The Royal Opera House has long expressed its ambition to ensure equal access to opera, ballet, music and the arts for one and all, committing itself to the Social Model of Disability, which puts forth the notion that people are only disabled by their barriers in society, rather than their impairments or differences.

To further that end and to ensure that visiting the Opera House doesn’t represent a challenge, the organisation got in touch with the team here at KEP Lifts to improve accessibility by installing a new wheelchair lift in one of the rehearsal rooms.

A bespoke solution to the problem was required because they were keen for the lift to be sympathetic to the beautiful surroundings of the building, ensuring that as much of the rail and posts was hidden as possible while providing the stable support necessary for wheelchairs to operate safely.

Because the rehearsal room was undergoing a full renovation, it was the perfect opportunity to install the posts into the wall itself, covering them entirely. The rail, meanwhile, was installed seamlessly onto the posts through the wall.

The end result was an inclined platform lift installed incredibly discreetly, while meeting the important accessibility levels required and making negligible aesthetic changes to the room itself, as well as minimising the space taken on the existing steps.

The Opera House also has a free Access Scheme that could be worth signing up to if you do have access needs, an initiative that provides personalised assistance the whole way through the booking process, as well as free companion tickets if support is required for attending performances.

We were truly honoured to be able to work on such an illustrious site, ensuring that all people everywhere are able to enjoy the arts, regardless of their personal circumstances.

If you’d like to discuss similar projects for your site, get in touch with the team today to discuss your requirements.