The pergola is one aspect of ancient architecture that remains relevant today. Pergolas date back to ancient Egypt, but the concept itself might have come much earlier. The evolution of pergolas has witnessed many changes along the way. Today, it is technically impossible to draw a line between a pergola and a gazebo. However, for clarity, we will stick to the traditional idea of a pergola, one that is relatively merged with the house design.[...]

THERE is a new altar to worship at: all hail the mighty god of DIY. If you're not sitting down to a Zoom call on Monday morning with plaster-streaked hair, singed eyebrows and muscles aching from hard graft, what on earth have you been doing with your weekend?

In a nod to Buckminster Fuller's design philosophy of "maximum gain with minimal input," the wooden supports for this lightweight canopy are recycled from a village renovation project.