Android is a regular fixture in our calendar; 2023 was our fifth year at the MWC in Barcelona. The benefits of having a thorough understanding of the site requirements, coupled with a longstanding relationship with our client, BrandFuel, resulted in a finely tuned process from start to finish in which we delivered six high-end temporary structures, ahead of schedule.
For this year’s MWC, Stage One was commissioned to deliver, and project managed eight different areas along Android Avenue: Home, Garden, Info point, Sustainability, Juice Bar, Pixel Garden, Nearby Share and Garden Studio. The foundation of the structures were very similar with a steel floor framework with ply cladding that had tailored finishes to distinguish between each zone. The footprint of the space was meticulously calculated with millimetre precision to snugly fit on trucks so they could be craned with ease but would still maximise internal space for the exhibition.
Android filled three hangars and an additional test build area across our site in Tockwith, and we hosted a client visit for both Brandfuel and their guests, Google, to tour the pods in a nearly finished state that would allow for any minor tweaks before site.
It was a team effort. This project drew on skills from across the entire company to deliver this project; from intricate carpentry, scenic finishes and metal work construction. Our machining department began the process of the CNC’d machined the Bothead before handing over to our scenic department for its iconic green finish before being covered in flowers, and our sister company Fluxaxis completed the look with 3D eyes and little mushrooms.
Sustainability was an important addition to this year’s brief and had a dedicated zone. Ply coated with a concrete effect finish, applied by our scenic department, was a more environmentally friendly alternative to using a concrete skim, and timber fence posts provided a natural finish to the info point and were also used to guide visitors along the sustainability zone. In addition, flights between the UK and Barcelona were reduced, our account handlers advised on sustainable materials, and five out of the six structures are being reused for future events, and the rest recycled and returned to our workshops.
