Spain’s Lekuona Fabrika Cultural Center upgrades with ETC Stage Machinery

ETC distributor Stonex selected ETC stage machinery and lighting to complete the Lekuona Fabrika Cultural Center in northern Spain. Prodigy P2 hoists, QuickTouch+ controls as well as ETC luminaires were selected for the project.

Based in Errenteria near the north coast of Spain, the Lekuona Fabrika is a multifunctional cultural venue which frequently hosts exhibitions, festivals, productions and more. The venue is a 613 m² open-plan flexible space that can be divided into 3 rooms offering up to 6 different configurations using movable walls and retractable seating bleachers.

Due to coastal laws the Lekuona Fabrika has a height restriction as it is located next to the river. In addition to this, its technical director and creator of the project Javier Cruz explains: "There is also the issue that we lose even more height because of the movable walls that close and compartmentalize it into three rooms. This means that the motors could not go on the walls, they had to go on the ceiling.” The complex design of the space required a versatile approach in the upgrade to meet the various programming needs of the events that the Lekuona holds.

Stonex worked on the project with the venue and specified ETC technology to meet the requirements and adapt to the different configurations of its main hall: Sorlekua. As well as 13 Vortek NXT hoists, six Prodigy P2 motors with compression tube technology were installed – compression tube allows the system to be installed in places other hoists can’t as they require fewer mounting points and allow the drop pulleys to be mounted anywhere. This system also cancels the lateral forces that are commonly created in traditional rigging systems minimizing stress on the building. Stonex’s ETC Brand Manager Juan Carlos Pascual comments: “Thanks to ETC’s Prodigy P2 technology, it is easy to install in locations that are not designed for stage machinery.”

Three ETC QuickTouch+ controllers were also installed to manage the hoists. They were configured to allow for the use of the room as a whole or individually for the different areas. The user-friendly controllers are ideal for control of set-up hoists in small theatres and auditoriums.

The LCD display provides real-time position and load information, and easy-to-read status messages giving users an incredible level of feedback for a controller of its size. Javier Cruz explains why ETC’s QuickTouch+ was chosen, commenting that they wanted "a simple control that anyone can understand. It's easy to select 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 motors to move up or down, and it lets you record and recall 5 different positions and also monitor the loads you're carrying on the hoists at all times." This allows the team at Lekuona to have easy control of a complex and ever-changing space, fulfilling the project’s objectives of requiring a versatile system.

Photo credit: Stonex S.L.