AREA 51’s world-renowned creative gurus and workforce came together to help shape-shift part of London’s iconic Hyde Park into a phantasmagorical world of magic and mirth in time for Christmas. Building on the company’s involvement with the annual festive event from previous years, organisers tasked Area 51 with their most intensive and complex make-over yet for Winter Wonderland 2018.
Creating facades, entrances, props and scenery on a scale never seen before, creatives at the Warwickshire firm were kept busy for several months cooking up a breathtaking collection for the yuletide attraction that runs from November until January.
And with a secret forest theme in mind, designers, carpenters and colleagues went to work on a 7.5m tall snow cover castle fascia spanning the width of 30m. The feature contained 51’s custom lifelike modular trees, bespoke sculptured panels and winter foliage and areas were integrated for intelligent lighting and large neon signage to complete the look.
With Britain’s weather notoriously difficult to predict and often difficult to manage, the company had to include an impressive 18 tonnes of ballast hidden behind the scenic elements for public safety.
Work on the Bar Ice area included a ski chalet styled frontage, with a wood panelled front, complete with 2.4m pitched canopy roof and supported by authentic wooden poles. A large blue reindeer stood atop the decked entrance area, a custom designed 3D stag’s head and even custom poster prints promoting Hyde Parks Winter Wonderland produced in a vintage Alpine style.
GALLERY
