Among the 25+ stands that Gearhouse SA was involved in were Land Rover, Ford, Mazda, Alpha Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler Jeep, Renault, Honda and Porsche. The range of equipment was extensive: for example, a cube wall on the Mazda stand involved 48 separate cubes. "To set that up they had to be perfectly balanced and stitched together which was quite a job," says Lawford. Several sculptural lights hanging over the Mazda stand were also Gearhouse SA’s - built to a particular design with each light’s different colour providing a fresh feel to the stand.
Another task that needed some serious attention was ensuring all technical specs were met. "For example, on the Nissan stand, we had to fly in special lenses for the projector to enable the projected image to fit the rectangular shape of the two screens - a case of tailor-making a technical solution to fit in with a client’s aesthetic."
Gearhouse SA were also integrally involved in the construction of the Polo Theatre and a dedicated Polo presentation area - both of which were used for the re-launch of the VW Polo. Lighting was the company’s main area of focus in this job (which, incidentally, also saw VW Polo providing a short-run, test-drive area just beyond the ‘theatre’ and presentation area.) Nissan also engaged Gearhouse SA to extend the stage which is housed in a truck to enable the car manufacturer to stage bands and showcase music at Auto Africa.
(Lee Baldock)
