A major concern of the Aberdeen City Council was to provide safe access for personnel working within the roof space of the regency-period concert hall.
Stage Technologies were contracted to improve access and safety and install a new, versatile automation system. In order to achieve this, a steel space frame structure was built to facilitate removal of the flying system loadings from the timber roof frame. This space frame weighed approx 10 tonnes and, due to the access route to the roof space, it had to be made in small sections that were passed through one of the roof windows. To get the equipment into the roof space, a purpose-built goods lift was installed that brought the equipment up from street level over a flat roof, through the window, over the curved ceiling and up into the installation area.
In addition to the winches and Chainhoist systems installed for raising and lowering trusses, six dedicated 1000kg 'strong points' were also implemented to anticipate additional rigging requirements. A touch screen mobile panel at stage level allowed for variable speed positioning of the bars, programmable deads and target moves.
