The Forum des Halles in Paris Unveils Its New Canopy with Airstar

	The Forum des Halles in Paris unveils its new canopy with Airstar.

After five years of work and a €1M investment, the colossal project to refurbish the Forum des Halles in the heart of Paris was recently unveiled to Parisians. The new stylish shopping mall proudly features an impressive 140m long by 80m large canopy, made of 18,000 scale shaped glass elements, which can be seen from outer space.

As the owner of the Forum des Halles, business property group Unibail-Rodamco, was keen to offer an unforgettable artistic experience for the inauguration of the brand new venue, and called in event and communications agency Lever de Rideau.

Under the artistic direction of world renowned dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, seven dance companies, including acrobats suspended in the air took over the large open area underneath the canopy to animate it in front of thousands of witnesses. The "Unexpected Show", a suggestive performance dedicated to Parisian culture, transformed for a few hours the architecture of this amazing venue in an inspiring stage.

To emphasize the dramatic aspect of the performance underneath the canopy, Lever de Rideau trusted Airstar European Network (AEN) and their lighting balloons. Fourteen Crystal air ventilated balloons, each equipped with six 400W halogen lamps and measuring 200cm were deployed on the three levels of the Forum des Halles.

Nicole Coatleven, production manager at Lever de Rideau, commented: "We decided to use Airstar lighting balloons because they allowed us to light up the event in a discreet yet decorative way, while allowing to capture the performances in the best conditions."

The balloons were rigged on metallic totems measuring 3m high to optimize the lighting and help fill up the space. The totems proved very useful, acting as a single point for lighting, sound, and decoration. Technical provider Impact Evénement was responsible for the installation, including power, lights, video, and sound.

According to Martin Leblon, event and architecture business manager at AEN, the Crystal balloons rigged on totems are the perfect answer for these events. "In such a vast open space, the wind intake can create technical and security issues. Having the balloons rigged to a firm encased concrete block, allows for the structure to be secured, while having the balloons lifted at an optimized height. It's also aesthetic, the loudspeakers can be rigged on the structure, and it provides a beautiful, non-glaring light, which was perfect for the performers."

A dedicated AEN team was on duty for the whole event duration. "We were totally satisfied with the end result, as well as the professionalism from the AEN team," Coatleven confirmed.

The balloons were installed the day before the inauguration, and were dismantled in a mere two hours after dawn, ensuring a peaceful evening for the neighborhood.