INTERVIEW - Baku Crystal Hall to be ready for Eurovision 2012 Song Contest in May

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 30 / Trend E.Mehdiyev/ The construction of the Baku Crystal Hall, which has recently been confirmed as a venue for the Eurovision 2012 Song Contest, will be completed in time, said the construction company Alpine Bau Germany. "We started the construction work in mid-August with the foundation. That was completed at the end of September and we started the structural steel work in October. We are now on a stage that we have already completed the structural steel of the hall and the roof," Günter Wieching, Technical Director of Alpine Bau Germany, which is carrying out the construction, said in an interview with Trend. A decision was recently made to conduct Eurovision 2012 Song Contest in Baku Crystal Hall. The Baku Crystal Hall is a brand new multi-purpose indoor arena with an expected capacity of up to 25,000 spectators. Approximately 16,000 people will be able to attend each of the three Eurovision Song Contest live shows in May. According to Wieching, the Company is doing cladding and roofing work and starting the work on the illumination facade, which will give finally the architectural view of the hall. The finishing works and mechanical, electrical and HVAC works inside the hall have started as well. He said the hall would be ready for the event in May 2012. He added that most of the work would be completed by the end of March and some remaining work will continue by mid-April. "By mid-April, the Brainpool Production Company will come here to start rigging the light for the show, the video screens and the stage for the show," he said. Rainer Quenzer, Head of Planning of NUSSLI International, which is Alpine Bau Germany's partner in executing the project together with the design lead architect gmp, said building this fantastic hall in such a short time was only possible due to three independent main components which were designed, procured, produced and erected on site in parallel. These components are the Modular Stadia as the heart of the complex, followed by the inner roof and the outer facade. "The main difference of this hall from others is that this hall has from outside an appearance of the so-called ' Baku Crystal', which is the shining crystal in the night for the spectacle evening. The facade itself is a memoring structure and here we find 45,000 diamonds shining in different colors. Therefore, this facade will also be used for the show itself. We will complete the design inside following the requirements from the EBU," said Quenzer. Having won Eurovision 2011 in Düsseldorf Azerbaijan gain a right to host this famous European contest. Semifinal rounds of the contest will be held in Baku on May 22 and May 24, while the Final will be held on May 26. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az