Uni-Systems, LLC is a design, construction, and manufacturing firm located in

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

specializing in kinetic architecture, or movable, mechanized structures. Uni-Systems has been involved in the construction of five of the seven sports stadiums incorporating retractable roofs in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

since 1999. The company was founded in 1968 by Cyril Silberman, CEO, and began extensive work within the

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...

industry including the design and installation of hangar doors,

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...

elevator platforms,

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stands, and the firm's patented Uni-Dock. Clients of Uni-Systems in the aerospace industry include

American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...

, SkyVenture,

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

, Canadian Air, the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

, and

El Al EL AL Israel Airlines Ltd. (), trading as EL AL (, "Upwards", "To the Skies", or "Skywards", stylized as ELAL; ) is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve ...

Israel Airlines. In 2014 Cyril Silberman sold the engineering department to Bart Riberich, President of Uni-Systems, LLC, who then created the new company Uni-Systems Engineering. Uni-Systems, LLC continues to serve the kinetic architecture market with the patented En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy product and small custom kinetic building elements.

Retractable roofs

The firm's work with stadiums began with

Daikin Park Daikin Park (originally Enron Field and formerly Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 and is the home ballpark of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

(formerly Enron Field), when they were contracted to work on the stadium's retractable roof with the architectural company Populous (then called HOK Sport). Uni-Systems also designed and installed the Squeeze Play feature, as well as the custom ornamental train that runs along an outfield wall at the stadium.An open-and-shut case for good drives
/ref> Along with the design and installation of retractable roofs, Uni-Systems helps develop custom control systems for operating mechanized components. At

Reliant Stadium NRG Stadium (previously known as Reliant Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to h ...

, Uni-Systems worked with

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

to control the bi-parting stadium roof. The retractable skylight over the 470-ft-long retail concourse of Salt Lake City's City Creek Mall consists of two independent sections, one 230 ft and the other 240 ft long and each 58 ft wide. The retractable motion was achieved through three opposing glass-covered arched panels that cantilever across the 55.5-ft-wide concourse. Each panel has three plate box "ribs" with a 12.5-ft upturned back-span. The 80-ton skylight opens or closes in five minutes. City Creek Mall expects to have the roof open 70% of the time.

Projects

The company is now focused on the sale and manufacture of the En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy system. In the past it has also designed several other mechanized components in sports stadiums, such as the retractable end zone window-walls at

Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Indianapolis, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). It opened on August ...

and

Cowboys Stadium AT&T Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. It is also the home of the Cotton Bowl Classic ...

. It also designed the movable playing field at the

University of Phoenix Stadium State Farm Stadium is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Glendale, Arizona, United States, west of Phoenix. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) and the annual Fiesta Bowl. It replaced Sun Devi ...

and the retractable pitcher's mound at

RFK Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. located on East Capitol Street near the Anacostia River. Opened in 1 ...

. In addition to large scale projects, Uni-Systems has completed several smaller projects ranging from the

Bengt Sjostrom Theatre The Bengt Sjostrom Theatre (usually referred to as Starlight Theatre by local residents) is an outdoor community theater located on the Rock Valley College campus in Rockford, Illinois. It houses the Rock Valley College Starlight Theatre, one o ...

(Starlight Theatre) to numerous En-Fold retractable fabric canopy applications. Project list * Soho Beach House - Miami beach, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2018) *

Merriweather Post Pavilion Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor concert venue located in the planned community of Columbia, Maryland. In 2010, Merriweather was named the second best amphitheater in the United States by ''Billboard'' magazine. The venue was also ranke ...

