The Project

MASTER Industrie developed a modular retractable stand with multiple configurations that can be moved quickly and safely without damaging the floor.

The Venue

The Avignon Festival is one of the most important contemporary performing arts events in the world. Featuring 250 shows, exhibitions and more in over 20 historic, open-air and indoor spaces all over the city, it attracts around 150,000 spectators every July.

La FabricA complex was designed as a dedicated rehearsal and creative space for the festival performers, and includes a 2152 ft² workshop and a roofed hall. The dimensions of the hall match the largest and most iconic venue of the festival, the courtyard of the Palais des Papes, but the room layout also has to mirror a variety of different festival venues

It hosts shows and rehearsals throughout the year and has a seating capacity of more than 600 people.

The Challenge

The seating system had to have the flexibility to be moved anywhere in the hall or removed from the room completely, and to be configured to match the layout of a number of different Avignon venues.

An added complication was that no lifting equipment can be used in the hall due to the delicate beech wood flooring on joists.

MASTER Industrie rose to the challenge by developing a patented retractable seating system, MASTER Eureka. It can move in any direction and rotate completely without the need for lifting equipment. The wheels stay in constant contact with the ground to spread the load and protect the flooring.

The custom designed, retractable stand with tip-up fabric benches is equipped with a motor and can be operated by remote control. It included two blocks with an extra removable stand providing additional configuration options. For example, it can be placed behind the telescopic stand, to enable the audience seating to reach a height of approximately 25 feet or placed facing the main stand to boost the seating capacity.

Highlight

Over the years, La FabricA has become a flagship stage of the Festival of Avignon. Its flexibility fuels artist creativity, as well as promoting contemporary performance art to the public all year long.