Moet & Chandon

The project
At Australia's prestigious Melbourne Cup Carnival, sponsors' marquees also vie for first place! Moet & Chandon wanted to make sure their tent would eclipse the big race itself. The brief Moet & Chandon commissioned PTW Architects to create a VIP 'birdcage' tent. It should be light,  easy to erect and dismantle and it should epitomise everything that is loved about French champagne - especially the bubbles.

The concept
Together with PTW architects we brought imagination to reality. The larger than life bubbles mimicked the surface tension of 'bubbly' and were light, airy and truly spectacular.

The materials
Finite element software and the latest patterning techniques were employed. To compensate for the stretch properties of Lycra, the material had to be patterned over 12% smaller than the final shape in order to achieve a totally smooth, wrinkle-free effect. Fixed to the roof of the marquee and supported primarily by gravity, the structure's shape is based on 31 individual panels sewn together. Installation and dismantling took less than an hour, the completed structure weighed less than 38 kg and was transported in a sports bag to and from the site.

The result
PTW Architect Chris Bosse has been hailed as the leader of 'Bubbleism'. His 'bubbles' can be found in the Beijing Aquatic Centre, Stadia China exhibit and Germany entry Pavilion. Described as an 'avant-garde environment not of this earth' in the media, the Moet & Chandon marquee went on to win many awards including the Australian Canvas And Synthetic Products Association (ACASPA) award for excellence and IFAI award for excellence under the category of Tradeshow & exhibition Stands in 2005.