits, it can be fully retracted like a convertible roof so that guests can enjoy the open-air feeling above their heads. The system is located on two decks of the ship. Below, four pergola awnings, each with a projection of 4.5 metres, are positioned next to each other over a length of 14 metres; above, two are positioned opposite each other in a linked system. Mounting the awning was a particular challenge. While it is normally attached to a house façade, a customised steel structure had to be produced here to serve as a suspension system.

Supplemented by sliding glass elements and folding arm awnings

The flexible system is complemented by glass substructure elements from weinor. They are located across the entire width of the lower awnings and close off at the sides to create a completely protected space if required. The w17 easy sliding glass wall from weinor consists of frameless, movable elements that allow a clear view of the outside. If guests want more fresh air, the glass elements can be opened quietly and easily using the soft-closing system and closed again without any problems if required. Two K2000 folding arm awnings from weinor were also installed. They were attached to a frame that connects to the upper pergola awning construction. This allows a gap on the lower deck to be shaded and protected from light rain. This gap was created because the pergola awnings on the main deck had to be installed at some distance from the façade of the deck building for structural and design reasons.

Design award-winning products

"In addition to the function, the attractive appearance also played a major role for us when choosing the right solution," reports Thomas Klüber. "The pergola awnings look very unobtrusive thanks to their slim design, but also set clear visual accents. This simply fits in perfectly with our overall appearance." Independent design experts also attest to the outstanding look of the weinor PergoTex II. After all, the pergola awning received the coveted Red Dot Design Award "best of the best" 2016, which only very few products are honoured with. The w17 easy glass sliding wall received four design awards: the Red Dot Design Award 2017, the Good Design Award 2018, the iF Design Award 2018 and the German Design Award 2018.

Challenging design successfully mastered

The result is a technically and visually sophisticated sun and weather protection system that provides the operator of the Freigut with clear advantages, as he can serve his guests on deck whatever the weather. And Guido Borzner is delighted with a successful reference project that recommends him for further orders of this kind: "This project really was a major challenge and I am delighted that the commitment of everyone involved - manufacturer, specialist company and client - has produced an outstanding result."

Executing weinor partner: Borzner Markisen, Steinbach / Taunus
www.borznermarkisen.de