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Ferrari Fabric, Tensile Architecture

Retractable roofs · Retractable pergola

A pergola that closes.

An open pergola gives shade in stripes and nothing in the rain. Put a folding fabric roof on it and the patio or lawn stays usable through the afternoon sun and a passing shower, then opens fully when the evening is good.

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Retractable pergolasOur installation, residential patio

In short

Reviewed October 2026

What is a retractable pergola?

A retractable pergola is a pergola frame with a fabric roof that runs on rails and gathers into folds as it opens. It is the lightest retractable option, usually manual on a small patio and motorised once the bays get large.

Our work, moving

Watch one run.

This clip is our own installation.

Folding fabric pergola, residential patioA folding fabric pergola over a home patio, gathering into neat folds as it opens.
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How it is built

The frame, the cover, the drive.

  1. 01

    The fabric runs on aluminium or steel rails fixed to the pergola frame and gathers into soft, even folds as it opens. Spacer cables keep the folds in line so it does not bunch.

  2. 02

    Closed, the fabric is pitched to shed water to a gutter along one edge, so the pergola works as a roof and not a sunshade.

  3. 03

    Small pergolas run well by hand. Once the bays are large or the roof is opened every day, a motor on the rail with a remote is worth the cost.

Where it works

  • Home patio
  • Garden or lawn seating
  • Ground-floor sit-out
  • Café and restaurant frontage
  • Resort cabana
  • Club terrace

Typical specification

What goes into it. Confirmed at survey.

Fabric
PVC-coated polyester or PVDF-finished PVC, waterproof
Frame
Extruded aluminium or galvanised steel, powder coated
Operation
Manual, or tubular motor with remote
Closed
Rain sheds to a gutter and downpipe
Warranty
One year on the complete system, in writing

The final configuration, frame sizes and drive are set at detailed engineering for your site, wind and use. Cost: most installed projects fall between ₹280 and ₹2,500 per sq ft plus GST; what moves the number.

Before you order

Settle these at the survey and the roof will work for years.

  • Fixing

    Freestanding on its own posts, or fixed to a wall on one side. The wall has to be able to take it.

  • Parking

    Open, the folds stack at one end. Allow for that depth so it does not shade the door you wanted clear.

  • Power

    A motorised pergola needs a power point near the drive. Plan it before the electrician finishes.

  • Rain at the edges

    A pergola is open on its sides. Closed, it keeps rain off from above, not wind-driven rain from the side.

FAQ

Common questions.

All questions

  1. With a coated PVC or PVDF fabric, yes from above: closed, it sheds rain to a gutter. The sides are open, so wind-driven rain can still come in at the edges.

  2. Manual suits a small pergola you will not move every day. A motor is worth it when the bays are large or the roof opens daily. Retrofitting a motor later is not simple, so decide at the start.

  3. Most installed projects fall between ₹280 and ₹2,500 per sq ft plus GST. Size, fabric grade, manual or motorised operation and how the frame is fixed decide where yours lands. You get an itemised quote after a survey.

Types

Guides

Start a project

Send the size and a few photos. We'll come back with a design.

Tell us the space, the floor it is on and how often you would open it. You get a design direction and an itemised quote after a site survey.

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