Project Write-up
Project:
The Beacon, Boomtown Fair
Venue:
Matterley Estate,
Temple Valley,
Winchester,
SO21 1HW
Client:
Boomtown Fair
Date:
3rd-16th August 2022
The Brief:
To create a central Beacon in the centre of the site, that would act as a wayfinding point for festival goers as well as a communal resting and eating space. The Beacon was to incorporate interactive elements that showcase the 3 pillars of the respect campaign - respect yourself, respect each other, respect the planet. The Beacon was to look strong, bold and historic to create the sense of it having been there for years. It was to symbolise the historic value of the Boomtown Fair.
The Design Solution
A 21m tall tower with outriggers and steps leading up to a general meeting space in the centre
Respect Yourself: We placed a mirror inside the Beacon so festival goers could look into it and declare the mantras “I am beautiful” “I am brilliant” and “I am worthy” to themselves
Respect Each Other: We included a book titled “positive vibes only” so people could write kind messages to others
Respect the Planet: We also thought it be important to be a water filling station for people to refill and stay hydrated
The Challenges
Quite a small budget for a large asset to the festival design
The scaffolding design (this was some seriously creative and clever layer scaffolding design by our Production Manager, JP)
The Fun Elements
Coming together with talented friends, colleagues and creatives and seeing how much their skills and knowledge had developed over the years we hadn’t worked with them due to the pandemic
Being a part of the set build crew we have the privilege of also being able to attend the festival itself and we enjoy this so much
Client Feedback / Testimonial (quote):
"I have had the pleasure of working with Natasha since 2017. Since working with the Boomtown team she has managed the design and build, from concept to completion, of multiple stages and districts across the Boomtown Festival site each year. Her passion for design combined with her CAD skills and her knowledge and understanding of fabrication techniques is evidenced in the quality of the finished products."
Nicki Michard, Production Manager, Boomtown Fair
