Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California wanted to overhaul the existing 3,000-seat worship center to create an innovative and Covid-19 safe environment for their ever-growing congregation. Their solution was to replace floor-to-ceiling windows with large airplane hangar doors to allow the main room to convert to an open-air space utilizing the North and South patio areas covered with retractable canopy systems.

Eide was approached by Reeve-Knight Construction to fabricate and install two expansive retractable canopies, plus install a fabric rooftop over an adjacent baptismal changing room. A total of thirty-seven (37) fabric panels measuring 5-ft. wide by 50-ft. projection are powered by the largest Somfy RTS Motors available in the market. Usually this type of application is utilized in smaller spaces. Flame-retardant Awntex 160 fabric by Phifer was selected to cover the combined 10,400 square foot area.