Tension grid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A tension grid is a type of non-standard largely-transparent catwalk or structural system. Tension grids are composed of tightly woven wire rope steel cables that create a taut floor strong enough for technicians to walk on.[1]
Lighting instruments can be hung on a pipe grid just above the tension grid; there is no need for holes, as the light can shine through the grid, virtually unobstructed, to the stage. Cables and electrical wires can pass through, and special fixtures may be used to allow beams and other solid material to pass through.
Originally developed for use as a floor in anechoic chambers, this style of catwalk is popular in new and remodeled theatres due to the flexibility it provides. Use of a tension grid does not require working off of edges as a traditional catwalk does, as lights are over the walking surface, not next to it. As a result, many consider tension grids safer in terms of risk of falling.
Wall to wall wire grids are impossible to fall through making them a better solution than catwalks in venues where students or volunteers might work.
