Tech-Ed is one of the largest conferences in Europe, filling both halls of the enormous Fira de Barcelona 2 exhibition center. Over 6,000 Microsoft employees and IT professionals traveled to Barcelona for the five-day conference. The 6,000 capacity keynote room coupled with the delegates' dining area filled an entire hall; the second housed a further 10 breakout rooms, some seating 2,000.
Blackout director Chris Brain worked with PCI:Live's Matt Hearnden designing the system of room-dividers using catenary wires, measuring over 5km in length to hang the 53,000sq.m of drapes. Their drapes and rigging crew of 15 worked solidly throughout the two-week build period, and the equipment was transported in eight 45ft trailers, three of which were dedicated exclusively to over 1,000 drapes, weighing over 30 tonnes.
The drapes also acted as sound baffles, containing the noise between the session rooms, with the application of Blackout's double-backed system, which creates a metre of air space between the two drapes. A splash of colour was added to the Tech-Ed Afterparty, with red and blue velour drapes suspended from the truss, framing twinkling walls of star-cloth, transforming the functional keynote area into a magical party scene for the hardworking delegates.
PCI: Live's Production Manager Matt Hearnden commented: "Yet again Blackout proved invaluable to the co-ordination of this mammoth project. We know we can rely on the team and their can-do approach to meet deadlines and keep a positive attitude throughout."
In another project, Blackout's managing director Steve Tuck co-ordinated all the draping and truss for the Oracle Appsworld conference at London's Excell exhibition centre. The project comprized one main Keynote area for 3,000 delegates plus six breakout auditoriums, built in the same double-skin drape style as Tech Ed. The project was handled by two production companies for Oracle - UK-based THA for the Keynote Room, and Dutch production house Gielissen. THA appointed Blackout for the Keynote room, and Giellssen to oversee three of the other breakout areas.
Tuck worked closely with THA's production manager Punch Wilson to supply a large quantity of black drapes and rigging equipment. Deployed in the Keynote area, the drapes softened the acoustics and eliminated any sound reflections. By enclosing the Keynote area, they also created a more intimate environment for the delegates. THA's head of production, Heather Robinson, explained: "Blackout's knowledge of the venue was useful in the short timeframe. The team had one day in which to rig all the points and trussing - over 100 motors and more than 730m of truss - and the project ran like clockwork."
(Lee Baldock)
