Company:
Sollertia Inc. Montreal, QC

Project Details

Fabric 1

Flexlight Advanced 1002 S2
Producer: Serge Ferrari
Supplier: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.


Engineer Name 1
Jérôme Noël, Sollertia (membrane)/Pierre Rodrigue, WSP (structure)

Engineer Company 1
Sollertia Inc. (membrane)/ WSP (structure)

Design Name
Technical Design: Nathalie Lortie, Claude Le Bel (Sollertia) / Guy St-Amour (Prod. Artéfact). Design: Lune Rouge Entertainment

Design Company
Technical Design: Sollertia and Productions Artéfact/ Design: Lune Rouge Entertainment

Fabrication Name
Membrane: Karenne Janso-Le Bel (Sollertia) / Steel structure: Martin Ouellet (Scène Éthique)

Fabrication Company
Membrane: Sollertia Inc. / Steel Structure: Scène Éthique

Project Manager Name
Simon Lemèle

Project Manager Company
Sollertia Inc.

Installation Name
Simon Marsolais/ Claude Le Bel

Installation Company
Sollertia Inc.


Please describe the project specifications

The PY1 Pyramid is an 80 ft high nomadic fabric structure with a floor area of 125 ft x 125 ft. A small entrance pyramid (2,388 sq.ft.) and a corridor (1,038 sq.ft.) also make up the entire infrastructure of PY1. Its first installation was in the Old Port of Montreal, and the second assembly will be in Miami.

Sollertia enthusiastically collaborated with Lune Rouge and Scène Éthique on this project by performing the feasibility study, analysis of the membranes and working on technical solutions for the realisation of smooth and stable textile façades for the main pyramid, the small pyramid and the corridor. Sollertia also installed the finishing profiles at the corners of both pyramids.


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

The PY1 Pyramid is a new touring venue specifically designed for the presentation of multimedia shows and immersive experiences. Imagined by Lune Rouge, the concept is to put the audience at the heart of the experience. Their vision is to use technology to tell stories in a different way to bring people together. Their goal was to bring entertainment to new heights. To achieve this, they created a first of its kind venue where full immersion reaches new heights and technology transcends emotions.

The request of the client was to create a light pyramid structure for touring presentations. The goal was for the installation time and transport to be as close to that of a circus big top touring show. The request made to Sollertia was to conceive textile façades which are easily installed on the steel structure while targeting exceptional aesthetic qualities.


What is unique or complex about the project?

Scène Éthique and WSP previously worked on the design of a temporary pyramid-shaped structure. The challenge of this project was to fabricate a lighter structure by using flexible membranes instead of rigid panels and using quick attachments instead of the standard nuts and bolts in order to make it fit into 40-ft long containers. The goal was for the installation time and transport to be as close to that of a circus big top touring show as possible.

Several goals were targeted for the design of the textile facades. They had to have flat and smooth surfaces, as they are used for projection, be light-tight, watertight, quick to install, light, stable, and withstand high wind speeds.

Sollertia developed simple and effective fastening and tensioning systems that are resistant to touring conditions, allowing quick assembly and disassembly. The challenge was to design efficient systems and assemblies to adequately stretch large areas of membranes and ensure flat surfaces. The design of large flat membrane surfaces represents a challenge in finding solutions for the stability of the entire structure when exposed to high winds (one face of the main pyramid represents 6,686 sq.ft. of membrane). We made sure that the membranes would not come into contact with the structural elements.

Together with the team, we made sure that no structural elements damaged the membrane surfaces during installation. The realization of flat membrane facades of this magnitude represents a major challenge in the search for a solution aimed at the stability and aesthetics of smooth surfaces.

An unparalleled coordination work was necessary between the study and the realization of the stretched membranes by Sollertia and the structure by Scène Éthique and WSP.


What were the results of the project?

Lune Rouge is very please with the final product. The shows have begun in Montreal, and tickets sales are in full swing.

Sollertia is proud to have collaborated with Lune Rouge, Scène Éthique and WSP to make this pyramid structure a success. We worked together with this team, bringing our expertise in textile architecture combined with our knowledge of setting up and dismantling of tour structures, to find effective solutions and realize remarkable textile facades.


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