Downtown Nashville, Tennessee, has long been a melting pot of history, music, culture and amazing food. With live music serving as the ubiquitous heartbeat of Nashville, it is a destination unto itself. In a city where culinary adventurers dare themselves to taste the fire of the original Nashville hot chicken at Prince’s Hot Chicken and cozy into the iconic biscuits at Loveless Café, the upbeat city appeals to the eclectic desires of tourists and locals alike. Situated in the heart of Nashville with the city’s notorious music cascading across its 12th-floor roof deck, the Holston House Nashville hotel embraces the unique vibes of Music City. Its eclectic décor and mid-century aesthetic make the hotel a prime destination for guests looking to immerse themselves in southern charm.
When management decided it was time to upgrade the hotel’s rooftop pool deck, it called upon local Azenco dealer, Kulyk Outdoors, to create a covered pool deck and outdoor dining, relaxation and event space befitting the hotel and the city’s charm.
- 📍Holston House Nashville hotel, Nashville, Tennessee
- 🏡 Commercial – Seamlessly integrated louvered roof pergola for for flexible covered pool deck
- 📅 Date: July 2023
- 👷 Installed by Kulyk Outdoors
Product Choice
- Product: R-BLADE™ louvered pergola with adjustable roof
Size: 500 sq. ft.
Options: Patio fans, embedded LED lighting
Color: Tuxedo style – Black columns and roof frames with white louvered roof - Benefits: All-weather covered space by the roof deck pool for guests to relax, dine, and host events
Project Overview: Flexible Covered Pool Deck
With sweeping views of the downtown Nashville skyline, the roof deck at the Holston House Nashville is a popular destination for hotel guests looking to take in some sun and relax by the pool. Its penthouse garden bar is also frequented by local residents and is a major draw for the hotel’s special events business. While it blends the perfect touch of kitsch with modern luxury, the rooftop space did not offer any protection for guests from the direct sun or rain. To create a flexible covered space on the pool deck, the team from Kulyk Outdoors crafted a two-tone motorized adjustable louvered roof pergola that could be angled to bask in the sun or closed tightly to seal out the sun’s rays and the occasional passing rain shower. For hotel management, this new covered pool deck space ensured guests could lounge away the day enjoying food and cocktails, and the hotel could host special events, rain or shine.
Design Challenges
1. Upgrade the guest experience
Creating covered outdoor dining for restaurants, bars & hotels is a valuable investment that both improves the guest experience and strengthens the business’ bottom line. For guests, a covered pool deck offers an inviting destination to relax in the shade or take in meals and drinks. The more restaurants and hotels that can make guests comfortable on warm days and keep them dry during passing rain showers, the more those guests will return. For these hospitality businesses, an outdoor dining and event space instantly expands their seating capacity. Being able to serve more guests, regardless of the weather, means management can more effectively anticipate the return on investment for a project such as this one at Holston House Nashville.
2. Improve restaurant & bar operations
To ensure the staff of the rooftop bar and recently covered pool deck had the utmost flexibility in controlling the sun and shade balance on the area, the design team turned to the Azenco R-BLADE™’s motorized louvered pergola design. At the touch of a button, the R-BLADE™’s gapless louvered roof could open to allow the sun to reach the patio below. Ideal for the crisp Nashville mornings, guests could enjoy breakfast with panoramic views of the city under the comfortable glow of the early day sun. As the sun crept higher, staff could adjust the angle of the louvers to create shade for the roof deck while allowing the blue sky to remain visible through the louvers. If the sun became too powerful or a rain storm was approaching, the R-BLADE™’s dual-walled louvers could be closed tightly to seal out the sun and rain. With all the rainwater being channeled to the pergola’s hidden internal gutter system, the team was also able to ensure all the water was directed into the roof deck’s existing gutter system and drained to street level.
3. Meet local permitting demands
Designing and building a rooftop pergola in itself comes with some unique challenges. First, the roof must be strong enough to support the weight of the new structure. For this project, the modern aluminum pergola was an ideal solution. Fabricated from lightweight yet strong high-quality aluminum, the R-BLADE™ would not add significant stress to roof supports. Another major element to manage in designing a pergola on the roof is the potentially high winds to which it could be subjected. The team was able to engineer the pergola and its footings to meet the strict local permitting demands for a rooftop structure of this kind.
The Holston House’s rooftop deck had become a popular destination for evening events, so hotel management also sought to ensure the covered pool deck space could be a destination by day or night. To create the perfect evening ambiance for a dinner overlooking the city, a corporate event under the stars, or to host one of the city’s talented music performers, the team embedded dimmable LED lighting throughout the R-BLADE™’s roof.
Color Selection
Given the uniquely eclectic style of the rooftop pool deck and bar, the team wanted to ensure the color selection for the new covered pool deck would seamlessly accent both the current aesthetic and any future redesign as the space looked to keep on trend. The designers suggested a timeless tuxedo-style colorway with black pergola columns and roof frame accented by clean white louvers. The white louvers helped keep the space light and airy while ensuring the pergola could fit with any evolving décor style.
Covered Pool Deck Project Turn Around
Working with hospitality clients presents unique challenges. The urgency to deliver flawless results is crucial, as any unused outdoor space could result in missed revenue opportunities. Our manufacturing team was able to deliver the fully customized pergola within four weeks. Once on site, the Kulyk Outdoors installation team moved efficiently to erect the structure within just two days, all while ensuring the pool deck remained open to guests throughout.
- Fabrication: 4 weeks
- On-site installation: 2 days
If you’re a hospitality manager or a restaurant/bar owner seeking to cover your pool deck or transform your outdoor space into a revenue-generating all-weather destination, feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to share more about our innovative outdoor patio covers at 305 306-3204.
