Custom Build Stands 35 Ormside Way
Holmthorpe Industrial Estate
Redhill, Surrey RH1 2LW
Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
In February 2008 we were commissioned to design and build a 1500 square metre ‘Low Energy’ exhibition for Bosch Siemens Holdings at the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland. The venue was chosen by the client due to its unique energy efficient engineering. Once an old and neglected canal intersection, it was transformed into a spectacular state of the art ‘wheel’ which can transport a full size canal boat 115ft down to the canal below. Historically, the two canals had been joined at Falkirk by a flight of 11 locks that stepped down across a distance of 1.5km. Remarkably, this process requires only 1.5kw of electricity, which is less than a kettle.
The client had organised three marquees at the venue and asked us to design and build an exhibition which would be used to launch their new range of products.
There were several challenges to overcome, as the event was essentially taking place in a tent in Scotland in Winter! We had to organise electricity, heating, catering facilities and toilets as there was nothing there apart from an area of concrete. The stand was completed in 5 days, during which we had snow, sleet and rain and wind that was so strong it actually blew the walls down inside the tents.
No plastics were used; only timber, textiles and card. The basic design of the stand was constructed from recycled cloth and card fixed to a timber carcass. The cloth was backlit to provide ambient light together with animated effects such as a wind-farm or Highland stag. In an effort to counter the short winter days, the ceilings of the two main tents were lit sky blue with white clouds shot from gobos, drifting across it. We also used circular recycled seating made from cardboard and the trim from car windows.
Low energy LED lighting and recycled carpet was used throughout. The presentation tent was draped in star cloth and we made up eye-catching props for the speakers, such as a foot high raspberry coming out of a melted ice-cube. We also used the eye-catching ArcStream interactive floor, which had pools of fish which swam away when you approached them.
