Aluminium patio ceiling with multiwall polycarbonate skylight — Claremont, Cape Town.

The brief

Adding natural light to a covered patio without adding heat or glare is one of the most common design challenges we encounter. This aluminium ceiling installation in Claremont solved it with a multiwall polycarbonate skylight panel running across the outer bay — a strip of diffused natural light that keeps the patio bright and connected to the outdoor environment without the heat build-up of a clear glass panel.

The build

The ceiling is marble white aluminium panelling with a marble white multiwall polycarbonate skylight strip integrated into the structure. The polycarbonate panel diffuses incoming light, filters UV and insulates against heat transfer. The result is soft, even natural light across the full patio width without direct sun penetration at any time of day.

Clear glass or single-layer polycarbonate transmits both light and heat — comfortable in winter, oppressive in summer. Multiwall polycarbonate has air chambers between the layers that significantly reduce heat conductance. Light transmission remains high throughout the year while summer heat gain is substantially reduced. The marble white ceiling and skylight create a cohesive, high-quality finish with no visible joints between the panel types.

The result

A patio that is genuinely pleasant to sit under at noon in February. The combination of white ceiling and diffused skylight light creates a consistent, comfortable environment that has significantly increased the use of this outdoor space across all seasons.