Amazing POP-UP Theater Inside a Dome
Cracow, Poland /
October-November 2015
Autumn can never be boring! Our crew hit Cracow in Poland to work on a special project called POP-UP Theater (original: Teatr POP-UP) staging the plays directed by the likes of Krystian Lupa and Olivier Frijic. That’s how a unique dome structure was made into a 300m² theater working as a temporary modern stage within the campus of The Cracow University of Economics.
The name of the project alludes to the concept of pop-up stores – unique retail spaces (mosty in UK and US) that appear in unexpected places as quickly as they vanish, offering limited-edition products and open for a short period of time only. Our special-edition theater also popped up out of nowhere and was no less extraordinary.
Inspired by the works of a famous American architect and visionary, Buckminster Fuller, Freedome 300 spherical tent ideally fitted its purpose. It not only provided unique stage setting, but was a metaphor for all things artistic, cultural, and perhaps even political.
The innovative structure was build just in time for the 250th anniversary of the first public theater in Poland, and the 25th anniversary of the political system change, thus sparking up quite a debate over the traditional models of cultural institutions and new wave of alternatives.
Immersive theater, customized to the needs of its performers, included Premium Floor and heating systems, LED lighting, double door and vinyl branding. With a steel frame of extreme durability, high quality PVC membrane and ultra-modern design, it formed a contemporary mobile alternative to traditional British The Globe.