Two-storey control room and floating stage hire for Backbone at the Rotterdam World Port Days

For Backbone we built a floating stage and a two-storey control room on the water by the Erasmus Bridge during the World Port Days in Rotterdam. We delivered foldable units and 11 decks, with stairs and railings, plus a control room with glass at the front and office spaces for the navy. On the stage, the freerunners of Team NL performed their show.

The brief: Backbone wanted to build a complete stage with a control room and work spaces on the water. The challenge was that everything had to stand stable and safe on a container ship, with a two-storey control room offering a view of the show.

Working on the water by the Erasmus Bridge means limited space and tight logistics. Material had to be hoisted on board with a crane and then quickly built into a workable whole. In addition to the stage, separate office spaces for the navy were needed, which had to fit into the same structure without making the whole thing cluttered or unsafe.

The approach: we chose foldable units as the base and built a two-storey control room with glass at the front on top of them. The glass gave the control room a clear view of the water and the show, while the lower level offered space for technology and a workplace. For the stage we laid 11 decks, connected with stairs and secured with railings, creating a large, continuous floor surface that could handle the load of a freerun show.

The foldable units were deliberately chosen to simplify logistics: up to 10 fit on one truck and they are quick to build. On a tight quay and a container ship, that saves delivery movements and time.

Why a two-storey control room: a two-storey setup keeps the footprint small while still providing two full levels. On the water, where every square metre counts, that was the logical choice. The glass at the front was not just an aesthetic addition: the control room had to maintain a continuous view of the show at the Erasmus Bridge, which is why that level was set up as a lookout point.

Working on the water: the biggest limitation was the surface, a container ship and decks on the water rather than solid ground. Everything had to be level, connected and safely accessible before anyone stepped on it. The crane work determined the sequence of the build, and by delivering the units and decks in the right order, the build could proceed in one continuous line.

Railings and stairs provided safe walking routes across the decks, even in the dark. On a floating stage with an audience along the quay, that is a strict requirement.

The result: there stood a complete floating stage with a two-storey control room, glass at the front and office spaces for the navy. On the 11 decks, the freerunners of Team NL performed their show, with the Erasmus Bridge as a backdrop. The combination of foldable units and decks made possible a structure that looks ordinary on solid ground but is a considerable logistical task on the water. The whole was ready on time and was used during the World Port Days.