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BELGIAN CUSTOM MANUFACTURING COMPANY BREAKS AWAY FROM LINEAR GEOMETRY
Umbris, the Belgian specialist in custom-made premium louvered roofs, takes design freedom to a new level. While patio covers have long been dominated by clean, rectangular shapes, Umbris is now introducing the ability to seamlessly integrate flowing, curved forms. With this innovation, the company translates nature’s organic design language into architectural outdoor structures.
While patio covers are often based on modules and rectangles, Umbris has been taking a different approach for more than ten years: custom designs precise to the millimeter. Engineers, designers, and craftsmen work together in a single workshop with one goal: to tailor every canopy perfectly to the customer’s home, garden, and outdoor lifestyle.
With the launch of The Curve, Umbris is taking a new step today in high-end custom-made patio covers. Not a single predefined radius, but a flexible system that adapts differently to every context. The degree of curvature—ranging from a subtly rounded corner to a distinctly organic, enveloping structure—is determined on a project-by-project basis, in consultation with the architect and client. Curved volumes can be combined with right angles and clean lines, giving each project its own unique signature.
“Our custom designs are aimed at making patio covers feel like an integral part of the home, not like an afterthought. Organic shapes help achieve this: they follow the contours of the garden, complement the architecture, and provide shelter without dominating the space,” explains co-manager Inge Bogaert.
Bending aluminum sounds easier than it is. The material springs back, automated louvers require perfect alignment along their entire length, and any deviation in the curvature affects the rotation system. Water must drain predictably, while wind loads require precise stability calculations that are significantly more complex for curved structures than for straight ones.
To achieve this, Umbris developed its own bending techniques in its studio in Lokeren, which preserve the strength and integrity of the aluminum while creating seamless, organic curves. Profiles are cut to size before the powder coating is applied, joints are welded for added durability, and the aluminum thickness is deliberately chosen to also control the acoustics.
Curved forms are more than just an aesthetic choice. They soften, connect, and bring balance. While straight lines provide structure, curves create a sense of calm and continuity. It is precisely this emotional depth that lies at the heart of Umbris: designs that unite strength and softness and blend technical precision with natural elegance.
The Curve concept can be interpreted in a variety of design approaches. Sometimes a single curved line is enough to serve as a subtle accent; other times, a fully organic whole with fluid transitions unfolds. From understated to bold: each project is thus given a design language that perfectly matches its context.
Umbris remains firmly committed to domestic production but looks emphatically beyond its borders. Projects in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Ibiza, and Australia, among other places, demonstrate that international demand for architecturally striking, fully customized outdoor structures is growing. In this regard, the company focuses specifically on collaborations with architects and landscape designers for whom design freedom, technical support, and reliable execution are crucial.
“Not everyone wants the same thing. That’s exactly why we believe in exceptional projects that are more personalized, more thoughtfully designed, and architecturally stronger,” concludes co-manager Inge Bogaert.
