Lift tables? When did they become part of classical music? “Actually, our lift tables have been playing their own crucial role behind the scenes in concert houses and other venues for quite some time now,” says Peter Andersson, VPG executive. “We can make a contribution wherever a stage needs to be changed quickly and safely during performances or to switch between different functions.”
The stage layout for an orchestra has to be changed repeatedly to suit the music to be played, and it is very heavy and labor-intensive work. “We discussed the problem with the team at the Berwaldhallen concert hall in Stockholm when they were renovating its stage. We had the idea of installing lift tables under the floor. Using smart switchgear, Berwaldhallen can now change the whole scene quickly, safely, and precisely at the press of a few buttons.”
Smart controls mean the whole installation can be managed just as easily locally or remotely online. “VIPs can be lifted with complete dignity and safety by a technician with a laptop a continent away,” Peter observes. “The precision we can achieve is also important in ensuring there are no gaps or differences in levels between stage areas that might be hazardous to participants.”
One unexpected bonus is that the space freed up below the floor changes its resonance and improves the acoustics. “Music critics picked up on that, and word has spread quickly,” says Peter. “As a result, our lift tables have found their way into concert halls and opera houses in many locations and countries, such as the concert hall in Copenhagen.”
In today’s venues, multiple uses demand flexibility and speed. The Stockholm Waterfront, a modern commercial, conference and leisure center, is a good example of a venue that can now switch quickly between a wide range of stage settings for different applications.
“With our lift tables, you can switch quickly and safely from a fashion show with a catwalk layout to the setting for something like the Nobel presentations,” says Peter. “It is hard to resist a quiet smile when you can see the King of Sweden, all the Nobel VIPs and the laureates themselves being supported yearly at the award ceremony so publicly yet invisibly by our lift tables!”
The sheer scale of these undertakings may come as a surprise. The Winter Garden venue at Stockholm’s Grand Hotel used no fewer than 59 lift tables in a totally customized installation. “The installation design was complicated, but one of our biggest challenges was actually getting 59 of our 700-kg lift tables into the building to a tight deadline without damaging the sumptuous decor!” recalls Peter.
Get inspired and take a virtual tour to some places lifted by us:
Concert house Copenhagen
Ideal acoustics with the help of our lift tables
https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/dr-koncerthuset-gdk412702
Nobel Prize award ceremony
During the ceremony, everything happens with the support of our lift tables
https://www.nobelprize.org/ceremonies/the-nobel-prizeaward-ceremonies/
Newly renovated Grand Hotel Winter Garden
Fully flexible stage with 59 lift tables!
https://www.grandhotel.se/en/conference-and-events/venues/vintertradgarden
Modern Stockholm Waterfront Congress Center
Modern and fully flexible stage can switch from an annual shareholders’ meeting to a rock concert in minutes
http://www.stockholmwaterfront.com/
