WARNER BROS WINTER STAGE
Engineering A Motorised Winter Stage At Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
In 2022, Evolution Scenic delivered a technically integrated winter performance stage at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The commissioning client supplied the creative concept, while Evolution Scenic developed it into a functioning temporary stage environment through coordinated technical and fabrication development.
The scope included technical design, CAD detailing, engineering, fabrication, lighting, video integration, installation and commissioning. These disciplines were coordinated so the scenic structures, mechanical systems and integrated technology could operate as one complete stage system without compromising the architectural composition.
The central arrangement featured a six-metre motorised revolve and an eight-metre clock tower, framed by two sweeping Art Deco staircases. Eight internally illuminated screen structures extended the architecture across the stage while integrating video content directly into the fabricated scenic environment.
The completed build combined rotating machinery, structural scenic fabrication, performer-access staircases, CNC-produced elements, illuminated screen housings and detailed scenic finishes. Together, these components created a unified temporary environment in which movement, structure, lighting and video worked as coordinated parts of the overall stage architecture.
Turning The Client Concept Into A Buildable Stage
The creative concept established the appearance, architectural character and overall composition of the winter stage. Evolution Scenic’s role was to resolve how that design could be engineered, manufactured, assembled and operated as a temporary performance environment while preserving the intended visual language.
The technical-design process defined dimensions, component divisions, internal structures, movement systems, cladding build-ups and installation interfaces. CAD detailing then translated the visual concept into practical production information for the metalwork, carpentry, CNC, fibreglass, three-dimensional fabrication and scenic-paint teams.
Several technical systems needed to function together within the same stage architecture. The six-metre revolve had to rotate cleanly beside the fixed stage, while the eight-metre tower required structural stability and the two staircases needed to provide reliable performer access between different levels.
The illuminated screen housings also had to accommodate video panels, internal lighting, cabling and technical access while remaining visually integrated with the scenic architecture. Coordinating these elements through one technical-development process helped align structure, movement, access, finishes and integrated technology before the individual components progressed into fabrication.
Constructing The Six-Metre Revolve
The six-metre rotating platform formed the mechanical centre of the stage and introduced controlled movement into the wider scenic environment. A large tapered roller bearing controlled the principal rotational axis, while heavy-duty caster wheels supported the platform around its wider diameter and helped stabilise the moving deck.
This wheel arrangement helped distribute the load and created multiple rolling points beneath the platform. The revolve was motorised, allowing the stage to change orientation during use while keeping the drive system and principal mechanical components concealed below the finished scenic surface.
The perimeter of the revolve required carefully controlled clearance from the surrounding fixed stage. Insufficient space could restrict movement or create friction between the moving and static sections, while excessive clearance would produce an undesirable visible joint and interrupt the continuity of the performance surface.
Evolution Scenic completed movement testing as part of the project’s technical checks and handover process. The final assembly combined structural support, mechanical reliability and a clean scenic finish, allowing the rotating platform to operate smoothly and consistently while remaining visually integrated with the surrounding stage architecture.
Building The Eight-Metre Clock Tower
The eight-metre clock tower formed the central architectural feature of the stage and created a strong vertical focal point within the overall composition. Its main support was provided by an internal I-beam structure capable of carrying the scenic cladding, decorative façades, clock feature, integrated lighting and associated technical elements.
The upper section was constructed from styrofoam and protected with a durable hard coat. This approach reduced weight at the top of the tower while allowing detailed three-dimensional forms, moulded features and architectural profiles to be produced without introducing unnecessary structural mass at height.
The tower was developed through a layered construction system rather than relying on one continuous material. Structural steelwork carried the primary loads, carpentry formed the architectural cladding and profiles, and CNC production created accurate repeated decorative components across the visible façades and detailing.
Styrofoam and fibreglass were used for shaped scenic details and more complex decorative forms where lightweight construction was beneficial. Combining these materials allowed Evolution Scenic to maintain the visual richness and scale of the tower while keeping non-structural scenic elements separate from the primary load-bearing system.
