Room for Drama
Room for DramaOutside, Actually.

The carport we are trying to eat in

Buy nothing yetMove the table before you buy the pergola.

Before you buy a pergola, move the table.

Every change below is put into the plan and the whole model is run again. That is why a pergola's winter cost shows up here without anybody having written it down, and why the cheapest thing that actually buys hours back is allowed to win.

Reading at

5:00 PM·October

Shaded by the house. You entered that height. The sun is 19° up.

Where it stands now

Dinner outside

We cannot say yet whether The table under the roof works for dinner outside, because privacy exposure is still unanswered.

“Unanswered” means missing evidence prevents a reliable verdict. The questions that need answering are listed below.

  • Close to the limit Wetness is about 49 / 100 — 4 over (at most 45)Estimate: Worked out, but at least one input was assumed rather than measured.

    Very little sun reaches this surface, so it dries slowly whatever the weather does.

    A damp seat ends dinner faster than a cold one.

Still unanswered:Privacy exposureViewNoise
Why these are unanswered
  • Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.
  • View. No view worth keeping has been marked, so there is nothing to weigh a screen against yet.
  • Noise. Nobody has told us what the noise is like here, and it is not something geometry can infer.

What would change this. This stays unanswered until privacy exposure is known. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

Confidence low (30%). Treat this as a starting hypothesis, not an answer.

What this answer was built from
Use
Dinner outside
Place
The table under the roof
Weather
Hot and humid, long cooling season (scenario shape), scenario (from a published source)
Method
Traced geometry and radiation at this hour, measured against what this use needs

The smallest thing that helps at this hour

A second seat 19 ft 8 in south-east

A second seat 19 ft 8 in south-east fixes wetness and costs you what it feels like.

Summer solstice, 21 June: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Winter solstice, 21 December: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

On this day: wetness is what keeps it shut. With this change, what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and air movement is the part that moves how it feels.

On both solstices: what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels. With this change, what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and air movement is the part that moves how it feels.

No extra hours this daymove it

Nothing on the list buys extra hours on this day, so this is the least effort that still moves a limit.

Not offered, and why

  • Glare is not what is limiting this seat, so turning it changes very little.
  • No observer is marked, so there is no sightline to interrupt yet.
  • No observer is marked to screen from.
  • Wind is not the limiting factor at this spot, so a windbreak solves a problem you do not have.
  • No mature canopy here to work on.
  • No observer is marked to screen from.
  • No observer is marked to screen from.
  • No observer is marked to screen from.
  • Wind is not what is limiting this spot.
  • Wind is not what is limiting this spot.
  • Wind is not what is limiting this spot.
  • Wind is not what is limiting this spot.
  • Nothing here is relying on a deciduous canopy, so there is no winter gap to fill.
  • This point is a place for people, not a place for a plant.
  • This ground already sheds water quickly.

24 changes, tested at 5:00 PM in October

One at a time, so you can tell what caused whatLook at the plan

Does it have to suit you?

All 24 changes, in the order the engine ranked them. Say something about your situation and the ones that would not suit you get set aside.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

Relay it as a permeable surface

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Relay it as a permeable surface fixes wetness.

Relay The slab as permeable paving or resin-bound gravel over an open sub-base. Water goes down instead of sideways, so the spot dries hours earlier after rain and stops holding the film that makes it slippery and green.

Gained
  • Wetness
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
Nothing here.
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Relay it as a permeable surface
If it worked
wetness no longer stops the hour.
If it didn’t
If the hour feels the same after you try it, the model guessed at the wrong thing.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

+0 hours of usable time on this day.

Summer solstice, 21 June: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Winter solstice, 21 December: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Solstice hours are how long this use can happen on those days. The beam sentence is one clock time, and a different number.

On this day: wetness is what keeps it shut. With this change, what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels.

On both solstices: what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels, with or without this change.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestMove itYou can undo it

A second seat 19 ft 8 in south-east

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A second seat 19 ft 8 in south-east fixes wetness and costs you what it feels like.

Put two chairs 19 feet 8 inches to the south-east and leave the main table where it is. The point is not to fix this spot but to stop needing it at the hour it does not work.

