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ETC at the Wales Millennium Centre
The 33,000mē national icon occupies a key central site within the Cardiff Bay 'Inner Harbour' and will face the destructive power of the weather. In response, its design has been inspired by the landscape and industrial and cultural heritage of Wales, from the layered strata of sea cliffs and the multi-coloured slate of North Wales, to the texture and colour of Welsh steel.
Daylight dramatically floods the building, without the interruption of framing, using 15cm thick glass to open the theatre foyers to views both outward and inward, and at night the lights of the foyer will be seen from afar. The striking building inscription is a poem composed by leading Welsh poet and writer Gwyneth Lewis and reads, “Creating truth like glass from inspiration’s furnace, in these stones horizons sing”.
ETC has been involved with WMC almost from the beginning of the project, having delivered a truckload of equipment as far back as the summer of 2003 for installation by Stage Electrics to a design by theatre consultants Carr and Angier.
Jonathan Porter Goff, projects manager at Stage Electrics, said: “It’s been good to have ETC’s support in getting the detail right on this project. The networking was across so many different types of lighting control systems. We specified Sensor dimming as we knew that it was the right product for the job.”
The Lyric Theatre, the main auditorium with 1900 seats, boasts an ETC Emphasis system with dual processor, nine ETC Sensor racks which include a bespoke non dim panel and an ETC Unison system controlling the house lighting.
The WMC will also provide the Welsh National Opera (WNO) with a permanent home for the first time. The smaller Studio Theatre is kitted out with three Sensor racks, again with a custom made non dim panel, together with Unison and Emphasis control, providing the consummate rehearsal experience for the WNO.
Diversions, The Dance Company of Wales, is also housed in the WMC and utilises two rehearsal spaces, each installed with a Sensor system with bespoke non-dim panel and Unison control for the two areas.
Urdd Gobaith Cymru is one of Europe’s largest youth organisations, providing cultural and sporting activities for over 53,000 young people in Wales. It has its own wing in the WMC, which includes accommodation for school groups, where Stage Electrics has installed an ETC Expression control system with a 24 way Sensor dimming system and Unison control for the house lights. Every four years, starting in 2005, the WMC will be the setting for the Urdd National Eisteddfod.
15th December 2004
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