If you’ve been at enough concerts, conferences or corporate events in South Africa, Saudi Arabia or the UAE over the past couple of decades, there’s a decent chance that you’ll have found yourself inside an In2Structures venue. With a wide range of benefits, the company’s distinctive domes have become a popular choice for event producers and organisers all over the region, and now as the company celebrates its 20-year anniversary, the industry demand for its offering is showing no signs of slowing down.
The origins of In2Structures can be traced back to long before it got its current moniker. Founded by husband-and-wife team Otto and Linda Wijnberger, the first iteration of the company was known as Art of Light, which launched as a rock ’n’ roll lighting supplier in 1985. By 1999, the company had pivoted to staging and set construction, then five years later, thanks to a partnership with Gearhouse, In2Structures was established, specialising in the design, manufacture and rental of custom structures and staging for music and theatrical projects.
With the Wijnbergers now managing the company from their home in Cape Town, the In2Structures Johannesburg headquarters is now staffed by Design and Workshop Liaison Manager, Adriaan Janse van Vuuren, as well as Administrator, Sheila Mazibuko, with Project Manager Ernest Phethla heading up the on-site delivery team.
The company remains part of the wider Gearhouse Group, which has grown steadily under the leadership of Joint Managing Directors Ofer Lapid and Nasser Abbas since its formation in 1991 to now include a range of complimentary businesses that combine to form a true turnkey solution that can deliver every aspect of even the most comprehensive projects in house.
In2Structures’ early creations included the Maxi and Flat truss dome structures, which were later followed by the Midi Dome (a compact, high-strength solution for smaller events), Maxi Lite (a versatile structure delivering the same load capacity as the original Maxi but with a 40% smaller freight footprint), and the flagship Supa Dome, measuring 36m wide, 17m to the apex on the exterior and 15.4m on the inside of the truss arch apex, and with the capacity to be extended to an almost unlimited length.
One of the biggest selling points of the company’s structures is the impressive weight-loading capabilities they offer, with rigging capacity far exceeding what would be possible in a typical tented structure, which allows productions to create bigger and more ambitious shows than was previously possible in temporary indoor venues.
Another point to note is that In2Structures can deliver much more than just a shell, with the company considering all related services that transform the structure into a fully functional venue, such as site layout of kitchens, ablutions, tensile surround structures, landscaping, and parking facilities. “This can be done in conjunction with the client’s architects or directly,” Otto stated. “We also advise or partner with their local suppliers regarding the installation of air conditioning, working lights, emergency signage, and internal fire extinguishers.”
The company also offers a comprehensive after-sales service, with on-site training for build-up and breakdown as well as maintenance. “Where a structure is ordered for touring purposes, it is delivered with transportation stillages and packaging to promote easy truck loading and minimise damage to parts,” Otto added.
Whenever In2Strucutres develops a new venue, all engineering and analysis is verified by consulting engineers. “Our modus operandi is to test build the arches of a new structure and apply a series of load tests,” Otto explained. “These results are compared with the finite analysis supplied by the engineer and, once certified, we continue with full production. When a structure enters service, a comprehensive installation, loading, assembly, and maintenance manual is prepared.”
While the widespread rental success would indicate that the domes are predominantly designed to be a temporary solution, such is their sturdiness, it’s well within the realms of possibility that they could be used as semi-permanent structures. In fact, TPiMEA witnessed a prime example of this firsthand at Cape Town’s Zip Zap Circus – a Flat truss dome structure that has stood in the same place adjacent to the city’s Artscape Theatre since it was purchased by the organisation in 2007.
While it’s been used for more than its fair share of high-profile projects both in South Africa and overseas in recent years, In2Structures’ largest venue, the Supa Dome, was recently deployed in perhaps its biggest show yet, with the venue utilised for the recent Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town. This brought into focus the company’s sustainability credentials, which are being assessed and enhanced constantly. “We select our materials from reputable suppliers who form part of a chain where the steel, aluminium and PVC coverings are recycled if they are no longer serviceable,” Otto stated.
“We also stay abreast of the advances made in painting and corrosion protection to avoid spirit-based formulations in favour of water-based, non-toxic coatings,” he added. “We now avoid hot-dipped galvanising in favour of Nano, water-based coatings that can be dipped. This negates the huge amount of energy required to keep a bath of zinc at 480°C.” The company has also began introducing solar power to its factory and is considering electric forklifts in an effort to further reduce its carbon footprint.
What’s next for In2Structures? According to Otto, the next step is a bigger and better Mega Dome measuring a cavernous 50m wide. “Made to order, the Mega Dome would take around six months to complete, including a full test build for viewing, and be ready for shipping. All structures are designed for easy transportation in containers and on stillages for trucking,” he stated.
With groundworks for a semi-permanent Supa Dome installation in a prime spot outside Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium already underway and several other exciting projects in advanced planning stages, In2Structures is continues to build on its longstanding success.
Photos: In2Structures, Roy Pottergill, DarkWing Aerials
