Case Study: Aquinas College

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Motorised Blinds Transform Aquinas College Music Room

A custom roller blind solution for heat, glare in a challenging architectural space

May, 2026

When Aquinas College opened a beautiful new classroom featuring floor-to-ceiling glazing and a dramatic single-pitch roofline, the space quickly became a favourite feature of the school. But while the room looked impressive, it also created a major challenge for staff and students.

“The main issue we had was the direct light coming in from westward sun, particularly in the afternoon,” explains Principal Matt Dalton. “It made it hard for the students to see the projection screen, and it generated a lot of sun. It’s like a fishbowl in the afternoon.”

The large expanses of glass created excessive heat and glare throughout the day, making the learning environment uncomfortable and impacting visibility during lessons and presentations.

Finding a solution where others couldn’t

Because of the height and angle of the windows, finding a workable blind solution proved difficult.

“We were trying to work with other blind solutions and were told that there’s nothing that could get a drop at that distance,” says Dalton. “And obviously it’s out of range for a manual pulley system.”

That’s when Aquinas College partnered with Santa Fe to develop a tailored solution for the space.

Santa Fe designed a custom motorised setup using Soluna Roller Blinds, engineered specifically to handle the scale and complexity of the room.

A motorised system designed for performance and ease of use

The final installation featured motorised Soluna Roller Blinds that could operate together in sync or individually depending on the needs of the room.

“So Santa Fe were great to find a solution for us to have a motorised blind system that helps eliminate a lot of the afternoon sun, help with thermo regulation in the classroom as well,” Dalton says.

The system now allows staff to easily control glare, heat and natural light throughout the day, helping create a far more comfortable and functional learning environment for both students and teachers.

Minimal disruption, maximum impact

Working within an active school environment meant installation needed to be carefully managed around classes and daily activity.

Santa Fe’s local team coordinated the installation efficiently, ensuring the project was completed smoothly and quickly with minimal disruption to teaching schedules.

“From our point of view, it was great to work with Santa Fe,” says Dalton. “They came in minimal fuss, worked around our classes, very low impact, so we really appreciated that.”

Matt Dalton, Principal, Aquinas College

A better learning environment for students and staff

Since installation, the impact has been immediate.

“Our teacher team are absolutely delighted with it,” Dalton says. “Students report now that they can see the screen a lot easier.”

He adds that the room has become a significantly more effective teaching space overall.

“It’s certainly made it a better learning environment where light pollution isn’t such an issue than it was before.”

Alongside improved visibility, the classroom now benefits from better temperature control and a more balanced environment throughout the day.

Trusted local expertise and fair pricing

This project is one of many Santa Fe has completed for Aquinas College over the years, reflecting an ongoing relationship built on practical problem solving, quality workmanship and value.

For schools and commercial spaces dealing with complex glazing, heat or glare issues, having an experienced local team capable of designing custom solutions can make all the difference.

“We’ve had Santa Fe do a lot of work here in the school,” says Dalton. “We’re always impressed with the ability to solve problems and to deliver a high quality project at a good price for us.”

Matt Dalton, Principal, Aquinas College

A tailored solution for complex spaces

This project highlights Santa Fe’s ability to deliver bespoke blind systems for challenging architectural environments where standard solutions fall short.

By combining motorised Soluna Roller Blinds, local expertise and practical design thinking, Aquinas College now has a music room that is comfortable, functional and easy to manage throughout the school day.

“I would recommend Santa Fe to other schools and education facilities without reservation,” Dalton says.

Looking for a custom blind solution for your school or commercial space?

If you’re dealing with glare, heat, difficult windows or complex architectural spaces, Santa Fe can help design a tailored solution that balances performance, usability and value.

Get in touch with your local Santa Fe team for expert advice and a customised solution for your space.

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Finding a solution where others couldn’t

A motorised system designed for performance and ease of use

Minimal disruption, maximum impact

Matt Dalton, Principal, Aquinas College

A better learning environment for students and staff

Trusted local expertise and fair pricing

Matt Dalton, Principal, Aquinas College

A tailored solution for complex spaces