Making headway making headlines.

The hat salvation ! It was a complicated procedure of balancing the lowering of the net and the removal of the hats. However, we dismantled the set within the hour and over 75% of the threads are still in tact !

Show time!

Site prep and construction.

Testing and production!

The show was absolutely fantastic, we did not expect the installation to look so stunning in the end with the lighting, music and all happy dressed up people around it. It was a great experience, I am beyond grateful for being part of this project and meeting all these brilliant people. :)

Taking down the installation- rather tricky to salvage every hat.

Show over, guests have dispersed, the end of the event.

Ready, set, go. Fashion show about to begin... lets see if the hats stay up!

After hanging the final few hats, the installation was complete and looked amazing!

Standing on the scaffolding made for a great view of the sky of hats we had created!

On Friday the team finished off the installation by hanging smaller threads of hats across the rest of the net.

By the end of Thursday the screen had been completed and looked beautiful. Surprisingly, it looked almost identical to the computer model we had made and we were all really pleased with the result.

The hats quickly took shape, and by lunch time the central part of the installation was nearing completion.

The very first thread being hung! Each thread was carefully hung in place according to the grid we had already modelled.

By the time I arrived at the church on Thursday, the installation had already begun and the net was hung across the balustrades. The scaffolding had been erected and we were ready to start hanging the threads of hats carefully from the net.

Thursday 15th:
The installation is starting to take shape! Following the grid plan we had created was crucial in this stage, hanging each labelled thread in its correct position in order to create exactly what we had planned out.

Wednesday 14th:
Deliveries at 9am: Timber, scaffolding, straps
After cutting the timber to size, we constructed the structure that sits in the galleries on either side, held in place by the pillars.
It took a day of testing and adjustment to span the net with the right tension over the required area using straps and rope.

Testing and rigging the net on Tuesday 13th, before heading to Stocky P on Wednesday for the first installation day in St Marys church!

FROM THIS ... TO THIS IN ONLY 2 WEEKS !

On the last day of preparation, the team finalised the installation with a number of separate strings hanging from all over the net. 'The clouds became the sky'. On 17th May we are required to take the installation off after the shows took place, and of course we will be there to enjoy the shows ourselves.

The next day, everyone had to participate in the assemblage of the installation, a.k.a. putting the hats on. Once again, team work was essential, and the group did very well on this day as well. The main bit of the installation, the backdrop itself was fully built. Discussion took place regarding the 'clouds' which were meant to be separate, smaller bits of hats hanging from above the audience. The need of this became debatable, since the backdrop stood out very well itself.

Following on from the preparation process in studio, half of the team went to the church site, in order to start putting up the fishing net that will hold all the strings of paper hats in place. Great team work and good vibes resulted in both the net and the scaffolding up in place by the end of the day.

From 'clouds' to 'sky'. The concrete design plan abandoned for a more spontaneous formation. Initial concern that these threads would detract from the main screen, however, there's a loose symmetry to the new additions- transforming the installation from a flat screen to a sculptural piece running through the space.

Screen on 15.05, currently discussing the addition of 'clouds' and wether they are necessary- from straight on the screen appears 2D and flat- an attempt to bring the installation into the entire space was decided upon and planned for 16.05

First section of the installation complete on 15/05/14. A system of reshapers/'plump'ers, passers and hangers works rather efficiently for a speedy process.

Elevation of some of the layers for construction2

Elevation of some of the layers for construction1

Calm before the storm ! The installation begins...

The installation is nearing completion. Starting with the main structural components on wednesday we started hanging the hats on thursday. 1 day until show showtime

The Grand Finale...Hard work has paid off!

You can leave your hat on (the net). Hanging the hats on the net, and making sure there more 3 dimensional.

Nets up and ready to hang!

Sun set. Beautiful light conditions.

Testing the net, working out the weight distribution to avoid the net sagging.

The view from the original 14th C Altar just catches the light through the floating hats.

All hands on deck to 'fluff' the hats and hang the strings, feeling privileged to work on such a beautiful site.

Nathan threads the net. Built to catch Herring, it will hold up thousands of paper hats.

Welcome to St Marys Church Stockport.

Evening light.

And on the third day of building, the installation was completed!

Mimicking apexes

Floating hats installation

Building Day: St Marys Church, Stockport.
The growing installation.

DAY 5: We threaded the hats together attaching a curtain hook to each strand.

DAY 6: Testing the net. We hung a section of the hats onto the net whilst holding it in tension.

Working at speed to get all the clouds up before the scaffolding was removed. The lights, sound and project complete.

Finally, as the day comes to a close, the net is complete. Decisions on the arrangement of the clouds are made for the following day.

Hats, more hats and hangers. Scaffolding and a full team working their way across the net with careful precision to create the perfect installation.

After a presentation on 1st May, the collaborators and client chose a proposal to bring forward. The chosen proposal involves numerous folded paper hats tessellated by being hanged up on strings on various levels, shaping up a backdrop and screen, that will block the view from the public audience and provide 'safe' green room. The first few sessions were about planning layers, folding hats and setting up stations of production.

After being allocated in groups of three, we were given the task to work on the initial ideas for a proposal for the backdrop installation. Since this development stage took place during holidays, communication and task distribution happened via internet connection. Each group had to cover the basic theoretical approach and a brief aesthetic and technical description of the proposals.

almost ready for the hats fashion show!

Details. Paper hats, hooks, the net and threads

Installation process at St. Mary's church in Stockport

29th April 2014. First meeting was held in Stockport. The group first met the fifth year co-ordinators, the collaborators and client. We all had a brief look at the church and took part in a guided tour in The Hat Works Musuem. Following on from the museum visit we went to the office provided by the MSA to brainstorm and discuss initial ideas.

The finished screen.

Attaching the strings of hats onto the net, the arrangement is based on a grid pattern.

Human chain: collecting the strings of hats together in the right order, then passing them up to the people on the scaffold so the strings could be hooked onto the net.

Shaping the hats before they were attached to the net.

View from the gallery of the church

Close up2

Close up1

Axonometric of the screen

Screen Completed!

The finished screen acting perfectly as and artistic installation aswell as a functional barrier taking care of all the presented practicalities.

Once the main body of hats were up we began the side which seems to grow upward. We had to construct the screen in sections so that we could avoid damaging the old tile walkway.

Once we were inside the tunnel we could sense the screens sculptural nature

The net responded well to the weight but once we tightened the straps it became more proportionate.

Testing the first layer of hats to check how the net responds to their weight.

Spot the Net!

Rope through net / Stockport

Preparing the timber / Stockport

Preparing the straps / Stockport

Preparing the net / Stockport

Double story Scaffolding assembled and tested. We aimed for the net to be unnoticeable and in this image it achieves this by being nearly invisible.....

All 3 bays hoisted into position and await tweaking once we begin to add weight in the form of our screen.

Eight ratchet straps holding each bay of the net working well. Once the weight of the screen is added the straps will allow us to tighten the net if there is and sag.

Net set out with perimeter rope threaded and bracing straps attached ready to be hoisted very carefully......

5.2m batterns moved into position and ready to be strapped down...

Counting loops to determine the central point of the net.