ONE SET: TWO PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS
CALA is all about transforming prestigious sporting occasions into something considerably more glamorous after the final whistle – and Area 51 has helped bring that vision to life at two of the UK’s most fashionable events.
Described as a new Bohemian paradise inspired by the likes of Tulum, Mediterranean coves, Balearic sunsets and agave-filled landscapes, CALA’s growing portfolio includes dedicated environments at both Polo in The Park and the Henley Royal Regatta.
The events are given additionally sophisticated day-to-night destinations where sport, hospitality, music and partying collide.
And Area 51 was given a brief to help turn the CALA concept into a physical environment – and crucially, one that could travel.
The 2025 project began at Polo in the Park which was held at Hurlingham Park in Fulham, London where CALA made its debut as part of the three-day event. More than 25,000 guests attended with the CALA tent becoming one of THE busiest attractions of the whole weekend.
Area 51 created a bespoke environment designed to feel worlds away from the conventional event marquee.
The aesthetic drew on North African and Maghrebi influences, with muted, sand-textured walls, architectural arches and Moroccan-style foliage to create a warm, sophisticated and slightly exotic atmosphere.
At the centre was a substantial 20-metre bar and back bar, incorporating arches and shelving, alongside a large DJ booth and a dedicated VIP lounge.
Extensive wall panelling concealed the original marquee structure, transforming what began as a functional, temporary building into a much more immersive and contemporary hospitality environment.
FROM THE POLO FIELD TO THE RIVER
And this is where the project became particularly inspired and clever.
The Area 51 set installation was designed from the outset to be dismantled, transported and reconstructed, allowing the CALA environment to move from one major sporting occasion to another.
Once the Polo in the Park had concluded, the entire structure was carefully packed down and taken to the Heley Royal Regatta, where it was re-installed for a second major occasion.
Polo in the Park was staged in June 2025 with the Henley event taking place the following month when the regatta ran from July 1-6 to provide six days of world-class rowing and an exceptionally high-profile social backdrop.
So while the sporting action changed from polo to rowing, the CALA experience could retain its distinctive identity.
MAKING THE ORDINARY EXTRAORDINARY
It may sound like a relatively straightforward scenic project, but this is precisely where Area 51’s design and fabrication expertise comes into its own.
A marquee is, ultimately, just a temporary structure. The challenge is making it feel like somewhere people want to be.
And that means hiding the tent itself and to create architectural interest, establish atmosphere and to build an environment that feels deliberately designed rather than temporarily assembled.
Area 51’s team did exactly that: combining scenic walling, architectural detailing, foliage, abrs, DJ infrastructure and VIP spaces to create a complete CALA destination.
And because the whole thing was engineered to travel, the same creative investment could work across multiple prestigious events.
From the polo pitch at Hurlingham Park to the riverbank at Henly, Area 51 helped CALA prove that the best temporary spaces don’t have to feel transient in the slightest.
