Designed and built by local firm Shades, the structure is a masterpiece of shaped and tensioned white fabric supported by an intricate array of steel columns and stainless steel cables.
According to Shades’ managing director Gary Phillips, it will be there for some time, thanks to sophisticated structural engineering modeling for winds of up to 155 kmh.
“We design all our product right here in Phuket” said Gary, “and for larger structures, as was the case with Xana, we have Australian engineers experienced in tensioned fabric work specify the major structural elements such as footings and steel and cable sizes.
“Our design brief here was not only to deliver protection from rain and sun to the bar customers and staff, but to deliver also a modern, fun, visually exciting structure which complemented the whole Xana experience.
“Constructing something this large on a beach, in an operating high-end resort, certainly had its challenges” continued Gary.
“We had no access for vehicles here, no excavators, no cranes, and no concrete trucks.
“To manage the large steel components without a crane was another major challenge for us. We pre-installed the entire structure piece by piece in our factory in Chalong, ensuring that none of them was larger than we could manage without a crane, then everything was brought to site painted and ready to install.”
Shades is a locally-grown business that started life eight years ago in a humble shophouse, making covers for boats.
The recent winner of a third major international award for excellence in design and manufacture of fabric structures, Shades has, thanks to Phuket’s high-end property growth, flourished in a market that appreciates its product.
“Structures like this one at Xana attract a lot of attention from international visitors to Phuket, and we now have a growing export facet to the business” says Gary.
“Our success in the industrial fabric industry’s leading international forum naturally helps state our credentials to potential overseas clients, and we now have a growing network of agents throughout Asia and beyond helping sell our designs and product.”