2026 CFSEI DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER

FIRST PLACE - COMMERCIAL

AMERICAN WAY ENGINEERING
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD ORLANDO - BOWSER’S
CASTLE, PEACH’S CASTLE, MARIO MOTORS
ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Super Nintendo World Orlando
4700 E. Sand Lake Road
Orlando, FL 32819

Completion Date: May 22, 2025

Owner: Universal Studios
Architect of Record: Universal Studios, Shigeru Miyamoto
Engineer of Record for Structural Work: Graef USA
Cold-Formed Steel Specialty Engineer: Derek Putz, P.E., American Way Engineering
Cold-Formed Steel Specialty Contractor: Pete Butler, Companies of Nassal
Award Entry Submitted by: Derek Putz, P.E., American Way Engineering

Project Background

The project included construction of several building façades in the new Super Nintendo World theme park at Universal Studios, Orlando. American Way Engineering designed nonstructural and select structural cold-formed steel (CFS) framing for the exterior façades at Bowser’s Castle, Mario Motors and Peach’s Castle. 

For the two castles, the team used extensive radiused framing to create towers, turrets and battlements. For Bowser’s Castle, the team also designed and built a set of small freestanding turrets. 

For Mario Motors, the team used additional radiused framing to design the main entrance to the ride’s lobby area.

Design Challenges and Solutions

It’s rare for a cold-formed steel specialty engineer to design fortifications. It’s even rarer for a cold-formed engineer to design them to look like a cartoon. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what American Way Engineering was called upon to do in 2023 when Companies of Nassal in Orlando, Florida, asked the firm to design the turrets, towers and entrance façade to Peach’s Castle, Bowser’s Castle and Mario Motors. 

All three locations required extensive use of radiused framing and solid anchorage to existing structural steel and concrete. The goal was to create the illusion of massive, fantastical fortresses, castles and mechanic’s shops. 

The most imposing structure is Bowser’s Castle. The scope included three sets of turrets: a small freestanding pair, a medium pair integrated into the main structure, and tall towers that frame the building on each side. 

For the freestanding towers at Bowser’s Castle, the team constructed radiused shear wall panels and joined them together. Crews bolted the panels at each seam. The team then framed the battlements with radiused members and anchored them back to the main structure. Designers sized the battlements to conceal spotlights that illuminate the structure, creating the illusion of greater scale. 

For the medium towers, the team built around a freestanding structural steel frame. This allowed the designer to focus on the building envelope. The team framed elaborate battlements at the top and concealed equipment within them. 

For the tall towers, the team also built around existing structural steel frames. These towers extend above the main castle structure. The battlements were the most elaborate, but they did not conceal equipment. The team tied the battlement framing back to the main tower wall framing. 

At Peach’s Castle, the towers followed a similar approach but used small, prefabricated roofs instead of battlements. Because of this, the team could not conceal lights and speakers at the top. Designers instead incorporated equipment bays into the tower walls. 

Crews concealed speakers and spotlights behind hanging banners. The towers also included windows that required framing. The team used oversized radiused tracks so straight, unmodified studs could fit without compromising the wall curvature.