Calella de Palafrugell, Girona, SPAIN

Cap Roig Auditorium

A multipurpose auditorium by the sea

Architects

Description

Cap Roig has a privileged multi-purpose auditorium. Located in front of the Mediterranean Sea, this auditorium with a capacity for more than 180 people, was equipped with the Mutarail seating system to give maximum versatility to the space. The installation was completed with one of the most compact seats in Figueras, the Minispace 5064, together with the F48 table, creating a fully functional workstation.

The Mutarail mobile system, which allows the rows of seats to be stored under the stage, is an optimal solution for making the space profitable, being able to change in a matter of minutes from a fully equipped auditorium for conferences, congresses, or lectures to an open-plan space, perfect for other types of activity.

Project Name: Auditori de Cap Roig by “Fundación La Caixa”
Year of Development: 2022
Country: Spain
Location: Calella de Palafrugell, Girona
Installed Seats: Minispace 5064, F48 table, Mutarail Seating System
Capacity: 182
Segments: Movable Seating Systems
Venues: Auditoriums & Conference, Multipurpose Spaces
Architecture Studio: Nitidus Arquitectes
Link: https://fundacionlacaixa.org/es/jardines-cap-roig

Installed Seats

Installed Systems

Case Study

The Cap Roig castle complex, popularly known as “El Castell del Rus” (the Russian’s Castle), is located in the region of Girona. It was named after the designer of its construction, the Russian colonel Nicolas Woevodski, who was exiled from his native country following the revolution of 1917. The establishing of his residence in Catalonia was the reason behind the beginning of its construction in 1931, in accordance with a design drawn up by the colonel himself, who was very fond of architecture.

The complex, consisting of a main building and other auxiliary buildings, such as the cloister, the tower and the church, is a historicist work that still retains its eclecticism today. Protected as a cultural asset of national interest in the municipality of Palafrugell, its solemn medieval style attempts to bring together characteristic elements of that period and is thought to be influenced by his wife, the English aristocrat Dorotea Webster, an expert in antiques and a fan of gardening and decoration.

In addition to the large area of land surrounding the castle, they created a spectacular botanical garden, considered one of the most important in the Mediterranean for its beauty and variety.

After the death of its owners, it became property of the La Caixa Foundation, which is responsible for its latest refurbishment, begun in 2020 and completed during the summer of 2022.

Cap Roig Castle is located in a protected natural area on the Costa Brava, one of the most symbolic settings of the Catalan coast. It is internationally renowned for the Cap Roig Festival, a must-see summer event for music lovers.

In 2017, the La Caixa Foundation commissioned the architectural firm Nitidus to carry out the renovation project of this iconic building, protected as a cultural asset of national interest.

The biggest challenge was the construction of a new semi-buried auditorium to make it suitable for new uses, giving maximum priority to the integration of these new elements without losing the harmony of the existing environment.

Nitidus and the La Caixa Foundation entrusted Figueras with the technological materialisation of the concept of the multi-functionality of the space. This creates a multipurpose auditorium, which can cater for different uses, through the implementation of our market-leading systems and engineering.

The expert advice and joint work with the architectural team from the first phases of the design are the key to the success of our work and this is what makes us experts in the seating market for the general public.

In the Cap Roig auditorium we installed the Figueras Mutarail system with 182 seats of the Minispace 5064 model, plus 168 tables of the F48 model. This entire system is stored under the stage, thanks to a double platform of 55 m2.

The design of the system allows the sequential and individual movement of the rows, thus giving the hall great versatility to configure the desired seating capacity at any given moment. In addition, the compact, reclining Minispace 5064 seats are equipped with the F48 work table, the concealment of which was another major challenge. By means of a tilting table attachment system with two positions, it is possible to change from the use mode to the storage mode in a simple movement, allowing the rows of armchairs to be stored next to the tables in just 40 cm.

The platform was another major technical challenge for the project team. Equipped with the Gala Systems Spiralift system, the platform can be stopped at three different heights. In this way, and with little effort, we can transform a fully equipped room for congresses and conferences into an open-plan space, perfect for concerts, banquets or any other type of activity. This solution is optimal for space management and maximises commercial profitability, allowing different events and formats to be scheduled on the same day.

To maximise user safety, the system features aluminium spacers in the rails ensuring a constant distance between rows, as well as brakes in the first row. The system also has an integrated “anti-tilt” mechanism in the rail to prevent vertical movement of the trolleys. The platform has five anti-fall safety systems and full protection through an entrapment laser curtain, equipped with multiple sensors that detect possible obstructions in the normal operation of the platform. Safety is completed by a perimeter along the length of the steel platform that covers access to the interior of the platform at all times when the platform is in both stage configurations.

Since its inauguration in June 2022, Cap Roig Castle has become a prominent venue for its wide cultural offer and the possibility of hosting corporate events. Its recent remodeling has allowed it to adapt to the needs and trends demanded by the market, while preserving its architectural structure, impassive in time, in a place that combines nature, art, culture, and history.

Since 1990, Figueras has been a pioneer in the installation of retractable seats. After years of research and development, Figueras has perfected the mobile systems to achieve excellence, combining all the technical aspects involved in this project: engineering, design, isoptics, lighting, acoustics and audiovisuals.

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