Office Address:
Storgata 25, 5'th floor
Postal Address:
PB 8928 Youngstorget
0028 Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 4728 0770
Tel: +47 9204 0803
contact[at]variousarchitects.no
Mobile Performance Venue
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:
Identity of the Soul website (with video trailer)
| STATUS: | Schematic Design |
| CLIENT: | Arts Alliance Productions |
| SITE: | Worldwide |
| SIZE: | 3900 m2 |
| TEAM: | Jim Dodson, Ibrahim Elhayawan, Aleksandra Danielak, Camilla Eduardsen |
| PARTNERS: | Ramboll Whitby-Bird - Engineers |
Recent news
Friday, November 13, 2009
World Architecture Festival - Winner!
Future Projects - Experimental
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, August 21, 2009
World Architecture Festival - Finalist!
Mobile Performance Venue on shortlist in category Future Buildings
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Thursday, August 6, 2009
10 Designers Who Are Shaping The Future
Various Architects featured in Azure Magazine
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, April 24, 2009
Spark! Exhibition to China
Mobile Performance Venue to be exhibited in Guangzhou
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Thursday, March 19, 2009
New Mobile Performance Venue Images
3 new collages of the MPV in the Middle East
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Mobile Performance Venue in Print
An overview of the latest publications featuring the MPV
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Monday, October 27, 2008
ID: Identity of the Soul in Palestine
22,000 have experienced the performance since it's premiere in Ramallah
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Spark Award Winner!
The VA Mobile Performance Venue wins top design award.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Monday, August 25, 2008
Spark Awards Challenger
The Mobile Performance Venue has qualified for the final round of the Spark Awards.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, August 15, 2008
“Grizzled and Modern” - VA in VG
The Arts Alliance Mobile Performance Venue was featured in a two-page article today in the norwegian newspaper VG (Verdens Gang).
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Various Architects in the Blogosphere
The Mobile Performance Venue has been featured on design blogs worldwide.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Thursday, July 17, 2008
“Shot of the Day”
Various Architect's Mobile Performance Venue is featured on Pushpullbar.com
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, June 27, 2008
Schematic Design Drawings
1:250 Architectural drawings from our schematic design presentation.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, June 20, 2008
Mobile Venue Construction Elements
A squence of images showing the main elements of the project.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Schematic Design Images
Various Architects delivered our schematic design report to the client yesterday at their rehersal studio in London.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sneak Preview
Work-in-progress image from our Schematic Design report.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
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
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Test inflation of the full scale mock-up
The first inflation of the full scale mock-up took place at the offices of ESS in London today.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Full Scale Mock-up
A 4 x 6 meter test piece of the exterior inflatable skin has been ordered.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Friday, April 4, 2008
Rapid prototyping video
Video of our rapid prototyping test print on YouTube.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Mobile Performance Venue - Concept Design
Images from our Concept Design presentation to the client.
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
Monday, March 3, 2008
Test of the new 3D printer
First test model on the new in-house 3D printer from Z-corporation
- Links
- READ ARTICLE
| Project | Name | Type | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mosseveien 16-20 Fredrikstad | Commercial | Fredrikstad, Norway | Sketch Design | |
| New Nørvasund School | Educational | Ålesund, Norway | Invited Competition | |
| Eikefjord School | Educational | Eikefjord, Norway | Competition Delivered | |
| Skagen ØKOntor | Commercial | Haugesund, Norway | Concept Design | |
| Taipei Performing Arts Centre | Cultural | Taipei, Taiwan | Schematic Design | |
| Oslofjord Pool and Guesthouse | Residential | Oslo, Norway | Planning Application | |
| Storgata 25 | Commercial | Oslo, Norway | Design Development | |
| Re:Vision Dallas | Residential | Dallas, Texas | Competition Complete | |
| Tingvalla Utstikkeren | Commercial | Oslo, Norway | Competition Complete | |
| Åmot Idea Competition | Planning | Åmot, Norway | Competition Complete | |
| Munch + Stenersen Museum | Cultural | Oslo, Norway | Competition Complete | |
| Yorkshire Renaissance Pavilion | Cultural | Yorkshire, UK | Competition Finalist | |
| Schiphol Sound Barrier | Landscape | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol | Second Place Business Category | |
| Wroclaw Cont. Museum | Cultural | Wroclaw, Poland | Competition Complete | |
| Cheongna City Tower | Tower | Cheongna, South Korea | Competition Complete | |
| Villa in Stabekk | Residential | Bærum, Norway | Planning Approved | |
| Thorvald Meyers gt. 89 | Commercial | Oslo, Norway | Planning Application | |
| Promesse de bonheur | Art | Oslo, Norway | Completed | |
| Island Yoga Retreat | Commercial | Gurskøya, Norway | Concept Design | |
| Mobile Performance Venue | Cultural | Worldwide | Schematic Design |






















