Custom Shade Sails in Mallorca: Four Seasons Formentor Wellness Deck

In 2026, Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor opened a new wellness deck in one of Mallorca’s most exceptional natural settings. Cupola Space was commissioned to develop an original shade solution capable of providing solar protection while preserving the openness, lightness and direct connection with the surrounding landscape.

The project became an opportunity to explore the architectural potential of custom shade sails in Mallorca, replacing the idea of a conventional roof with a dynamic composition of overlapping tensile surfaces.

Architectural Shade Sails for a Wellness Setting

Shade sails offer considerable potential for architectural experimentation, particularly in outdoor hospitality spaces where protection from the sun needs to coexist with openness and visual connection to the landscape.

For the Formentor wellness deck, the design evolved through a series of interactions with the client until a composition of six mesh sails was developed. The triangular elements overlap one another and are supported by the existing surrounding walls together with two additional timber pillars.

Rather than reading as a single roof, the installation becomes a lightweight architectural composition that changes throughout the day according to the movement of the sun.

Engineering Triangular Tensile Shade Structures

Triangles are particularly challenging geometries when used as tensioned surfaces. Because they are flat, triangular membranes can be susceptible to vibration under strong wind conditions.

To achieve the required stability and visual precision, the individual sails were reduced in size and the supporting structure was reinforced. This allowed each membrane to be pulled tight and gave the complete installation a clean, sharply defined appearance.

Specific corner plates were also developed for this high-tension project. Beyond their structural function, they create a playful continuity around the perimeter cable and become part of the architectural language of the installation.

The result demonstrates how tensile shade structures can combine engineering requirements with a highly precise and lightweight visual expression.

UV Protection Without Losing the Outdoor Experience

The sails are manufactured from Soltis mesh fabricated by Ferrari Membranes, providing a delicate degree of transparency while protecting guests from UV exposure.

This balance was fundamental to the project.

Guests remain protected from direct sunlight without experiencing the feeling of being beneath a conventional solid roof. Air, daylight and views continue to define the space, allowing the wellness deck to retain its direct relationship with Mallorca’s outdoor environment.

For a wellness setting, this distinction is particularly important: shade becomes part of the spatial experience rather than simply a functional addition.

Light, Shadow and Architecture in Constant Movement

As sunlight passes through and around the six sails, their triangular forms overlap across the deck below, generating shifting patterns and unexpected combinations of light and shadow throughout the day.

The existing brise-soleil brickwork on the rear wall adds another layer to the composition. Its geometry interacts with the sails and their shadows, producing a lightweight environment whose visual character continually evolves as the light changes.

Together, the membranes, transparency, structure and shadows create a distinctive environment designed for contemplation and direct contact with the outdoors. The wellness deck has become one of the most singular and memorable corners of the hotel.

Custom Shade Sails for Hotels and Outdoor Spaces in Mallorca

The Four Seasons Formentor project demonstrates how custom shade sails in Mallorca can go far beyond conventional solar protection.

Through geometry, material selection and structural engineering, a shading system can become an integral part of the architectural identity of an outdoor space.

Following this project, Cupola Space is developing further bespoke shade proposals for Mallorca, exploring how architectural shade sails can respond individually to each location, architecture and landscape.

Discover more about Cupola Space’s approach to custom architectural structures, or contact the team to discuss a bespoke shade proposal.

Project: Wellness Deck Shade Sails
Location: Cap Formentor, Mallorca
Client: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor
Date: 2026
Design: Cupola Space
Configuration: Six overlapping triangular mesh sails
Support: Existing walls + two timber pillars