This was our third year working for Set Live at Cannes Lions and the largest build to date, seeing us provide the entire multi-zoned YouTube structure and decking that spanned two beaches, attracting 11,500 attendees over the course of eight days.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity gathers creative communications professionals from across the globe. The YouTube Beach hosted talks, performances and over 2,000 product demonstrations; featuring inspirational speakers, YouTube stars and international performers such as Nile Rogers and Chic.
The YouTube Beach covered an area 55m by 20m and comprised various zones configured in a series of small islands. These were interconnected by decking walkways and also through the graphic ‘red thread’ that ran across, over and through the various zones of the set, drawing attendees into and through each area. Key areas included the Main Bar, Beach Volleyball, Chill Out zones, Demonstration areas, Beach Bar and the Main Stage.
Each area included different features, from tiered seating platforms, staging and bars to more unusual features such as the Virtual Reality Demonstration Area. This consisted of a fully enclosed room, with screens mounted within portholes on the outside, enabling anyone passing to peer in and share the Virtual Reality experience with the headset wearer on the inside.
All elements were manufactured in our workshops before being shipped out as a kit of parts. The build consisted of various single storey structural steel elements which were clad with rough sawn timber planks, interspersed with awnings and canopies. All timber used on this project had to be specially procured in order to meet the French M1 fire rating. The timber was stained or painted as required in the YouTube colours of red, grey and black, embracing the hand painted graphic style and in keeping with the relaxed, laid back feel of the design.
Our crew provided housing for all LED screens, including the large Main Stage screen and the many LED screens of various shapes and sizes that were incorporated into the ‘red thread’ feature.
