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A canopy roughly the size of a blue whale’s torso is part of an apparatus in Newport Beach, Calif., helping to protect marine wildlife. The equipment is a trash interceptor, moored in San Diego Creek, where it removes trash and debris from the riverbed before it enters an environmentally sensitive preserve, the harbor and bay, and the ocean.
J. Miller Canvas of Santa Ana, Calif., manufactured the 3,018 square-foot canopy as a single, large-scale piece that required dozens of precision-cut openings for the attachment of solar panels onto the steel framing structure.
Because it was crafted as a single piece, its handling and installation had some logistical challenges—in addition to the latter requiring scaffolding on a floating dock.
The textile was attached to its frame using perimeter grommets and rope lacing. This work required careful coordination to maintain proper tension for a clean, finished look.
The project, which won an Award of Excellence in the Freestanding Structures category in the 2025 International Achievement Awards, demonstrates “how technical fabric architecture can combine function and aesthetics in a municipal sustainability effort,” say the notes on the entry. “The result is a successful, decade-long project that now removes up to 80% of trash from the riverbed—while maintaining an attractive appearance.”
The trash interceptor uses a boom system and spinning rake to capture materials and started its work in March 2025; it collected more than 62 tons from October 2025 through February 2026.
Fabrication, Project Management and Installation: J. Miller Canvas LLC
Fabric: Soltis Proof 502, Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
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