Marijampole Cultural Centre

The building location takes up a unique place in the hierarchy of Marijampolė city areas. It is a relevant architectural dominant as well as a valuable cultural centre of the district. The object implements universal activities that emphasizes the importance of the audience hall with 800 seats for the city events. It is like a city square under a roof which provides an area for organizing city management, cultural, business, educational, and entertainment events for the residents. The architecture of the interior and the exterior of the building changes from Postmodernism to Art Nouveau (J. Rėklaitė).

STS performed the stage mechanization, drapery, lighting system renovation tasks.

2017: Renovation of stage mechanisms

The following engineering tasks were completed within the stage: dismantlement of old lifting mechanisms and design as well as installation of square aluminum trusses which were adapted for attaching lighting equipment and decorations. The equipment below was installed onstage:

• five lighting soffits with cable collectors, 14 meters long each, and lifted by chain hoists;
• seven decoration – curtain attachment trusses, 15 meters long each, and hoisted on the lifts.

A front lighting bridge together with a cable collector located above the audience and lifted by chain hoists were newly installed during the renovation.

The trusses were painted black.

Stage lifting mechanisms – lifts.

26 Dutch PROLYTE, PROLYFT chain hoists were installed for this purpose:

• D8 safety class which allows holding the lifted weight above the audience;
• permissible load – 500 kg;
• the set additionally comes with threshold motion sensors;
• stationary mounting under the ceiling and downward release of the chain;
• a control unit with a control panel which has a portable touch screen and controls all lifts together or each separately.

Drapery. The stage drapery (legs, borders, backdrop) was fully replaced during the reconstruction.

Previously the hall had only six legs (three on each side) which did not fulfill their function properly: the audience was able to see the preparing artists, technical staff, and all technical equipment backstage during the performances.

The number of legs was increased twice (six on each side) and some of them were placed vertically to the side walls, others – at a specific angle. The number of borders that cover soffits and decorative rods above was also increased twice.

The backdrop was formed at the same time. Moreover, the stage curtains were used for creating a fully-closed area for performances: technical areas above and on the sides became invisible, allowing the artists or technical staff to carry out the preparatory activities.

The front stage drape was also replaced to an automated one.

Certificates. All lifting mechanisms placed onstage after the reconstruction were checked and had the general user manual issued which indicates the permissible maximum load for lighting soffits or decoration trusses, as well as the frequency of carrying out the safety inspection of the mechanisms.

Furthermore, a special board was made to graphically show how to use the technologies. It is suspended within the stage, in a technical area invisible to the audience. It provides graphic information for the technical staff on permissible loads and their suspension points.

2018: Renovation of lighting system

STS installed the cables and the new electrical enclosure box, connected the power and control cables to the soffits and the front lighting bridge onstage, and set up equipment connection cabinets along with work lighting.

The lighting system is suitable both for theater and concerts, the positions of all spotlights may be changed as needed. All lighting fixtures have LED technology enabling a spectacular illumination of the stage, creation of artistic illumination solutions, and saving the electric power.

A set of new control panels was installed for controlling the fixtures.

A fog machine with fans was set up for implementing the effects of the lighting system.

The lighting system was adapted for transportation and utilization in other areas and outside events. It has a set of storage-transportation boxes specifically for spotlights and control panels.