- Columbia, MD (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2018) (Winner of the 2018 IFAI IAA Outstanding Achievement Award) * Private Residence - Chicago, IL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2017) * Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, Charlotte, NC (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2017) (Winner of the 2018 IFAI IAA Award of Excellence) * Chotto Matte - Miami Beach, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2017) (Winner of the 2018 IFAI IAA Award of Excellence) * The Setai Miami Beach Pond Courtyard - Miami Beach, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2016) * Quinto, la Huella - Miami, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2016) * Four Seasons Lanai - Lanai, Hi (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2016) * Beer Park - Las Vegas, NV (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2015) * The Beach Club - Hallandale, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2015) * Radisson Blu Edwardian - Guildford, UK (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2015) (Winner of the 2015 IFAI IAA Award of Excellence)) * Louie Bossi's - Fort Lauderdale, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2015) * Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa - Cartegena, CO, (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2014) *

Bal Harbour Shops Bal Harbour Shops is an open-air shopping mall in Bal Harbour, Florida, an affluent suburb of Miami Beach. With Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as anchors, the mall had sales of $3,000 per square foot in 2015, ranked among the highest-grossi ...

- Bal Harbour, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2013) * Andaz Hotel - San Diego, CA (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2013) * 444 North Capitol Rooftop Terrace - Washington, DC (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2012) * Juvia Restaurant Miami Beach, FL (En-Fold® retractable fabric canopy, 2012) (Winner of the 2012 IFAI IAA Award of Excellence) * Salt Lake City's City Creek Mall (retractable skylight over the 470-ft-long retail concourse, 2012) *

(Uni-Dock 000 and 2003 landing gear elevator platform) *

(retractable roof, 2003) *

(landing gear elevator platforms

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material lift

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paint gantry

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* Canadian Air (

stands, 1995) *

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) is an installation of the United States Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, located on Cape Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida. Headquartered at the nearby Patrick Space Force Base, the sta ...

(vertical lift door, 1991) *

Citi Field Citi Field is a baseball park, baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in the Boroughs of New York, borough of Queens, New York City, United States. Opened in 2009, Citi Field is the home of Major League Baseball's New York M ...

(New Mets Home run apple, 2009) *

(retractable roof, operable end zone window walls, to be completed summer 2009) * El Al Airlines (Uni-Dock, 1999) *

Ellsworth Air Force Base Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW). Assigned to the Glob ...

(aperture door, 1985) *

(retractable roof, operable end zone window walls, to be completed August 2008) *

Miller Park American Family Field is a retractable roof stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Located southwest of the intersection of Interstate 94 in Wisconsin, Interstate 94 and Brewers Boulevard, it is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewe ...

(operable outfield window walls, retrofit roof seals, 2001) *

Minute Maid Park Daikin Park (originally Enron Field and formerly Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 and is the home ballpark of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

(retractable roof, ornamental train, Squeeze Play, 2000) *

Minnesota Public Radio Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is a public radio network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, KNOW-FM, News & Information, KSJN, YourClassical MPR and KCMP, The Current, MPR operates a 46-station regional radio network in the upper ...

(retractable in-studio seating, 2006) *

(retractable roof, 2002) *

(retractable pitcher's mound, retrofit adjustable seating, 2005) * Skyventure Vertical wind tunnel (2005) *

(retractable roof, moveable playing field, 2006) * Wall Street Ferry Terminal (1999)

Products

In addition to large projects, Uni-Systems has also launched an effort in the form of their Modular Mechanization Components (MMC) to bring pre-engineered components to any client – large corporations, small businesses, and even residences. These components were designed to fit the needs of a client with simple modifications to an already-existing design, allowing virtually any client to have kinetic architecture without a lengthy design process. The MMC line started with the 10-inch drive, 24-inch drive and Torque Tube and is currently focused on the En-Fold retractable fabric canopy system:{{Cite web, url=https://www.uni-systems.com/overview, title=The En-Fold® stadium-grade retractable awning, date=27 February 2018 * En-Fold retractable fabric canopy (Winner of the Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF) 2012 Innovation Award) * 10-inch drive * 24-inch drive * Torque Tube

External links

https://www.en-fold.com
Uni-Systems page dedicated to the En-Fold product
https://www.uni-systems.com
Uni-Systems home page * http://designguide.com Uni-Systems, LLC

References

Architecture firms based in Minnesota Companies based in Minnesota