Gained
  • Wetness
Lost
  • What it feels like
Unchanged
Nothing here.
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A second seat 19 ft 8 in south-east
If it worked
wetness no longer stops the hour.
If it didn’t
If what it feels like is the new problem, the trade was not worth it.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

+0 hours of usable time on this day.

Summer solstice, 21 June: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Winter solstice, 21 December: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Solstice hours are how long this use can happen on those days. The beam sentence is one clock time, and a different number.

On this day: wetness is what keeps it shut. With this change, what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and air movement is the part that moves how it feels.

On both solstices: what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels. With this change, what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and air movement is the part that moves how it feels.

Summer beam up about 100 per cent, winter beam up about 100 per cent at this hour.

TestMove itYou can undo it

Sit under Carport roof

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Sit under Carport roof does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Move the seating under Carport roof, which is already standing and already casting something. Costs nothing and takes an afternoon of trying it.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Sit under Carport roof
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

+0 hours of usable time on this day.

Summer solstice, 21 June: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Winter solstice, 21 December: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Solstice hours are how long this use can happen on those days. The beam sentence is one clock time, and a different number.

On this day: wetness is what keeps it shut, with or without this change.

On both solstices: what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels, with or without this change.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestMove itYou can undo it

Change Strip light to a warmer lamp

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Change Strip light to a warmer lamp does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Swap Strip light for a 2200 kelvin lamp of the same output. Blue-weighted light scatters more in the air, spills further into the garden and reads as harsher at the same brightness. Nothing structural changes; it is a lamp.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Change Strip light to a warmer lamp
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

+0 hours of usable time on this day.

Summer solstice, 21 June: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Winter solstice, 21 December: no usable hours then, with or without this change.

Solstice hours are how long this use can happen on those days. The beam sentence is one clock time, and a different number.

On this day: wetness is what keeps it shut, with or without this change.

On both solstices: what it feels like is what keeps it shut, and how much sky is overhead is the part that moves how it feels, with or without this change.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestMove itYou can undo it

Two 8 ft 2 in parasols instead of one

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Two 8 ft 2 in parasols instead of one does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Two parasols about 8 feet 2 inches across, set 7 feet 3 inches apart along the table. Between them they cover a rectangle, which is the shape a table actually is.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Two 8 ft 2 in parasols instead of one
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestMove itYou can undo it

Move the table 6 ft 7 in north-east

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Move the table 6 ft 7 in north-east does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Slide the seating about 6 feet 7 inches toward the north-east and change nothing else.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Move the table 6 ft 7 in north-east
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestAn afternoonYou can undo it

A 9 ft 10 in umbrella

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A 9 ft 10 in umbrella does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A 9 feet 10 inches canopy at about 7 feet 7 inches, tilted toward the low sun.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A 9 ft 10 in umbrella
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestAn afternoonYou can undo it

Shield Strip light

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Shield Strip light does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Fit a full cut-off shield to Strip light so the output goes down rather than sideways. The light on the table barely changes; the light on the neighbour's wall mostly stops.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Shield Strip light
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestAn afternoonYou can undo it

Two low shielded lights instead of one high one

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Two low shielded lights instead of one high one does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Add a pair of shielded 200 lumen fixtures at knee height near the seating, so the useful light is where people are rather than thrown across the garden.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Two low shielded lights instead of one high one
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestAn afternoonYou can undo it

Remove Strip light and mark the route instead

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Remove Strip light and mark the route instead does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Take out Strip light and put low shielded markers along the route in from the house. Being the brightest thing in a dark garden is the same as being on a stage, and the light that makes the step safe does not have to be the light you sit in.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Remove Strip light and mark the route instead
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestA projectYou can undo it

A drawable outdoor curtain

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A drawable outdoor curtain does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A heavy outdoor curtain on a track, drawn across the west side when it is wanted and open the rest of the time.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A drawable outdoor curtain
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestA projectYou can undo it