Fabricating Performer-Access Staircases
The two Art Deco staircases were developed as functional performer-access structures while also forming a major architectural part of the stage composition. Their primary frames were fabricated from mild-steel rectangular tube, providing the structural strength and rigidity required for repeated use throughout the performance programme.
Curved components were formed using a pipe-rolling machine, allowing Evolution Scenic to achieve consistent radii across the handrails and other sweeping structural elements. This fabrication method helped maintain the smooth, symmetrical geometry required by the Art Deco design while keeping both staircases visually aligned.
Once the structural steelwork was complete, the carpentry team clad the frames using MDF and plywood. CNC-produced components added the detailed geometric treatment, while styrofoam and fibreglass were used for additional shaped scenic elements, decorative profiles and architectural build-ups around the staircase forms.
The staircases therefore needed to perform structurally and visually at the same time. Their frames, treads, balustrades, cladding and scenic finishes were developed as one coordinated assembly, providing practical performer access while reinforcing the sweeping architectural lines leading towards the central eight-metre clock tower.
Integrating Eight Scenic Video Screens
Eight video-screen structures were fabricated as integrated parts of the stage architecture rather than treated as separate technical equipment. Their housings were designed as internally illuminated floating scenic frames, allowing the screens to sit naturally within the wider composition while reinforcing the architectural rhythm of the stage.
Each assembly used bolted connections and incorporated a video panel supplied by Evolution Scenic. The housings needed to provide reliable structural support for the displays while also accommodating cable entry, internal lighting, concealed connections and access for technical servicing and maintenance.
The screen frames, lighting and positions were considered from the technical-design stage onwards. This allowed the video elements to be coordinated directly with the surrounding scenic structures, ensuring that the displays, illuminated housings and architectural detailing worked together rather than being added after fabrication had been completed.
Evolution Scenic also supplied the principal large video screen within the central stage environment. Integrating both the main display and the eight surrounding screens into the scenic package created a consistent relationship between video content, illuminated frames and the overall stage architecture, strengthening the visual continuity of the completed environment.
Combining Structural And Scenic Materials
The stage required a combination of structural and scenic materials, with each selected according to its specific role within the build. I-beams provided the primary support for the central clock tower, while mild-steel rectangular tube formed the load-bearing staircase frames and other structural scenic components.
MDF and plywood were used extensively for architectural cladding, profiles and decorative build-ups. These sheet materials gave the carpentry team the flexibility to create clean scenic surfaces around the underlying steel structures while supporting the detailed geometry of the overall stage design.
Styrofoam allowed lightweight three-dimensional forms to be developed, particularly within the upper section of the clock tower, while fibreglass was used for shaped surfaces and durable scenic components. CNC milling produced accurate repeated parts and complex decorative profiles, helping maintain consistency across the fabricated architectural details.
Combining these materials allowed Evolution Scenic to balance structural performance, scenic appearance and fabrication efficiency across the stage. Load-bearing elements remained appropriately engineered, while lighter decorative components could be produced without introducing unnecessary weight into the overall construction.
Applying Cohesive Scenic Finishes
The stage architecture incorporated several distinct scenic finishes, each used to reinforce the Art Deco character and give the fabricated surfaces greater depth. Marble effects were applied to selected façades and structural surfaces, creating a more substantial architectural appearance across key areas of the stage.
Rustic gold treatments were used on trims and decorative components, introducing tonal variation and an aged metallic quality. Multicoloured rammed effects added layered colour to larger surfaces, while sand-like cement textures provided a contrasting mineral finish.
Metallic highlights were applied to mouldings, frame edges and other Art Deco details. These treatments needed to remain visually consistent across steel, timber-based cladding, foam and fibreglass components, despite the different textures and absorption characteristics of each substrate.
The scenic-paint team therefore had to coordinate colour, texture and sheen across a wide range of fabricated elements. The completed finishes were also developed to perform under programmable lighting and changing video content, ensuring the architectural detailing remained clear throughout different stage conditions.
Supplying Stage Lighting And Video
Evolution Scenic supplied the lighting integrated throughout the stage, including illuminated scenic frames and architectural lighting across the screen structures, central tower and staircases. These lighting elements helped define the fabricated architecture and emphasise the stage geometry during operation.
