The new multi-purpose ballroom and conference facility at Moscow’s Holiday Inn Sokolniki hotel has been installed with over 60 Robe moving lights and colour mix fixtures, all custom finished in white to compliment the surrounding interiors.

The Holiday Inn Sokolniki is one of Moscow’s newest hotels with one of the busiest function spaces in town. The room is utilised to stage anything from conferences and corporate presentations to exhibitions, weddings, awards shows and gala dinners.

The Ballroom can be divided into two separate areas by a screen-style folding wall, and the lights are installed on two box trusses in the ceiling – one in each room. “The idea was to ensure the room lighting offered absolutely the most flexible options” explains Dimitri Nikitin, head of lighting for lighting specifiers Light Sound Contractors (LSC).

LSC won the job from a competitive tender. They were able to supply the full technology package – sound, lighting and AV – which appealed to the client, and have successfully installed Robe on several projects. They think it’s one of the best and most reliable brands on the market, which was essential as the lights are in use 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes more at the Sokolniki.

Nikitin adds, “It was also no trouble at all to have the fixtures made in white – I have always found Robe very accommodating when it comes to special requests”.

The Ballroom – as it is known at the Sokolniki – has 28 ColorWash 575 ATs, 12 Colorspot 575 ATs and 24 ColorMix 575ATs which are split between the two rooms, and can also be moved if necessary.

Robe’s 575 Series was chosen because it is the perfect size for the room. The combination of all these fixtures together mean that the rig offers great value and a vast array of features for all types of events. It could be anything from a gobo wash on the walls that is required for a conference or exhibition, or the pin-spotting of tables for dinner, illuminating a band or live performers onstage, producing ambient mood changing effects or for fast-moving funky disco lighting. Whatever the occasion, “We have the scope to light it as needed” says house sound and light engineer Alex Golovkov. He runs the rig from a Hog iPC console that was also supplied by LSC as part of the package.

He comments that LSC did a really good job on the installation, taking great care and paying attention to detail, and that the lights really enhance the versatility of the space.

LSC’s Andrey Zhukov further comments, “We showed the client a number of different lighting specs so they could compare – they had a reasonable budget for sound, lighting, trussing, hoists, etc – and did not want to go for the cheapest option – they wanted the best. As an independent installer, we can spec any brand we like, but Robe is currently our moving light of choice, so that’s what we recommended when asked for our honest opinion.”