"Luna" has arrived in St-Prex
© Alain Herzog / EPFL
The provisional stage designed by EPFL for the St Prex Classics festival was finally roofed on Wednesday. From next year onwards, "Luna" will be inflated with helium and will float above this medieval village.
There has been a distinctive excitement this week at the center of the village of Saint-Prex. In the last days, wooden tiers based on the Greek Epidaurus amphitheater have been assembled underneath a large aluminum ring at the Place de l'Horloge. On Wednesday, the structure for which such ring was built made its appearance: a 25 meters wide white "ball" forming a dome made to protect the festival’s stage and tiers.
The operation was indeed very delicate. A colossal crane truck was required to carefully seize the ring forming the structure of an inflatable hemisphere together with its membrane. These elements were then held above the amphitheater, looking like a flying saucer. Finally, they had to be inserted to fit perfectly into their holder. After several hours of efforts and adjustments, the operation was finally successful.
"Luna" was conceived by Dieter Dietz, director of the Space Conception Workshop (ALICE) at EPFL. It was designed to protect the performers and public attending the festival, while maintaining an open-air atmosphere. "Starting next year, the membrane will be inflated with helium and will float 50 meters above the ground," explained the architect. It will only be lowered in the case of bad weather, transforming the theater into a sheltered concert hall.
For safety reasons, the membrane will only contain air this year and a crane will manage its movements. "We need to measure Luna’s course during its rise very accurately so as to completely avoid damaging the surrounding historical buildings," said Dieter Dietz.
Since Wednesday, tests are underway to finely calibrate the tension of each of the cables holding the moon-like roof. Next week, scientists and technicians will leave the place to the performers and public of the 2012 edition of the St Prex Classics festival. It will start on August 23rd.
NB. EPFL students, graduates and collaborators enjoy a 10% discount on the tickets price for the evening of September 1st – click here for more information (registration deadline extended).
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