Photos: Sarah Rushton-Read
venueinstall ••••••
An Unusual beginning for The CCD The €380 million Convention
Ireland - Designed by Irish-American, Pritzker
Centre Dublin is Ireland’s most
Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo & Associates
modern, purpose-built international
Projects, it sits in close proximity to Santiago
conference and event venue and
on the opposite side of the River Liffy, Daniel
one of a surprising number of ‘starchitect’ buildings to grace the Spencer Dock area of Dublin. Sarah Rushton-Read reports . . .
award-winning architect Kevin Roche of LLC (KRJDA), in association with Theatre Calatrava’s harp-shaped Beckett Bridge and, Libeskind’s Grand Canal Theatre. Configured to accommodate conferences from 8 to 8,000 participants in 22 purpose-built meeting rooms, The CCD includes a 2,000-seat auditorium, 4,500sq.m of exhibition space and banqueting facilities for up to 3,000 guests. With the latest in conferencing and entertainment technology, this venue offers some of the most advanced permanently installed AV equipment and lighting systems to be found in a convention centre.
Photo: Sarah Rushton-Read
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The same can be said for the sophisticated stage engineering and overstage flying systems in the main auditorium, and the flying systems in the exhibition/banqueting spaces. Specified by Theatre Projects and designed, engineered and installed by Unusual Rigging, the comprehensive system ensures that the dedicated theatre-style stage is capable of hosting any kind of show, from concerts, opera and theatrical performances through to comedy and cabaret.
Technical director Lee Forde.
34 Lighting&Sound - August-September 2010
Unusual’s project manager, Mark Priestley, says: “I think it’s the most sophisticated convention centre I’ve ever been in. Every finish is top specification and every room in the venue features the latest in communications and entertainment technology.” Theatre Projects’ stage engineering specification was ambitious and initially requested power flying. However, budget and a review of how the system might be used made a counterweight system more viable. But there’s an option to upgrade at anytime.
Above the modular trappable stage Unusual Rigging has installed a total of 54 counterweight flying sets - 47 single-purchase with a maximum weight of 500kN and three double purchase bars with a maximum weight 500kN. To complement the counterweight system and enable easy flying of heavy lighting bars, Unusual installed a load-bearing traveller grid (2.5kN/sq.m.), which spans the entire stage and will take up to 14 motors, hemp lines etc. In the auditorium there’s a dual orchestra pit elevator system, which has a modular orchestra pit rail, easy to fit and remove, and FOH loudspeaker hoists. Priestley explains: “The speaker cluster hoists comprise twin chain hoists; i.e. one motor running two chains with a bar separating the two drum points. This offers complete synchronisation of two drops, an ideal solution for this particular application where speaker clusters have to be at exactly the same height. It’s a more cost-effective concept than trying to do it with wire-rope winches and a control system.” The orchestra pit lift comprises Gala Spiralifts, controlled by a bespoke Kinesys control system. Priestley elaborates: “Kinesys was Unusual Rigging’s control partner for the whole project. We’ve used their systems in the theatre and in both exhibition halls.” Unusual’s orchestra pit rail socket is also worth a mention: designed to be quick and easy to use, it comprises a spigot that slots into a machined hole, thus doing away with any kind of catch or locking system. While retaining all the necessary loadings required, it enables staff at The CCD to change the configuration extremely quickly. One particular challenge was the unusually wide stage proscenium (22m) which required a huge safety curtain. Priestley elaborates: “We built and
venueinstall ••••••
Photo: Jason Clarke Photography
One and two floors below the theatre are the expo halls. Each features a grid of individual square trusses which evenly cover the ceiling and can be controlled from a single location. In total, Unusual fitted 132 Liftket chain hoists and miles of Prolyte truss across both spaces. Priestley says: “We also installed a Kinesys positional control system, which was developed by Kinesys specifically for the exhibition spaces. Each truss can be set at any height and any angle, and each has a central sail that can be used to define the ceiling height or as a bounce and diffuser surface for lighting.” Priestley adds: “Even if you load the trusses unequally, the positional system ensures the truss goes up and levels off automatically. What’s also really great for the CCD is that one person can connect with all the motors simply by using the Kinesys Pulse handheld controller; from here they can programme cues and playback. It can either be used as a standalone unit or as a remote terminal for a bigger system.” The Kinesys Pulse pendant control offers technicians an intuitive touch screen interface with the system. It’s an instantly familiar environment for the experienced user and has programmable hard keys for the most commonly performed tasks. Priestley clarifies: “If you want the ceiling height to be at 6m you just punch it into the control pad and away you go. You can punch a graphical representation of a truss in plan and then set a height in metres for each one, and press ‘Go’.”
All the Lifket hoists are built to the German D8+ standard, which means they can be used to suspend a load above an audience without requiring a secondary safety system, and all are fitted with positional encoders. The control rack and PLC are installed in local plant rooms. Lee Forde, technical director of the venue, is delighted with the system: “I was determined to ensure that the CCD was a centre I would have been proud and impressed to visit when I was a production manager. Having had the opportunity to work across the globe and in a number of convention centres, I was able to apply my experience and knowledge to the specification of this building. Since the Birmingham NEC group was appointed as the management consultancy for the CCD, much planning and consultation has gone on. Everything they learned from building the ICC, Birmingham has ensured that the CCD is one of the most excellent, world-class, purpose-built international conference and event venues today. “Part of its success is due to the great teams that have worked on the development of this project. Unusual Rigging was one of many such teams on this project. I consider myself fortunate that such a winning team came together to produce such a fantastic outcome. Using their vast knowledge and experience Unusual has helped create fit-for-purpose flying systems in all three main rooms and efficient stage engineering in the auditorium; it was extremely well planned and thought out. I firmly believe the CCD is the best designed and equipped convention centre in Europe.”
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installed the curtain, which, while it can be controlled from the stage, is also linked to the second knock of the fire alarm. As soon as that happens, the safety curtain drops in within 35 seconds.”
Photo: Sarah Rushton-Read
The CCD is Ireland’s new world class purpose-built international conference and event venue. Opposite, the venue outside (left) and in: the Unusual Rigging-installed truss grid, right.
Lighting&Sound - August-September 2010
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