The lighting system allowed the scenic environment to shift between different visual states while maintaining the clarity of the principal architectural features. The illuminated screen housings also strengthened the relationship between the video content and the surrounding scenic construction.
Evolution Scenic supplied the video panels installed within the eight screen housings as well as the principal large screen incorporated into the central stage environment. This allowed the display systems to be coordinated directly with the scenic structures, lighting positions and technical access requirements.
The resulting stage combined fabricated architecture, integrated lighting and video within one coordinated technical package. This helped ensure that the screens and illuminated scenic elements operated as part of the overall stage composition rather than as separate production layers.
Delivering A Three-Month Fabrication Programme
The project was completed over an approximately three-month programme, covering technical development, engineering, metalwork, carpentry, CNC production, three-dimensional fabrication, fibreglass, scenic paintwork, lighting, video integration and final site delivery.
Each major scenic component followed its own production sequence. The six-metre revolve required mechanical fabrication and movement testing, while the eight-metre clock tower progressed from structural steelwork into cladding, shaped scenic elements and decorative finishing.
The performer-access staircases needed to reach structural completion before MDF and plywood cladding, CNC-produced details and scenic treatments could be applied. The eight screen housings followed a separate route combining scenic fabrication, internal illumination and video-panel integration.
These parallel workstreams had to progress in coordination so the mechanical, structural, scenic and technical packages could come together before transport and installation. Managing the programme in this way allowed the different specialist fabrication disciplines to converge into one complete stage system.
Overnight Installation In An Operational Venue
A crew of approximately 30 people delivered the installation at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, with the main site works taking place overnight. The restricted working pattern meant large scenic and mechanical components had to be lifted, assembled, aligned and tested within limited access periods.
The installation sequence needed to preserve access to the central clock tower and six-metre revolve while allowing the staircases, screen structures and surrounding stage components to be positioned around them. Careful coordination was therefore required so that each major element could be installed without obstructing subsequent work.
The eight-metre clock tower required controlled lifting and connection to its prepared base, while the staircase steelwork needed to align accurately with both the central structure and the lower stage. The revolve also required precise positioning so that the central bearing, caster wheels, motorised drive and surrounding floor could operate together correctly.
The eight scenic screen structures were bolted into position before the associated video and lighting systems were commissioned. Once the structural, mechanical and technical elements were in place, Evolution Scenic completed the required checks and handover to bring the full temporary stage environment into operation.
Managing Movement, Loading And Compliance
The stage combined several technical requirements within one temporary environment, including moving machinery, performer-access structures, an eight-metre tower and integrated electrical systems. Structural calculations were completed for the relevant stage and scenic components to support safe operation.
The load-bearing staircases and performance surfaces were tested for their intended use, while the six-metre motorised revolve underwent movement testing. These checks helped verify that the mechanical and structural elements performed correctly before the stage entered operation.
Lifting plans were prepared for the installation of large scenic components, including the central tower and other substantial fabricated elements. Flame-retardant requirements were also followed across the relevant construction materials and scenic finishes.
Stability checks, inspections and formal handover completed the compliance process. Together, these controls supported the transition from workshop fabrication and overnight installation to a fully functioning performance environment within Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.
Completing The Winter Stage
The finished stage presented a symmetrical architectural composition centred on the eight-metre clock tower and six-metre motorised revolve. These principal features established the main visual axis of the environment and connected the structural, mechanical and scenic elements into one coordinated arrangement.
The twin Art Deco staircases linked the lower and upper stage levels while framing the central tower. Around them, eight illuminated video-screen structures extended the architecture across the wider stage and integrated digital content directly into the fabricated scenic environment.
The motorised platform introduced controlled physical movement, while the combination of marble effects, rustic gold treatments, textured surfaces and metallic highlights added depth across the scenic façades. Integrated lighting further defined the architectural forms and allowed the stage to take on different visual states during operation.
The completed environment brought together architectural fabrication, mechanical engineering, performer access, scenic finishing, lighting and video as one functioning system. The result demonstrated Evolution Scenic’s ability to coordinate multiple specialist disciplines within a technically complex temporary stage installation.
