Access platform for Barbican Theatre 2013

When the Barbican Theatre in the Barbican Centre Arts Complex underwent a 15 week renovation programme in 2013, Unusual Rigging was brought in to build an access platform to enable the replacement of the entire grid.
From its original purpose as a lyric theatre and long term home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the venue is now called upon to host a range of international touring productions as well as its own in house productions, requiring the entire flying grid and system to be replaced to keep up with the growing demands placed on the theatre’s technical team.
The Unusual team, together with Trekwerk, created a temporary grid on the underside of the deck, suspended by hoists from the ceiling.
In just three days the team:
 

• created an elevated deck the size of the Barbican’s stage, which can be lowered 33m to stage level
• installed high duty cycle chain hoists
• certified and signed off the project as fully CDM compliant.