events by sourceme: case studies: Creating theatre
Creating theatre
While the UAE is leading the live events industry and is therefore the most vigorous when it comes to driving demand for temporary structures, elsewhere in the Gulf, mega events such as the annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) – Doha Film Institute (DFI)’s annual celebration of film – are making their mark.
The festival has not only firmly established itself on the map of global cinematic events but is showcasing the talents of venue providers who are working their magic to create truly stunning settings for premieres and red carpet moments.
And they don’t come much better than DTFF’s main screening venue, Katara Open Air Theatre (KOAT), which was built by Al Laith Event Services – one of the region’s leading experts in creating one-off, large temporary structures.
Describing the 2,000-capacity KOAT, which took six weeks to build, Al Laith Event Services director Jo Marshall, says: “In terms of aesthetics it was a case of drive-in movie meets modern industrial masterpiece.”
This was defined by KOAT’s main steel arch, which traversed the space majestically at 43 metres high and 86 metres wide.
“But for all its size, KOAT, particularly after dark, also had that remarkable intimacy peculiar to movie houses,” says Marshall.
“Its facilities surpassed the wish list of most permanent structures and numerous other engineering challenges included the stage and screen end being built 25 metres into the sea.”
The 2011 edition of the festival (October 25-29) marked the second year Al Laith had created KOAT on this site.
This year, the position of the stage/screen and the grandstand was flipped 180 degrees to allow the audiences – of which 400 seats were VIP – to appreciate the ocean backdrop and Doha’s evolving cityscape.
The pair of 26-metre-high arches that caused a stir in 2010 were again incorporated into the design, but this time became dwarfed by the elegant 43-metre-high double ‘Galaxy’ arch towering above. The steel for the Galaxy truss was sourced in the UK and flown to Dubai where sections were milled and welded, and then trucked to Doha.
They formed part of a 94-truck contingent of road freight organised by Al Laith, together with four sea freight shipments and one air lift from the UK. This gave them the capacity to build all the KOAT elements, plus an arched box office structure and two 20-metre dome stages positioned along the esplanade to the side of KOAT, all hosting DTFF events and receptions.
“To reach the summit of the Galaxy took about 25 minutes for an experienced climber, and it was required to have four aircraft warning lights installed on the top, a great testament to its presence and impact on the local landscape,” says Marshall.
“But while Galaxy took the visual glory, there were a number of other practical, innovative and equally detailed elements incorporated into the whole KOAT structure.
“This included a staggering 1,600 square metres of covered air-conditioning backstage and an additional 1,100 square metres of underworld space. The backstage area behind the screen could have hosted its own event for several thousand people.”
Additional facilities included a dressing and green rooms, offices, toilets and at 40 centimetres above sea level, a chill out terrace for crew.
Three lifts were integral to the structure including a plush funicular-style elevator running on a 54-degree slope to transfer key guests.
Al Laith also designed and manufactured a striking set of industrial-style curved steel steps to link the stage to the VIP seating level.
“Despite their enormity, these wrapped the whole auditorium space and introduced a feeling of cosiness that was central to the vision for the guest experience,” says Marshall.
