Just a day after the station's high profile official opening on 14 November - on which PRG Europe worked with Flux Events - crews were back, this time installing the world's largest advent calendar. PRG Europe organised all the kit, including bringing in Unusual Rigging, to make sure everything went without a hitch.
"Specifically designed to occupy the façade inside the station, the calendar exceeds 1,000sq.m," explains Unusual's David Mayo. "Following the removal of the substantial rig we installed for the re-opening of the station, our eight-person crews went back into night shift mode to begin installing the calendar."
During the day, a giant drape printed with an image of the end of the station hid the partially-constructed rig. The drape was removed ready for 1 December, revealing a huge gilt frame surrounding the individual calendar "door". The frame, constructed by Howard Eaton Lighting Limited, is then moved around the calendar overnight ready for a daily "reveal" accompanied by lighting effects to highlight each day's sponsor.
PRG Europe project manager Loz Wilcox says: "We used 48 Mac 2000 Wash luminaires to create a movement of light for journalists who came to see the reveal each day, and members of the public who would be able to see it from the main concourse.
"Lighting designer Paul Cook has programmed daily reveals using the Wholehog II control desk, then we use the atomic clock function inside the Hog 2 replay unit to control the lights until the station closes and the lights are automatically doused. PRG crew chief on site is John Nowell.
"We were also asked to light the first St Pancras International Christmas tree, which we did - using over 4,300 LED Christmas tree lights. We brought them in from Dan Haygarth at Fantastic Illuminations, who specialise in this kind of work, and everyone was delighted with the results.
"We were delighted to be asked by Greenspace to provide a turnkey service from start to finish, including bringing in the rigging company and other contractors. We've had some great feedback, and it's always exciting to be working in such a great space."
(Jim Evans)
