The unusual request came from Park Avenue Productions, who were organizing a launch event for the Orange brand in The Netherlands. Fortunately, ESS had developed technology for the ‘Orange Experience’ in Bucharest the previous year, and was able to reapply some of the equipment used then. "We modified the original system with new 200sq.m front and back sheets and designed a brand new base unit of steel beams," said Smalldon. "The base unit interacted between the barge and the other components ensuring stability of the tall, sail-like marque (which measured 15 x 15 x 3m), even in adverse wind conditions." The entire structure was built in Amsterdam in a mere five days. The barge was then sailed to Rotterdam, where at the end of the celebrations, ESS de-rigged the structure in two days.
(Ruth Rossington)