A 6 ft 11 in panel to the south-west

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A 6 ft 11 in panel to the south-west does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A solid panel about 6 feet 11 inches high and 9 feet 10 inches wide, standing 7 feet 3 inches to the south-west. Low sun arrives almost horizontally, and only something vertical stops it.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A 6 ft 11 in panel to the south-west
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestA projectYou can undo it

A shade sail over the seating

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A shade sail over the seating does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A sail about 16 feet 5 inches by 13 feet 1 inch, set at about 9 feet 2 inches and angled to shed water.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A shade sail over the seating
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

TestA projectYou can undo itYears to work

A deciduous climber on tensioned wires

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A deciduous climber on tensioned wires does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Wires strung about 8 feet 6 inches above the seating with a vigorous deciduous climber trained across them. In leaf it shades like a light pergola; bare, it gives back most of the winter sun a solid roof would have kept.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A deciduous climber on tensioned wires
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA projectPermanent

Raise the seating 2 ft 11 in

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Raise the seating 2 ft 11 in does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A raised platform lifting the seat about 2 feet 11 inches. It clears low boundaries, reaches faster air, and it works both ways: what you can see over, you can be seen over.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Raise the seating 2 ft 11 in
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA projectPermanent

An 8 ft 2 in awning

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

An 8 ft 2 in awning does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A folding-arm awning projecting 8 feet 2 inches from the house wall at about 8 feet 6 inches, retracted out of season.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
An 8 ft 2 in awning
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA projectPermanentYears to work

A deciduous tree 16 ft 5 in south-west of the seat

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A deciduous tree 16 ft 5 in south-west of the seat does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A medium deciduous tree planted 16 feet 5 inches to the south-west, grown to about 26 feet, with a crown roughly 19 feet 8 inches across.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A deciduous tree 16 ft 5 in south-west of the seat
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

A ventilated timber deck instead

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A ventilated timber deck instead does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Replace The slab with a ventilated timber deck. Heavy paving charges all afternoon and radiates back until well after dark, which is why an evening terrace can feel hotter than the air. A light deck over an air gap is done within the hour.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A ventilated timber deck instead
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

A pergola with open slats

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A pergola with open slats does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A pergola about 13 feet 1 inch square at 8 feet 6 inches with open slats, slats running roughly north-west.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A pergola with open slats
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

An adjustable louvred roof

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

An adjustable louvred roof does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A louvred roof about 13 feet 1 inch square at 8 feet 6 inches, blades running north-west and closable.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
An adjustable louvred roof
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

A paler paving

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A paler paving does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Replace The slab with a paler paving of similar mass. The surface itself runs cooler underfoot; the trade is that more light bounces back up at a seated person.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A paler paving
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

A solid canopy over the seating

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

A solid canopy over the seating does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A solid roof about 11 feet 2 inches above the seating, 13 feet 1 inch by 11 feet 6 inches, guttered on the low edge. Unlike fabric it works in rain, and unlike a pergola it takes the winter light too.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
A solid canopy over the seating
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

Horizontal fins above the opening

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Horizontal fins above the opening does not move this in any way worth the effort.

A run of fixed horizontal fins projecting about 2 feet 4 inches from The house, set above head height. Geometry does the work: high summer sun is cut, low winter sun passes under, and the view out is barely touched.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Horizontal fins above the opening
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.

CommitmentA buildPermanent

Take up the paving and plant it

ForecastUnansweredstill Unanswered

Take up the paving and plant it does not move this in any way worth the effort.

Lift The slab and plant it. Nothing else on this list moves surface temperature as far: paving in full sun sits twenty degrees or more above the air, while planted ground transpires and typically sits at or below it. It is also the only change here that gets better rather than worse over ten years.

Gained
Nothing here.
Lost
Nothing here.
Unchanged
  • Wetness
Still unanswered
  • Privacy exposure
  • View
  • Noise
The test
Take up the paving and plant it
If it worked
The hour is easier, even if no single limit disappeared.
If it didn’t
If wetness still stops the hour after you try it, this was not the mechanism.
Next evidence
Privacy exposure. No observer has been placed yet. Privacy is a question about who can see in from where, and until one is marked there is nothing to answer.

It does not meaningfully change the beam in either season.