Theater Freiburg

Freiburg, Germany

The theatre has six venues. Only the main stage was renovated. The design services of Kunkel Consulting include also the coordination of the whole construction process and of all of those professionally involved in the planning and construction work.

The aim of the renovation was to remove the existing defects in the functionality, work and fire safety in the fly tower and to take all necessary measures to meet the valid regulations of the building code and technical requirements and to enable an up-to-date theatre use.

The new stage machinery equipment enables to show all possible scenery changes on stage without any constraints.

To enable the theatre´s operation it was decided to conduct the renovation in three construction phases: during the summer breaks of 2012, 2013 and during the extended summer break of 2014.

The first construction phase (6 weeks) mainly served to prepare for the planned renovation. For stage machinery two trusses were installed in the existing roof space above the fly tower and a machine room was created on this level to take the loads of machinery equipment and to provide space for the drives of the overstage machinery. Apart from that the works on installation of the new smoke hatches in the fly tower and the new fire protection sliding doors were finished in this phase.

During the second construction phase (5 weeks) the construction and MEP works were undertaken. There were no works on stage equipment.

During the third construction phase (22 weeks) the fly tower was almost completely removed and the new fixed and movable steel structures were installed. The works on installation of new overstage equipment were completed. In aqddition the new understage area was created to enable the replacement of the old existing turntable through new cylindrical turntable with integrated platforms.

The machinery and steel structures were replaced on stage, in the fly tower as well as in the area of the apron stage.

A new central control system was provided for the whole machniery. The existing orchestra pit lifts were integrated into the new control system. Other existing facilities such as fire protection curtain and noise protection door were adapted to the new space and partly extended.

In the former backdrop storage near the stage we designed the mechanism of the new backdrop storage, which length corresponds with the length of the load suspension bars.
The dimmer system, distributions, working light (white/blue), safety light in the fly tower, as well as complete installation with connection boxes have been renewed.

Our design contained also the renewal of the complete audio- and video systems: PA-systems, mixing consoles, audio matrix, stage management system, paging, intercom, cue system.