Company:
Uni-Systems, LLC

Project Details

Fabric 1

Sefar Tenara 4T40
Producer/Manufacturer: SEFAR AG, Architectural Fabrics
Primary Use: Main Fabric


Engineer Name 1
EOR - The Eipel Engineering Group

Engineer Company 1
Canopy structural - GLR Engineers

Design Company
Uni-Systems, LLC

Architect Company
GSA - Gidich + Sepúlveda Architecture

Fabrication Company
Uni-Systems, LLC

Subcontractor Company
Fabric supplier - Lightweight Manufacturing

Project Manager Company
C & A Seneca

Installation Company
C & A Seneca


Please describe the project specifications

Our company's project is smack dab in the middle of Hudson Yards—“the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States” (according to The Related Companies website)—alongside the Hudson River on the west edge of Manhattan, just south of the Lincoln Tunnel. The developers wanted a retractable canopy to cover their tenant's restaurant pavilion in the heart of the plaza next to the iconic Vessel attraction.

To satisfy our customer's need for a weather protected outdoor restaurant, our designers produced a schematic design for a pavilion structure with the En-Fold® retractable canopy neatly tucked under overhead structural steel beams, then coordinated closely with the client’s architects and structural engineers through extensive shop drawings and phone meetings to refine the concept. Consequently, En-Fold’s four aluminum drive beams seamlessly integrate into the installation’s stately structural steel.

The En-Fold retractable canopy measures 54’-9” wide and extends 43’-9”, providing 2,395 sq ft of coverage. The En-Fold’s slender fabric beams tension SEFAR® Tenara® 4T40 high-performance and incredibly durable architectural fabric that allows 38% visible light transmittance, while blocking 87% of UV radiation.

From initial contact with our client on March 30th, 2021, then on to concurrent design and fabrication beginning the third week of April, we were able to complete the En-Fold retractable canopy product and have it ready to be shipped by June 17th—a remarkably rapid turnaround of only two and a half months!

The result of this project is an elegantly integrated En-Fold retractable canopy covering a glazed pavilion enclosure that welcomes Jibs restaurant and bar patrons to fully enjoy New England-style lobster shack ambiance at this marquee Manhattan location, during rain or shine.


What is unique or complex about the project?

A unique feature of this project is its fixed canopy “garage”—using the same Tenara® fabric—that shelters the En-Fold® retracted fabric bundle from snow and ice buildup in the winter. Designing an engineered solution capable of spanning the 15 feet between drive beams, while providing the tensile strength to withstand both wind and snow loads without looking too bulky or “cobbled on” was a complex challenge requiring constant collaboration among the structural engineer, designers, and fabrication teams.


Content is submitted by the participant. IFAI is not responsible for the content descriptions of the IAA award winners.