NZ’s giant rugby ball for Paris
by Sam Mickell
In a world first, a giant inflatable rugby ball will take centre stage next to the Eiffel Tower for the Rugby World Cup.
The ball will be branded with the slogan ‘100% pure NZ’ and will accompany the magnificent French icon for the duration of the cup.
The rugby ball’s presence is part of a Tourism New Zealand initiative to promote New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The ball - 25m long by 17m high – is hollow, and contains a function centre stacked with multimedia equipment to showcase sights and sounds typical of New Zealand, chosen by leading Kiwi artists, musicians and film-makers.
The design is a world first, the brainchild of Kiwi creative genius Angus Hennah.
Inside Out productions – a Kiwi event concept company responsible for such extraordinary events as Louis Vuitton’s 150th birthday - were awarded the task of building the world’s first oval inflatable venue.
They didn’t fail to deliver. And after nine months of painstakingly hard work, the ball was finished.
The giant ball has two air pumps sucking in 8000 litres of air per second to keep the ball pressurized, while guests are free to enter and leave as they please thanks to an innovative revolving door system - another world first.
Usually guests would need to enter an airlock before entering a pressurized structure, but a revolving door system designed by Inside Out productions allows guests to enter the ball whilst maintaining the pressure needed to keep it inflated.
“The doors seal under pressure…but they can also be opened in an emergency”, says Mike Mizrahi, director of Inside Out productions.
People are amazed permission was granted for the ball to be placed in such an iconic spot, however, France’s love of rugby and New Zealand are said to have put the request in a favourable light.
The giant ball will be officially opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark on the 5th of October.
Following the World Cup, Tourism New Zealand plan to take the ball around the world on a promotional tour for the 2011 World cup.
What do you think of the $4.6m Paris rugby ball project? Tell us what you think by submitting a comment below.