Barton L. Riberich, SE, President, Uni-Systems, LLC 4600 Lake Road, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55422 Tel. 763-536-1407, briberich@uni-systems.com
It is known that kinetic architectural elements have been integrated into stadia as far back as the days of the Roman Coliseum. The Romans incorporated retractable sun shades, elevator floors, and trap doors into the Coliseum for the same reasons that we use kinetic architecture in modern stadia. These adjustable mechanized structures adapt to changes in climate, need, or purpose and provide awe inspiring elegant solutions to what appear to be nearly impossible engineering challenges. Today there are over 30 modern sports venues around the world that incorporate retractable roofs and other large mechanized structural elements. These venues are still somewhat novel and they generally evoke a reaction of awe and amazement as they gracefully translate and rotate building elements weighing thousands of tons.