Aviva Studios, Home of Factory International

Manchester International Festival (MIF) enquired about ModTruss for their new performance space in 2019 after encountering it at a trade show and seeing the limitless potential of our modular aluminium beam.

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Discussions rapidly led to MIF acquiring a stock of ModTruss for creating versatile structures including an accessible viewing platform, stage scenery, food stalls, seating rostra and anything else that their roster of directors and designers could dream up!

ModTruss became an integral asset for MIF, particularly for their Accessible Viewing Platform, crucial for MIF’s mission of providing equal performance access. The modular design, accessibility features, standard configurations, and a built-in bar effortlessly met MIF's requirements, with our design team adapting lifts and stairs as needed.

As MIF became Factory International they announced securing rights for Yayoi Kusama's groundbreaking, "You, Me and the Balloons" exhibition. Discussions proceeded on incorporating ModTruss to enhance the 13 m x 12 m building within the exhibition, featuring a balloon lift for visitors from inside to the roof.

The project presented a challenging task of supporting a 13 m clear span that would need to take the load of 65 people on the roof, along with various loads, including the balloon lift. Recognizing the limitations of aluminium ModTruss, we introduced our steel successor, BEEEM, capable of meeting the extreme demands. Factory International embraced the switch from ModTruss to BEEEM. As the project developed and evolved, a goal was set and successfully exceeded: to reuse at least 75% of the exhibition's BEEEM, handrails, and stairs in the Accessible Viewing Platform.

The most recent project Kusama required 780 linear meters of BEEEM, 7101 fastener sets, and withstood a 5 kN/m2 loading on both floors. EEE Build, Triple E's subsidiary, smoothly executed the installation over seven days with Factory International's support. Factory International based within Aviva Studios are now equipped with a set of pre-engineered load tables that they are using to design simple structures in-house and handling these builds themselves, with Triple E on-hand should they need any assistance.