THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II CENTRE’S 30TH BIRTHDAY

Opened by the Queen in 1986, the Queen Elizabeth II Centre wanted a 30th birthday party with a difference for those who had helped make it one of London’s most successful events venues. It hosts more than 400 events a year, so its own birthday party had to be world-class. Area 51 were commissioned with creating a massive montage of 1980s memorabilia – the boom box, Rubrik’s Cube, Pac-Man, hard rock, glam rock, Return of the Jedi, and many more. The dining area, however, needed to take on a fully immersive futuristic appearance.

Slide 1
Slide 1 - copy
Slide 1 - copy
Slide 1 - copy
previous arrow
next arrow

THE BRIEF:

Opened by the Queen in 1986, the Queen Elizabeth II Centre wanted a 30th birthday party with a difference for those who had helped make it one of London’s most successful events venues. It hosts more than 400 events a year, so its own birthday party had to be world-class. Area 51 were commissioned with creating a massive montage of 1980s memorabilia – the boom box, Rubrik’s Cube, Pac-Man, hard rock, glam rock, Return of the Jedi, and many more. The dining area, however, needed to take on a fully immersive futuristic appearance.

THE BUILD:

We took three of those key cultural icons – 80s pop culture, glam and sci-fi – to create three separate themed entrances for guests. Area51’s larger-than-life doorman cheerfully directed visitors at random into one of the three walkways for a welcome and a photo opportunity wearing the wigs and fashion items we provided. From there they entered the Cambridge Suite for reception drinks. It was decked out in vibrant 80s décor with a giant Rubik’s Cube, boom box, 1980s prints and memorabilia hung around the room, and they were entertained by street dancers. The climax of this journey was the ascent via a Tron-inspired staircase to the Mountbatten Suite dining area, which we had transformed into the fuselage of a massive sci-fi Mother Ship. This huge enterprise took our team just two days to construct, and the organisers were overjoyed with the results.

GALLERY

RELATED POSTS

THE FLAME AWARDS

The glitzy and prestigious Flame Awards at the Telford International Conference Centre honours exceptionally high standards in the physical activity sector. Health clubs, leisure centres and charity events, as well as workplace wellbeing projects vie for the winners’ podium. The décor needed to be gold standard.

FORMULA 1 BOBBLEHEADS

Caption / alt text: Racing ahead – Area 51 sculptured 3D caricature heads for Formula 1 drivers Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Riccardo and Valtteri Bottas. In the vast crowded venues of F1, create a range of eye-catching, identifiable caricatures who will stand out and be greeted rapturously wherever the F1 races are held

EXOTIC OCEAN COLOUR SCENE

Three teams of elite entertainers jetted out to the Indian Ocean paradise of the Maldives to bring extra Easter exultation to holidaymakers enjoying themselves in the exclusive enclave. And among the heights of this latest week-long trip half way across the world for Area 51 was their construction of the world’s tallest water contortion bowl at Reethi Rah

TIME FOR A NEW CIRCUS

Time waits for no one…and Area 51 unveiled a brand-new circus show during a run of festive performances at the immaculate Heart Of England Conference and Events Centre right in the centre of the country.