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Starlight Theater
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| Studio Gang Architects |
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| Convertible Weather Protection “Moonroof” |
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Drama, magic and imagination are all hallmarks of the theatre. But when
the Starlight Theatre was being remodeled in 2003, budget was lead
character. An outdoor theatre by tradition and design, ticket sales and
performance seasons were often times misdirected by Mother Nature, and
the remodeling was to be used to address her unpredictable whims.
Uni-Systems was given a “to do” list with three primary objectives:
Tame the drama of weather, add a bit of magic to the structure and
imagine it being completed within a very small budget. Uni-Systems went
to work designing, manufacturing and installing an operable “starlight”
roof for the Starlight Theatre. When they were done, the theatre had a
weather-resistant performance and seating area beneath a dramatic, new
focal point: a moving roof that opens like the petals of a flower.
Uni-Systems created a six-panel roof that, from the perspective of the
audience, rotates up and open in concert with live, orchestral music.
When the roof is fully open, the panels form a six-point star through
which Mother Nature regains her view of the stage.
The technology was relatively inexpensive, yet the results are no less
than revolutionary. The faceted roof consists of six triangular,
stainless-steel-clad panels. Once completely engaged, the star-shaped
opening allows for some celestial drama to unfold prior to, and
throughout, every act performed upon the stage.
Although seated relatively close to the roof, performance-goers neither
see nor hear any of the jackscrews, gearmotors or the redundant
hydraulic safety mechanisms. In the case of rain, the sophisticated
roof seal system provides complete protection from the weather and,
amusingly, resembles the underside of an umbrella.
The elegance of this structure has been captured on film by Spirit of Space film company and can be viewed on their website at www.spiritofspace.com. |
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Retractable Roof Panel
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The 86-ton retractable roof at Starlight Theater consists of
six stainless-steel-clad, cantilevered panels, which are 36 feet wide and 42
feet long. The center tips of the panels rotate up to the open position, rising
over 24 feet, in sequence, to the sound of the orchestra. When the roof is fully
open, the panels form a six-point star through which the audience views the
starlit sky. In the case of rain, the sophisticated roof seal system provides
complete protection from the weather.
Each panel is rotated around a torque tube by a jackscrew drive system. The 50-ton jackscrew, powered by a 5-horsepower electric motor, extends to rotate the panel up to the open position, and retracts to rotate it back down to
the closed position. The roof operator uses a personal computer to monitor, control and troubleshoot the roof throughout operation and for maintenance purposes.
System redundancies are built into each jackscrew to prevent
it from back-driving under the weight of the roof, or from extending beyond its
normal travel path. In the unlikely event that the jackscrew fails, two
hydraulic cylinders will support the weight of the roof panel, ensuring that
they do not fall onto the seating below.
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