Having designed the Golden (2002) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee celebrations, STUFISH returned to Buckingham Palace to design the “Party at the Palace”, for the Platinum Jubilee.
// 2022
// Ceremony
// Queen Victoria Memorial London
The aim this year was to create a design that embodies the space in a 360 degrees experience and use the site in a way that has never been seen before.
There were three main stages and 70 platinum white columns, which represented the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
Responding to the geometry of the site, all these elements emanated from the Queen Victoria Memorial fountain. This layout preserved the main axis of the square and orientated the focal point towards The Palace. At the same time, it ensured an immersive feel and constantly evolving view line for both the live and TV audience, bringing a feeling of unity and togetherness throughout.
The stage on the monument, framed by video columns, faced directly towards the thousands of people down The Mall and was a place for numerous performances and spoken word.
A 70m walk from the main stages to the centre of the monument stage was connected by a catwalk, situated in front of the gates across a 110m wide stage to make a fully panoramic landscape that frames the Palace.
The Orchestra stage hosted a large-scale military orchestra on multiple levels, whilst the Pop stage became an ever-changing canvas for performers to make their own.
Positioned in the centre, between these two stages, The Palace Gates stage united both the orchestra and pop sides with the unique background of the iconic Centre Gates Royal Crest and the Buckingham Palace behind.
At night, the Palace was illuminated by projection mapping and the whole site became a large-scale lighting installation, as the capitals of the 70 columns lit up with beams that created immersive lighting over the audience.
To follow the BBC’s green mandate for the production, anything created for the design that was custom fabricated will be re-used. The main staging and structures are 95% created from off the shelf rented modules used in a new way to reduce bespoke manufacturing.
The two stages at the Palace end have long span cantilever roofs, to provide a dry environment for the orchestra and the bands, while appearing as lightweight as possible to open up for maximum sightlines towards Buckingham Palace.
The concert became the linchpin in Jubilee celebrations and the stage design also become part of the backdrop for some of the other events around the Jubilee weekend.
Credits
Show Director Julia Knowles Stage Architecture STUFISH Creative Director for BBC Events Claire Popplewell Executive Producers Mark Sidaway Line Producer Caroline Lloyd Production Executive Gemma Thomas Production Director Steve Nolan Technical Director Malcolm Birkett Orchestra Steve Sidwell Conductor Simon Haw Lighting Design Nigel Catmur Lighting Director Mark Gardiner Sound Design Ben Milton, Brit Row Productions Video Design & Animation North House Video Supplier Creative Technologies Staging Supplier Star Live, Illusion DC, Blackout Drone Show Skymagic Crowd interaction Pixmob
Related Projects
HM The Queen Diamond Jubilee
BBC
The Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace BBC Events
