Federation Square's BMW Edge Gets The Light Treatment
Federation Square has become one of Melbourne, Australia's best new landmarks. Built over the old Jolimont railway yards alongside the banks of the Yarra River, its striking architecture and location makes it a popular tourist attraction. It is also the new home to museums, shops, cafés, offices, and outdoor public meeting spaces.
BMW Edge is a 450 seat indoor amphitheatre situated at the river end of Federation Square, and has been designed for music performances, small to medium scale theatre, comedy, talks and presentations, launches and cabaret. Unlike most venues however, BMW Edge is housed in unique geometric glass panels, enabling external views of the Yarra River, MCG, Alexandra Gardens and the Victorian Arts Centre Spire.
Megafun Pty Ltd was the lighting and rigging consultant for the theatrical lighting fitout, and Lightmoves successfully tendered for the supply and installation of the house lighting system. "The brief was to provide a comprehensive house lighting system that was flexible in its use, as the space is designed to be used as a multi-purpose venue", says Joe Casamento who managed the project for Lightmoves.
Whilst the tender was straightforward in its scope, it proved a little challenging to conform to the request that all luminaires were to be white to blend in with the architecture. White conventional luminaires were frowned-upon due to heat and discolouration issues, so a compromise was reached between all parties; Selecon fittings were polished chrome to match the metal frames, and all Clay Paky moving lights were custom painted grey to match the Selecon lights. Even the L.S.C iPRO dimmers and DMX splitters were powdercoated grey in the event that they were ever to be hung from the trussing.
Megafun chose the Golden Spots for several reasons. While the budget really only allowed for 575W moving head fixtures, the Golden Spots offered a more powerful HMI1200W lamp, impeccable Clay Paky optics and reliability, and most importantly they cost not much more than traditional 575W fixtures. The 1200W power afforded by the Golden Spot has since proven popular with the in-house technicians who have to deal with high ambient light levels within the space, especially during daylight saving periods.
The L.S.C. maXim has also proven to be a popular choice of console. Made and supported locally in Melbourne, the maXim is both simple to use like its Atom predecessor, but also capable of complex effects engines using the acclaimed and very powerful PatPad moving light control module.
BMW Edge has become a very popular venue for various functions including live radio broadcasts, fashion launches and musical performances. It is no doubt that this unique space will continue to be booked out, and that the house lighting rig will cater for whatever functions are thrown its way.
Equipment List
8 x Clay Paky Golden Spot 1200, custom silver finish
2 x Clay Paky Golden Scan HPE, custom silver finish
10 x L.S.C. iPro 12 x 10A Dimmers, custom grey finish
1 x L.S.C. maXim MAX/XLP Console with PatPad
32 x Selecon Pacific 12/28 Degree Profiles
24 x Selecon Pacific 23/50 Degree Profiles
16 x Selecon 1.2k Fresnels
16 x Selecon 1.2k PC Spots
24 x Kupo PAR64 Cans
Links
Megafun Pty Ltd
Federation Square
contact
Lightmoves
Lightmoves Home page
Last Updated: Friday, 16 January 2004
Tel (03)9701 2500 Fax (03)9701 2511 info@lightmoves.com.au
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