Workshops and Сontainer storage of Bolschoi Theatre

As the repertoire of Bolshoi theatre is huge and exceeds by far the storage capacity of the house, there was a task to find a solution to store the scenery sets outside of the main building of the theatre and to provide good overview and rapid availability.

This was the basis for design of container storage with 529 containers, which became fully automated and computer-controlled for economic reasons. The special challenge was to design the delivery station in the theatre, as the access road and space available for trucks to maneuver was too narrow.

To solve this in the backside of the theatre the transport platform was equipped with special handover unit, which can lift the container from the truck onto the transportation platform and then bring the container to the stage wagon level. The same handover unit is also integrated in the delivery station of the external building.

Following equipment has been designed for the assembly hall:

• 2 main galleries
• 28 powered fly bars
• Complete fixed and movable stage flooring (the hall is of the same size as the Main stage of Bolshoi theatre and is provided for the assembly of big sceneries)
• 1 tiltable upper platform with electromechanical drive
• 1 transport platform
• 1 load station
• Complete electric and electronic layout of the centralized control system including main and secondary control consoles for all drives of the overstage and understage machinery

Following equipment has been designed for the painting hall:

• 1 gallery
• 1 machine gallery
• 3 powered fly bars for suspension and temporary storage of already prepared backdrops
• Stage flooring
• 1 horizontally movable bridge used for projections on fabric and for examination of painting
• Complete electric and electronic and control consoles for stage machinery

For these workshops we designed equipment necessary for creating of scenery sets and props.

The carpenter's shop was equipped with table circular saws, bandsaw machines, grinding machines, drilling machine, milling machine, shavings extraction system, workbenches and other tools.

The locksmith's shop was equipped with drilling machines, turners, milling cutter, grinding machine, pipe-bending machine, rolling-and-bending machine and other tools.

After the design brief has been prepared in cooperation with the theatre Kunkel Consulting International GmbH prepared design and tender documents for the equipment of dye workshop. Our engineers cooperated successfully with the State Expert Evaluation Commission (approval authority in Russia) and the project got the approval for realization.

The dye workshop has been equipped with all machines to enable an independent dyeing of soft backdrops, including velvet.

The workshops dealing with soft materials had to undergo renovation too and our team helped the theatre to prepare the design brief for the following workshops: painting workshop, prop workshop, workshop for costumes , shoes, headwear, wigs, embroidery, costume paint workshop, production laundry and iron facilities.

Kunkel Consulting International GmbH designed for the main building of the theatre an automated conveyor storage system for costumes with storage units for 12.000 costumes. The digital storage and data management have been provided to operate all the stored units.

Due to a lack of space in the main building the storage has not been built.