Star Events’ VerTech Ultra stages specified for the Adele 25 tour have become the first ever event industry design to win at the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) Structural Awards, which recognise exemplary engineering, creativity and innovation on a worldwide basis.
Developed, built, tested and shipped to Australia in just 4 months for the start of a round stadium tour, the identical structures suspended 90 tons of production equipment at 25m above the ground. The stages were specified to bring Adele closer to her audience, due to the award-winning singer’s specific request, and preserve sightlines across stadia with audiences in excess of 95,000. With attendance records broken upon the arrival of every stadium, including Wembley.
Now in its 50th year, the IStructE Structural Awards’ judging panel comprises some of the most experienced and respected professionals in structural engineering. Their specialisms include academia, architecture, construction, sustainability, innovation and research. Star Events were awarded the Best Small Project (of between £1-3m), with the judges highlighting VerTech Ultra’s bespoke features, which enable the structure to reach beyond previous bounds of stadium stage touring ‘in the round’.
A spokesperson for the judges said: “The Adele 25 Stage engineering took account of the vast constraints and design drivers to produce a safe, efficient, elegant and reusable structure. The adaptability in its design allows it to be used in different countries, taking account of change in environments, multiple design code requirements and variable foundation and support conditions. It is also designed to be easily transportable and reusable, and easy and fast to construct, which allows for repeat use and therefore minimises costs.”
Roger Barrett, Star Events’ Special Projects Director, commented:“It is a brilliant achievement for the whole Star team in conjunction with our structural engineers, OPS Structures, to have our temporary structure engineering recognised, on a truly global level, by a team of eminent judges who have no connection with the events industry.”