Johannesburg based In2Structures, part of the Gearhouse South Africa Group of Companies, has sold one of its Supa (SP) Dome structures to Abu Dhabi based Flash Entertainment LLC, the largest live music promoter and event organiser in the UAE.
Flash Events’ operations director Lee Charteris needed to provide a good sized venue, with decent weight loadings, great aesthetics and distinctive branding opportunities in Abu Dhabi. A number of structures were reviewed. He needed it to be adaptable enough to stage anything from live concerts and parties to corporate events, exhibitions and presentations, etc.
He was already aware of the Gearhouse SA In2Structures Domes, and on a recent visit to South Africa, met with In2Structures’ Otto Wijnberger and Gearhouse SA’s MD Ofer Lapid to discuss the Dome specifications and options available.
Explains Charteris, “I was shown around the structure and was immediately impressed – it is simple, beautiful and had all the functionality we required for the installation of substantial production elements, plus plenty of flexibility for rigging and different layouts with movable doors, etc. It was exactly what we needed – something truly dynamic’.
With a weight loading of 2.5 tonnes per arch, an additional load arch (5 tonnes) was purchased for the Flash Forum to give 12 – 15 tonnes over the stage area when in the end-on position.
With an impressive 15.8 metres of headroom, the SP Dome has plenty of height to stage all types of shows, and rigging points throughout the roof.
The structure was installed by a team of 18 specialists from In2Structures, a task completed in just 6 days.
The 8-bay 84 metre long by 36 metre wide SupaDome structure is known as the Flash Forum and will provide a multi purpose venue with up to 5000 capacity on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi for at least the next 3 years.
The first event staged in the Flash Forum took place during the weekend of the final race of the 2010 Formula 1 Championship, when it was managed by legendary Beirut club, Skybar.
Erected adjacent to the F1 race track and opposite the luxury Yas Hotel, Skybar transformed the Dome into a hugely glamorous premium VVIP environment to entertain up to 1800 gliterati and A-listers for each of the 3 nights. Running 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., Skybar featured a host of international DJs and other leading artists in a star-studded line up including Ferry Corsten, Grammy Award winning Kelis and Sean Paul, British dance phenomenon Basement Jaxx, UK rapper Tinie Tempah and many more.
A major highlight was a special appearance by Prince, playing a “secret’ gig on the Friday night.
This is the second Dome that Gearhouse SA In2Structures has supplied to the UAE – following the installation of a Maxi Dome on the left bank of Dubai creek with the InterContinental Dubai Festival City as a backdrop.
