A.C. Special Projects Install Ideal Rigging Solution for University of Huddersfield

14th July 2005

A.C. Lighting's Special Projects division has supplied and installed the first indoor Litec Libera 52 Grid System in the UK for a new venue at the University of Huddersfield.

The University recently began the first phase of a programme to renovate and convert an old grade II listed Church on their Queensgate campus into new state of the art Drama and Music facilities for its wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The former Church's listed building status meant that it was impossible to fix any form of lighting grid to the walls or ceiling of the venue, so the University approached A.C. Lighting's Special Projects division to provide a solution to this problem.

A.C. Project Manager Adam Beaumont proposed a 15m x 8m Libera 52 ground support truss system manufactured by Litec. The Libera 52 modular system uses flat section trusses and a unique 4 way connection system to build a grid construction. This structure was supported on four Litec Maxitower 40 legs that were fixed down to large concrete plinths built into the venue's floor space.

Each Maxitower was fitted with a 1000kg Double braked CM Lodestar electric chain hoist. A custom built control system meant that the grid could be raised and lowered using a single pendant control, allowing all rigging of equipment to be safely carried out at ground level.

In addition to supplying the Litec Libera grid system, A.C. also supplied rigging equipment, custom lighting bars, socket boxes, custom made cables with Tourmate Multilock connectors, and certain aspects of the lighting rig, including 12 ETC Source 4 revolutions, 17 Chroma-Q™ Universal colour changers and 4 Hippotiser multimedia video servers with Beam Mover projectors.

By way of officially launching the new Drama department main performance area, University Chancellor Patrick Stewart gave an address to some of the department's current students and an impromptu performance of the opening of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.

Since the opening, the new performance area has been used for main final year student productions Black Dog and Children's Theatre, and second year production The Dancing Dane. The venue has also been used to host professional production The Last Freakshow, with more shows planned for autumn.

Nicholas Taylor, Lecturer in Drama at the University of Huddersfield commented: "We're delighted with the new Litec system. It's very easy to rig and has enabled our students to gain first hand experience using industry standard lighting equipment on their own productions and professional shows we're hosting in the venue. A.C. have given us first class support throughout the project and the installation was completed smoothly to our timescale and budget."

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