Did you watch Dua Lipa at the 2021 BRITs? If you did, you saw our work. Built in just three weeks, the set was based on an underground train model. The main challenge was that the lighting setup was the key to the aesthetic of the set. But it needed to still be strong enough to hold the dancers, and be light enough to lift.

We built the train as a framework using rectangular hollow section steel. Which aside from lightness was crucial for another reason. We could hide the complex and numerous wiring looms needed to make the lighting work.

We even laser cut the hollow steel with access ports. That let us feed the wiring looms through the steel and into the hollow seats (which still had to be strong enough for performers to dance on).

From there we could accommodate the underside lighting, the tram lighting and wire up into the upright poles. Those poles were a challenge too. As once again, dancers would swinging on them, they needed to be easy to take off to adjust the lighting, and be translucent.

So, first we went to stress analysis. Because it would be unforgivable should one break during performance. That analysis helped us figure out everything we needed to from materials to fixtures and fittings.

After some testing, we landed on needing three lighting elements in the tube to give it a bold 360-degree glow.

Fortunately, we were building the flying arms too, so we could decide to create the train as six sections of framework. Which simplified the building of it and allowed us to make the decision to fly the train as two sections.

All that, done in three weeks.