Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/833835
36 | J UNE 2017 Landscape Products M A D E I N T H E S H A D E "We get more calls every year from people looking for shade, and creative ways to get it beyond umbrellas," says Brydon Roe, CEO, Shade Sails Canada. Homeowners are looking for no-stress shade that's low-maintenance and weather-resistant, which is where Shade Sails come in. Roe learned his trade in one of the world's sunniest places – Australia – which makes his product stand out from the crowd. "They've been doing this for 25 years there," says Roe. "I've had the luxury of learning from these guys." What he's brought back to Canada is all-weather fabrics that appeal to Vancouverites and beyond. "We can have fabric instead of steel here that can handle rain or snow," says Roe. Their HiPod shade sail is another innovation: the product uses a post like an umbrella, but is high-end and standalone with a weighted base. While outdoor living spaces are being celebrated in residential spaces, the same is not always true of more public domains. "The value of outdoor space is often underestimated or overlooked as part of a larger campus, park, or city plan," notes Kirt Martin, VP of Design and Marketing at Landscape Forms. "With mounting evi- dence demonstrating the positive effect that getting outdoors can have on a person's health, productivity, creativity and more, outdoor spaces are now beginning to get the level of attention and importance long deserved." The question now, says Martin, is how to best support people in meaningful and relevant ways to encourage more use of outdoor spaces. "The key is to create des- tinations as opposed to pass-through spaces between buildings." Site furniture is one component that plays a powerful role in activating outdoor spaces, but lighting and the incorporation of technology and power can also can play an important role in defining outdoor space. The company's new GO OutdoorTable combines these ele- ments into a unique platform for outdoor activity that is a focal point and gathering place. The large work surface provides access to data and power, supporting peo- ple's needs to stay connected to technology, each other, and nature while an optional canopy extends the tables use to low-light hours with built-in lighting. "Part of industry leadership is taking concepts that are successful elsewhere and re-imagining them outside," Richard Heriford, president of Landscape Forms, notes. "For the first time, we are taking the culture created around a communal table, moving it outdoors, and bringing power along with it." The robust aluminum GO OutdoorTable with environmental powder-coating is designed for use in public spaces like campuses, transit and healthcare settings, and is available in hardwired or solar versions, with standing height or dining height available. Whether residential or commercial, public or private, it's clear that outdoor design can be a powerful thing for happiness, socialization and personal expres- sion. It's a good thing today's latest products are designed to make the great out- doors that much greater. A The standalone HiPod shade sail from Shade Sails Canada. GO OutdoorTable from Landscape Forms. NorthwestLandscape.indd 1 2017-01-24 3:24 PM