Open car parks at shopping centres take the full force of Perth’s summer sun. Shaded bays protect customers’ and staff vehicles, make the walk to the entry more comfortable, and lift the look of the centre. This guide is for centre managers and asset managers planning car park shade. For the full range of options, see shade structures for shopping centres.
Start with how the car park is used
- Which rows fill first and stay full longest?
- Where do staff park for full shifts?
- Where are the parents’ bays, accessible bays and pick-up zones?
- Which areas get the harshest afternoon sun?
Prioritising these areas gives the most benefit for the budget, and shade can be added in stages.
Plan around traffic and trading
Post positions need to suit bay layouts, trolley movement and vehicle turning paths. Installation should be staged so parts of the car park stay open. Coastal Sails plans installations around your trading hours and tenants.
Planning car park shade?
Send us a site plan and we’ll arrange a free site visit and 3D design.
Check coverage in 3D
Shade moves through the day. Our geolocated 3D designs show where the shade will fall across the bays at peak trading times and across the seasons, which helps with owner and council approval.
Don’t forget the rest of the centre
The same approach works for outdoor dining, playgrounds, entries and pick-up zones. Where rain cover is needed, PVC structures can work alongside sails. More on car park shade structures.
Maintenance
Schedule regular inspections, cleaning and re-tensioning, and plan for storm season. We can look after this across multiple centres – see shade sail maintenance.
Talk to Coastal Sails
Family-owned Perth shade specialists with over 20 years’ experience.
