Mobile Performance Venue

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The Mobile Performance Venue (MPV) will represent Arts Alliance Productions and their performance "ID - Identity of the Soul" worldwide in 2009. ID is a five-screen cinematic performance based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s epic poem Terje Vigen and Mahmoud Darwish's poem A Soldier Dreams of White Lillies. Associative images of the poem, interspersed with filmed images of an actor presenting it are projected onto five 12mx7m HD-video screens. Live dancers perform in front of, behind, and between the screens throughout the show.

 

The client brief for the project is for a lightweight and easily transportable venue that meets their technical requirements for projection screens and surround sound system, while also creating a unique and iconic structure. The current design (end of schematic design phase) makes the MPV the largest mobile venue in the world. The dynamic oval form is 90m x 60m, ranges from 10m to 17m tall, and has 3900m2 of covered space. The central performance space (2000m2) will hold a standing audience of 3500 people. Optional configurations include optional stadium seating and conversion of the central screen to a stage for live performances. The project is divided into 20 structural segments which allow varying configurations ranging from 2000 to 3900 m2 total area if needed.

 

The public plaza is formed by an arcade of open hexagons at ground level that mark a clear entrance to the otherwise closed form. This plaza contains all of the necessary front-of-house functions such as ticketing, cloak room, and restrooms. A mezzanine area above can be used for refreshments, catering, exhibition, or VIP functions. The back-of-house skin has a more complex and closed pattern. This serves to protect the projectors, sound systems, personell, and dancers behind the screens.

 

Sustainability is a difficult and complex topic for a project of this size that requires transport. Our main goal was to make the structure as lightweight and compact as possible to reduce shipping weight and volume. One example of this is the self-supporting PVC skin of hexagonal inflated tubes and cushions that form the front-of-house and back-of-house spaces. The specified fire resistant PVC fabric is durable and 100% recyclable.

 

An extremely efficient ‘bicycle wheel’ truss provides lateral stability for the project and full or partial coverage of the performance space. Supported by standard aluminum staging components this structure is also lightweight and recyclable. Optional mesh or solid pvc covers would provide shade in hot dry climates or rain protection in wet ones. The central oculus can also be covered with an inflatable cap. Water tank foundations remove the need to transport heavy weights. The entire project can be transported in 30 standard 40’ containers (20 if roof is omitted). The structure requires 2 weeks for assembly and one week for disassembly. This estimate is conservative, but represents an extremely low shipping volume for a structure of this size.

 

For more detailed information:

Construction Elements

Architectural Drawings

Identity of the Soul website (with video trailer)

Recent news

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

MPV chosen for Centenial Exhibition

UT Austin School of Architecture 100 Year Celebration in November

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Friday, November 13, 2009

World Architecture Festival - Winner!

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Future Projects - Experimental

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Friday, August 21, 2009

World Architecture Festival - Finalist!

Mobile Performance Venue on shortlist in category Future Buildings

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Thursday, August 6, 2009

10 Designers Who Are Shaping The Future

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Various Architects featured in Azure Magazine

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Spark! Exhibition to China

Mobile Performance Venue to be exhibited in Guangzhou

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

New Mobile Performance Venue Images

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3 new collages of the MPV in the Middle East

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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Mobile Performance Venue in Print

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An overview of the latest publications featuring the MPV

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Monday, October 27, 2008

ID: Identity of the Soul in Palestine

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22,000 have experienced the performance since it's premiere in Ramallah

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Sunday, October 5, 2008

Spark Award Winner!

The VA Mobile Performance Venue wins top design award.

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Monday, August 25, 2008

Spark Awards Challenger

The Mobile Performance Venue has qualified for the final round of the Spark Awards.

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Friday, August 15, 2008

“Grizzled and Modern” - VA in VG

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The Arts Alliance Mobile Performance Venue was featured in a two-page article today in the norwegian newspaper VG (Verdens Gang).

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Various Architects in the Blogosphere

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The Mobile Performance Venue has been featured on design blogs worldwide.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

“Shot of the Day”

Various Architect's Mobile Performance Venue is featured on Pushpullbar.com

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Schematic Design Drawings

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1:250 Architectural drawings from our schematic design presentation.

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Friday, June 20, 2008

Mobile Venue Construction Elements

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A squence of images showing the main elements of the project.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Schematic Design Images

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Various Architects delivered our schematic design report to the client yesterday at their rehersal studio in London.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Sneak Preview

Work-in-progress image from our Schematic Design report.

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Identity of the Soul webpage wins award

New video trailer of the Arts Alliance production - "Identity of the Soul" is available on their webpage

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Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Test inflation of the full scale mock-up

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The first inflation of the full scale mock-up took place at the offices of ESS in London today.

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Full Scale Mock-up

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A 4 x 6 meter test piece of the exterior inflatable skin has been ordered.

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Rapid prototyping video

Video of our rapid prototyping test print on YouTube.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Mobile Performance Venue - Concept Design

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Images from our Concept Design presentation to the client.

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Monday, March 3, 2008

Test of the new 3D printer

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First test model on the new in-house 3D printer from Z-corporation

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