Movable Roofing System for Theater Stage Adaptability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional theater houses are inflexible and costly to modify, making it difficult to adapt the stage-to-stalls ratio for different types of performances or events, requiring extensive and expensive structural changes.

Innovation Solution

A theater house design featuring a movable roofing system with extendable panels that can convert audience stalls into additional stage space, allowing for quick and economical adjustments between configurations without the need for permanent modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the stage-to-stalls ratio is modified to adapt to different performance requirements, then the adaptability of the theater house is improved, but the structural complexity and modification cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different performance requirementsVSAvoidstructural modification complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the roofing structure movable rather than fixed. The roofing panels can be extended or retracted along guide rails to dynamically adjust the boundary between stage and stalls spaces. This allows the theater to adapt its configuration for different performance types without permanent structural modifications, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of moving object

If the roofing is extended to convert stalls into stage space, then the stage space is expanded, but the audience capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestage space areaVSAvoidaudience space area
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The roofing structure serves as a dynamic boundary that can shift between stage and audience spaces. When extended, it expands the stage area; when retracted, it restores the audience area. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the theater to optimize space allocation based on performance requirements without permanent loss of either stage or audience capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3268558B1Theater house
Publication Date: 2018.12.19 FERRARI(IT)
  • EP3268558B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3268558B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A theater house comprises a stage (2) and stalls (3); the stage (2) and the stalls (3) comprise respective elongated portions located side by side and alternating to each other; the stage (2) being at a greater height with respect to the stalls (3); a roofing (4) is movable between a retracted configuration wherein it uncovers the stalls (3) and an extended configuration wherein it covers the stalls (3) thus defining a further walking surface (4a) adjacent to the stage (2).