Universum Theater Landau: From traditional cinema to modern variety theater

Successful renovation project with trusses from PROLYTE! 

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In August 2022, the last films flickered across the screens of the Universum Kinocenter in Landau, after which the cinema, which was one of the oldest in Germany, closed its doors. A good two years later, the new Universum Theater Landau is celebrating its opening with a spectacular variety show in the partially listed building. This was preceded by an extensive renovation project that the theater implemented in a relatively short time and in close cooperation with the company PROLYTE.
 
In order to create hanging points for sound, curtains, lighting and decoration, a multifunctional and future-proof truss system made of PROLYTE B100RV and C52T was planned and installed.
 
"The particular challenge of the project was that the structure had to span large spans of up to 24 meters, but there was no space available for columns. The roof of the building was also not strong enough to bear the calculated loads," reports Christian Ruppel from the Universum Theater Landau.
 
The solution was ultimately provided by special niches that were set into the walls to accommodate the trusses. Only in one position was it not possible to open the wall for fire protection reasons, so a support made of PROLYTE S40T with a new, separate foundation was installed.
 
The trusses used form a highly load-bearing pre-rig that can handle several tons of load. This enables the theater to model many different load cases and to adapt to new shows quickly, easily and individually. In order to be even more flexible and to generate additional hanging points, additional smaller truss systems made of PROLYTE H40V, H30V and H30D were installed.
 
"I am grateful for the customer's trust and am incredibly happy with the result, but also about having contributed to the preservation of this unique cultural site in the heart of Landau," says Jens Kannacher, Account Manager at PROLYTE. "The project had its challenges and ultimately a tight schedule. The collaboration with everyone involved worked really well and ultimately led to a great success."
 
At the opening show on November 18, guests can expect a program with international artists, world-class artistry and a captivating show ballet as well as a culinary gourmet menu in the first two months.