2019 Archive : The Tree

Project Details

Fabric 1

Sheerfill I
Producer: Fisher Textiles
Supplier: OTHER

Design Name
Debra Roth

Design Company
The Originators

Fabrication Name
Pictura Graphics

Fabrication Company
Pictura Graphics

Graphics Name
Elevation Point

Graphics Company
Elevation Point

Project Manager Name
Marianne LeBlanc / Rick Husong

Project Manager Company
Lucid Media

Installation Name
Debra Roth

Installation Company
The Originators

Please describe the project specifications

We designed and installed a three-dimensional sculptural centerpiece, The Tree, for a global sales training conference by utilizing new 3d technologies that sculpt space with computer-driven parametric designs. We then interpreted these 3d shapes into a slightly rigid sheer fabric that enabled a visually complex, artistically-driven décor design - a massive, 24’tall tree - with a full, leafy 44’diameter canopy at top, tapering to a 7’diameter trunk.

The design complemented the company’s organic, natural (silhouetted tree) logo and captured the essence of its brand identity.

The concept behind this particular design is to ultimately “explode” the finalized tree shape and turn it into individual sections that, together, form the whole. It is the repetition of form (in this case, individual fabric panels, called “Wisps”) that creates the illusion that the tree is a solid object. This “trick of the eye” is achieved by the repetition of the Wisps, with each one being gradually different than the other, and the persistence-of-vision principle that creates the overall unified rhythm and form of the finished shape, the Tree. This play with perception gives the overall shape an animated visual effect and a one-of-a-kind impact.

What was the purpose of this project? What did the client request?

This one-of-a-kind project had no precedent. And its complexity is found in the details. From determining the proper number of Wisps required to give the tree its fullness, to drawing the random leafy edge of each panel, the challenges faced and solved were endless right until the boxes went out the door.

Due to the tight turnaround time and large scale of the final object - which meant the structure could not be pre-assembled - there was a calculated leap-of-faith that all this work would actually yield an object, on-site, that would be instantly read as a tree. With over 30 years experience working with fabrics, faith ran high.

The Tree required large-format laser cutting of 60 different patterns. And the final sewing and numeric labeling - crucial for maintaining the proper sequence of the design - was as critical as the final, orderly packing of each individual panel. And it was imperative that the fabric be handled and packed carefully so, once on-site, it would not require time-consuming ironing or steaming right there on the show floor.

And to make the installation economical and orderly, a 44’diameter aluminum-tube ring was assembled and rigged first. Bridled rigging lines connected it to a hoisting motor that would eventually raise the ring and all 60 “Wisps” of the Tree. Each of the panels were hand-tied to both, the outer ring and an 18”diameter inner ring so spacing could be maintained throughout the process. After tying off each panel, but before its hoisting, LED light fixtures were embedded, supported by a center pole which also supported a “floating” circle sign of the end-client's logo.

What is unique or complex about the project?

We were charged with a few purposes the Tree sculpture was to achieve. The client wanted something that would visually reinforce the company brand in a new and exciting way on the conference floor. And, at the same time, this “something” had to reach out far and wide beyond the room - and create an Instagram-worthy, three-dimensional sculptural centerpiece that complements and captures the essence of a company’s brand for their annual Global Training Conference. They wanted all 18,000 conference guests to experience the Tree’s irresistible magnetic appeal and spread the word.
Filling the MGM Grand’s various ballrooms and convention halls, there was a need to unify this community and the venue. Sales activations and training sessions in a town square-like setting inside the Marquis Ballroom all had to be linked by the Tree - a physical focal point that would instantaneously elicit ooh’s and aah’s…and, hopefully, endless selfies. This dramatic element had to be a visual landmark that unquestionably announces the heart of the conference.

What were the results of the project?

All aspects of the Tree were a smashing success!

The show producers, Lucid Media, who directly brought us on board, were as thrilled as Arbonne, the end-client.

The “ooh and aah” meter was stuck at 10.

The 3-day conference is critical for Arbonne to raise the loyalty and commitment level of its membership. The conference puts a human face on the company and affords everyone the opportunity to come together, share experiences and bond. To facilitate this interactivity, they created a town-square-like setting with many side rooms hosting sales training sessions and product activations. The Tree served as the centerpiece for this busy crossroad with attendees going back and forth across the venue, passing the Tree whichever way they were going.

The sheer size, shape and beauty of the incredibly photogenic Tree possessed some kind of magnetic draw for all guests. It seemed to attract anyone who entered the vast ballroom and naturally elicited smiles as people took thousands of selfies and choreographed group shots for posterity.

To further quantify the success, the company reported an unprecedented spike in social media activity - on twitter and Instagram - and found the Tree to be in many photos posted.

As creator’s of “Wow!,” we judge success as experience-makers by how we bring people together in a positive, emotional way. We utilized sheer fabric and creativity in a new and exciting way that proved to be compelling to our audience. That they recognized its specialness and allowed the experience to move them, giving this conference a set of memories never to be forgotten, is the most satisfying result we could have hoped for.

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