Cover It Up has supplied various draping elements to the annual AEGON Masters Tennis event for the last eight years, working for IMG Events.
The brief this year included helping to transform the RAH's famous 'Gods' upper circle gallery area into a series of functional spaces and VIP bays. For the VIP areas, the requirement was to create luxurious and comfortable spaces for the enjoyment of key guests accessing the hospitality facilities.
This was achieved this year by blacking out half of the gallery area and dividing the other half - with the best vantage points for viewing the on-court action - into 30 bay areas in between the building's structural pillars. Custom designed beige velour opening / closing drapes were installed into the 12 VIP bays, complete with tie backs, fitted on pipes hung beneath the house lighting ladder beams circling the front of the gallery.
One blacked out bay was also used for the event's Hawk-Eye ball tracking system. An impressive 1000sq.m plus of black wool serge and coloured velvet was utilised in total.
The Cover It Up team - led by managing director Simon Fryer - also lined the side of the tennis court in front of the RAH's organ with black gauze, to prevent the balls potentially from hitting the organ, and also so its magnificent architecture was not distracting to the players.
The Red Bull F1 Racing Team End of Season Party was staged at Silverstone's new conference facility, The Wing, and Cover It Up was working for Push Productions.
Over 5000sq.m of white LED starcloth was installed down either side of the event space which took over Halls 1 and 2 for the evening. An 8 x 5m draped cloakroom was built to the right of the entranceway out of pipe-and-drape and black velvet.
To access the mezzanine floor and main party area, a small scenic doorway was created which had to be masked in black velvet. Guests passed through this and along a black drape tunnel which morphed into a mirrored tunnel, all created through draping - emerging into the main party space - but actually at the back of the stage, which was draped off by a large set of tabbed burgundy velvet drapes. Later on, there was a full performance schedule of live bands and DJs.
CIU created a VIP area in burgundy velvet underneath the mezzanine, which was also used as a viewing gallery, dressed with branding banners and graphic printed drapes on either side. Several dressing rooms for the performing artists were also made up out of pipe and drape.
Once again managing director Simon Fryer organised the CIU crew of 10, who got-in the night before.
(Jim Evans)
