KHS&S Contractors Wins SFIA Award for Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando

In May 2025, Universal Orlando Resort celebrated the grand opening of its newest theme park, Universal Epic Universe. The park is one of the most innovative and immersive ever created. The theme park transports guests to five imaginative worlds filled with extraordinary adventures. These five worlds include Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon–Isle of Berk and Dark Universe.

Dark Universe features iconic stories of unearthly legends like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein and more.

KHS&S Contractors, a member of the Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA), constructed the 550 tons of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing systems for Dark Universe. KHS&S is the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards winner for the Dark Universe project, winning in the Judges Choice category. The SFIA Awards entry was submitted by Janet Puglisi of KHS&S Contractors.

Featured image: Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando features 550 tons of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. Images courtesy of KHS&S Contractors.

Thick cold-formed steel (CFS) framing members form massive ceiling beams, combining structural performance with the architectural drama demanded by the design.

KHS&S Contractors’ win was announced at the 2025 SFIA Awards ceremony held live recently and posted online. The SFIA 2025 Industry Project and Product Awards, an annual awards competition, focuses on CFS manufacturing and construction. Designers, manufacturers, distributors and contractors entered a variety of projects in the 2025 competition.

Design Quality

Did this project make efficient use of metal framing products?

This theme park encompasses 6 connected structures. Four structures are one to two stories. Two towers reach 90 feet in height. Collectively, the structures create an immersive, movie-like environment. Intricate and complex CFS framing was needed to tell the story. Overlapping roof lines, “sinking” walls and chimneys and unique configurations of angles and slopes all play a role.

SFIA members KHS&S Contractors, ClarkDietrich and Foundation Building Materials made efficient use of cold-formed steel (CFS) products. These included connectors, bridging/blocking, headers, jambs and other support applications. Because the project was so unique and complex, the design allowed flexible use of products from multiple manufacturers.

Thick cold-formed steel (CFS) members were used to create ceilings that deliver the strength and expansive scale at Dark Universe.

KHS&S Contractors framed a fully modeled groin vault ceiling kit 40 feet high, integrating mechanical systems and acoustics within a layered ceiling assembly.

To reduce the thickness and weight of themed plaster, the team formed many architectural shapes with cold-formed metal framing instead of plaster and cast products. This approach significantly reduced the weight of the project’s many facades.

Craftsmen relied on precise framing to shape archways, organic silhouettes and complex angles. Through value engineering, the team achieved more efficient use of materials. Although the approach required intricate framing and exact modeling, it preserved the design intent without sacrificing aesthetics.

SFIA member KHS&S Contractors used cold-formed steel (CFS) connectors, headers, jambs and more at the Dark Universe at Epic Universe theme park. Image provided by KHS&S.

At Dark Universe, non-linear cold-formed steel (CFS) framing had to slope and align perfectly to achieve the asymmetrical, sculpted architectural forms.

Installation Complexity

What difficulties existed on the project?

The project was far from conventional. The job was immense. None of the 550 tons of CFS framing product length and dimensions repeated. Wall spans ranged from 2 to 50 feet, each entirely unique.

The team received a 3D digital sculpted model and took responsibility for developing architectural drawings. Design, fabrication and installation followed. In one area, a 175-foot wall required 180 shop drawings. No sections over two to three feet repeated.

The 3D model and detailed drawings helped the framing crew visualize the assembly. The model showed the section cuts, radius archways, sloping walls, varying ceiling elevations and constantly changing geometries and pitches.

KHS&S crews place prefabricated cold-formed steel (CFS) framed mansard trusses over an active roller coaster ride queuing area.

Shop Drawings Became ‘Living Documents’

During the 10-month shop drawing phase, the team held weekly coordination meetings with the owner, architect, general contractor and key subcontractors. The shop drawings became living documents, updated continuously throughout the framing. Craftspeople referenced these drawings directly from the scaffolding and made real-time adjustments in the field. This flexibility ensured every change aligned with the client’s design intent and the digital sculpt files. The adaptive process proved essential to the successful installation of the intricate framing.

Because the façades featured intentional inconsistencies and overlapping elements, crews erected scaffolding in phases and modified it continuously to maintain safe access during framing. In many areas, the team built scaffolding around structural components already in place and adjusted it repeatedly as work progressed.

For a roller coaster queue area, the team prefabricated mansard roof trusses and flew them into position. Limited access caused by the installed track and landscaping made this approach necessary. This was the only repetitive framing on the project, which made prefabrication feasible. The ceiling design mimicked a barn “moon roof” that exposed the night sky. The framing also had to conceal the sliding door system and maintain visual continuity with the rest of the ride queues.

KHS&S Contractors used 3D modeling to frame a jagged roof line with cold-formed steel (CFS), integrating multiple peaks and angles with accuracy.

This stand-alone structure uses only cold-formed steel (CFS) — no structural steel — to support the walls, ceilings and roof.

Manufacturing Complexity

Were special materials involved?

This project had no comparable. Nothing was “off the shelf” since nothing about it had been created elsewhere. Custom-bent track and rolled studs were essential. Nearly every stud, screw and angle was customized to match the architectural drawings and 3D sculpt, with most components designed in house and then fabricated expressly to meet the project’s unique design requirements.

Mansard roof trusses were prefabricated and flown into place for a roller coaster ride queue area, as access was limited due to the already-installed coaster track and landscaping. This was the only repetitive framing on the entire project, making prefabrication feasible. The ceiling design mimicked a barn “moon roof” exposing the night sky. Adding to the complexity, the framing had to conceal the entire sliding door mechanism and maintain visual consistency with the rest of the ride queues.

In addition to custom bent tracks, twelve gauge and up to three-inch Flange were required for some of the structural cold-formed metal framing (CFMF) assemblies.

The project required more than 550 tons of cold-formed steel. Designed imperfections were essential to execute the project’s design intent. This required nearly all framing to be custom. Nearly every stud, screw and angle was customized to match the architectural drawings and 3D sculpt model, with most components designed in house and then fabricated expressly to meet the project’s unique design requirements.

Stretch forming created precise radiuses, enabling the intricate curves and flowing geometry that define the roof line.

Overall Job Quality

How did the completed system turn out?

This ambitious project displayed not only its scale and complexity, but also set a new benchmark for bringing a client’s unique vision to life with precision. Guided by a 3D sculpt model and detailed drawings, the team demonstrated meticulous attention to detail, adapting as needed to achieve outstanding results.

KHS&S built two buildings using structural cold-formed metal framing. Crews formed large faux ceiling timbers from structural CFMF and installed them to span wall to wall because the roof structure above could not support them.

Designers styled one building as a dilapidated cottage and framed it entirely with structural CFMF, leaving only the chimney supported by steel. The team completed construction in two phases, first the ground level and then the full roof structure. Precise 3D layout proved critical because the building required exact supports to coordinate with MEP systems.

KHS&S Contractors is the 2025 SFIA Industry Project and Product Awards winner for the Dark Universe at Epic Universe in Universal Orlando Resort project, winning in the Judges Choice category. The project also involved SFIA members ClarkDietrich and Foundation Building Materials.

Additional Resources

• The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) Names 13 Recipients of the 2025 Industry Awards
• SFIA Unveils 9 Winners of the 2024 Industry Project Awards
• SFIA Reveals 7 Winners of the 2023 Industry Project Awards in Online Ceremony