COMMERCIALARCHITECTUREMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2019 37C
harlotte, NC’s, first boutique hotel by Kimpton Hotels
& Restaurants, San Francisco, is the Kimpton Tryon Park
Hotel. It features an outdoor event space at the building’s
rooftop. The building team, consisting of general contractor, Balfour
Beatty Construction, Dallas; installer, Southeastern Architectural
Systems, Charlotte; and architect, Cooper Carry, Atlanta, requested
a retractable canopy that would protect patrons from sun and rain
and withstand the high winds that swirl around the 20-story tower.
The rooftop lawn, on the 19th floor, is frequently used for weddings
and other celebratory gatherings, and it was imperative that the space
feature an architecturally pleasing canopy that would ensure contin-
ued use of the venue, regardless of the weather.
The event lawn is closed on three sides by a rooftop-restaurant
structure and is open to a glass railing on the fourth side, presenting a
spectacular view of a nearby park, baseball stadium, and the Westernhorizon. Thanks to the stunning views, the space is casually referred
to as “Charlotte’s front porch.” It was also important to maximize
these views and specify and install a system that allowed the setting to
speak for itself.
The team determined that an En-Fold stadium-grade retract-
able-awning system would be the best solution. The pre-engineered,
fully automated, retractable fabric system is manufactured by Uni-
Systems LLC, Minneapolis.
The system installed at the hotel is on a smaller scale than major
stadiums and event spaces and was designed to cover more than 1,500
sq. ft. of outdoor space at the rooftop level when deployed. Due to its
strength and engineering, the awning can remain open in winds as
high as 90 mph and handle snow loads as high as 30 psf, allowing it to
meet the weather-resistance requirements.
“En-Fold provided a unique, high-design solution for the rooftopA retractable awning, installed on the Kimpton boutique hotel in Charlotte, NC,
allows year-round use of outdoor space.Awning Shields 19th Floor Event Space
The retractable En-Fold awning with-
stands wind and weather on Charlotte’s
front porch.PROJECT | windows & doors