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Mace topping-out ceremonies
Audiovisual, staging and technical setup for Mace’s Stonecutter Court topping-out ceremony on a Farringdon rooftop, with St Paul’s on the skyline
Client
Mace (Mace Construction, main contractor)
Event
Stonecutter Court topping-out ceremony
Location
Stonecutter Court, Farringdon Street, London EC4A
Thursday, 1 February 2024
Scope
Audio visual equipment, set and stage setup, tech setup, on-site technical crew.
EVENT OVERVIEW
Mace needed a clean, reliable AV and stage setup for the Stonecutter Court topping-out ceremony in central London. The event took place on the newly topped rooftop of the 13-storey building, high above the city, with views across the London skyline and a working construction environment all around.
Stonecutter Court is a major office redevelopment near Farringdon Street. Mace was appointed by CO-RE on behalf of Ivanhoé Cambridge and Allianz Real Estate to deliver the project, a 13-storey, 236,000 sq ft Grade A office scheme designed by TP Bennett, with two basement levels, ground and podium floors, four roof terraces, retail units and courtyard space repurposed for public access. By the time of the topping-out ceremony, 158,000 sq ft of the building had already been pre-let to international law firm Travers Smith for its new London headquarters.
For the topping-out ceremony, EMS Events supported the moment with the audio visual equipment, stage setup and technical delivery needed to turn a construction floor into a clear, safe and professional event space.
About the event
A topping-out ceremony marks an important construction milestone, traditionally the moment the highest structural element of a building is placed. It gives the project team, client, contractors and partners a moment to recognise the progress made before the building moves toward completion.
At Stonecutter Court, the ceremony needed to feel professional without hiding the reality of the site. Guests were arriving into a live construction environment, surrounded by exposed steelwork, safety barriers, hoists, equipment and skyline views. The setup had to respect the site conditions while still giving the event a polished front-of-room focus.
EMS Events created a practical event setup with display screens, PA speakers, a raised stage platform, lectern, AV control position and technical equipment arranged to support speeches, visuals and audience engagement.
THE BRIEF WAS TO CREATE A SAFE, CLEAR EVENT SETUP ON A LIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE
The brief was not just to bring AV equipment to site. It was to make the space work for a formal ceremony.
The setup had to support speeches, branded screen content, clear sound, guest visibility and a tidy presentation area. It also had to be installed and managed within the rules of an active construction site, where access, PPE, lift movement, loading routes and safety zones all affect how equipment can be delivered and positioned.
EMS Events needed to provide equipment that was strong enough for the environment, neat enough for a client-facing ceremony and simple enough to operate smoothly on the day.
THE CHALLENGE WAS TURNING A CONSTRUCTION FLOOR INTO A CEREMONY SPACE
Construction sites are not standard event venues.
There are no soft finishes, no built-in AV infrastructure and no fixed event stage. Access routes are tighter. Equipment movement takes longer. Every cable, case, stand and speaker has to be placed with safety in mind. The audience is surrounded by site barriers and structural works, so the event setup has to create focus without blocking movement or visibility.
The rooftop-level space also brought light and sound challenges. Bright daylight affected screen visibility. Open sides and hard surfaces changed how sound travelled. The skyline made the setting impressive, but the AV still had to keep attention on the speakers and ceremony.
Load-in and derig also had to fit within the same working day. Everything that went up came back down that afternoon so the site could return to normal operations without disrupting the wider construction programme.
EMS Events had to make the setup feel controlled, professional and ready for a milestone event, while working within the limits of the construction environment.
EMS EVENTS DELIVERED THE AV, STAGE AND TECHNICAL SETUP
EMS Events supplied and installed the audio visual equipment for the ceremony, including display screens, PA speakers, technical control equipment, stage elements and a lectern.
The display screens gave guests a clear view of project visuals and ceremony branding from different positions in the space. The PA system supported speech delivery across the open construction floor, helping the audience hear clearly without the setup feeling heavy or intrusive.
The stage platform and lectern created a defined presentation point for the ceremony. This gave speakers a clear place to address the room and helped the event feel organised rather than informal.
The AV desk and technical setup gave the EMS Events crew control over sound, playback and equipment during the event. Flight cases, cabling, stands and screens were brought into the site via the construction hoists, positioned safely and tested before the ceremony.
WHAT EMS EVENTS PROVIDED
- Audio visual equipment: The AV equipment needed to support speeches, screen content and the live ceremony setup.
- Set and stage setup: A clean stage platform and lectern to create a clear focal point for speakers and project representatives.
- Display screens: Large screens positioned around the space to show project visuals and ceremony content clearly.
- PA system: Speakers on stands to distribute sound across the open construction floor and support clear speech delivery.
- Microphones: Equipment that allowed presenters and speakers to address the audience clearly without relying on voice projection in the open site environment.
- AV control position: The technical control area supporting sound, screen playback and on-site adjustments during the event.
- Equipment delivery and rigging support: Movement of flight cases, screens, stands and AV equipment through the construction site access route and via the site hoists.
- On-site technical setup: The crew installed, tested and managed the setup so the event ran smoothly on the day, and fully dismantled the equipment before evening.
Client Feedback
EMS Events understood the site conditions and delivered exactly what we needed for the ceremony. The setup was clean, safe and well managed, with clear sound, strong visuals and a professional stage area. The team handled the technical side calmly, which allowed the event to run smoothly in a live construction environment. - Mace Project Team
THE SETUP WAS BUILT AROUND VISIBILITY, SOUND AND SAFETY
Every part of the setup had to work around the site conditions.
The display screens were placed so guests could see visuals without gathering too tightly in one area. The speakers were positioned to support clear audio while keeping walkways open. The lectern and stage platform gave the ceremony a defined front-of-room area, while the AV desk stayed close enough for technical control without becoming the focus of the event.
Working at height also shaped every logistics decision on the day. Every stage panel, PA speaker, screen, flight case, cable drum and rigging piece had to be planned against a slot on the construction lifts and hoists, because the site’s own vertical workflow was already running. Weight, size and load-in order were all worked out in advance, so nothing had to be sent back down for a rebuild. Once on the roof, cabling had to be routed and secured against the wind and against guest foot traffic, and every piece had to be movable, because it all had to come back down the same route it came up, on the same day, without leaving the site behind schedule.
This is where EMS Events added value. The job was not only about supplying kit. It was about making the equipment work inside a space that was still being built.
THE BRANDED ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTED THE CEREMONY MESSAGE
The Stonecutter Court branding, Mace backdrop, sponsor wall and topping-out graphics gave the event a strong project identity.
EMS Events’ AV setup helped that identity carry through the space. The screens supported visual content. The stage gave the ceremony a clear centre point. The PA helped speeches reach the audience. The technical setup made the event feel planned rather than improvised.
For a topping-out ceremony, that matters. The event is not only a progress marker. It is a moment where the project team, client and contractors come together to recognise the work behind the build, and, in this case, to mark the topping-out of one of the city of London’s most sustainable new office buildings, on target to achieve one of the lowest embodied carbon levels of any new office in the City, at 581 kg CO₂/m².
Moments From The Night
THE RESULT WAS A CLEAR, PROFESSIONAL TOPPING-OUT CEREMONY
EMS Events helped turn an active construction floor at Stonecutter Court into a functional event space for Mace’s topping-out ceremony.
The setup gave the ceremony clear sound, visible screens, a defined stage area and controlled technical support. Guests could focus on the milestone, the speeches and the project story, while the technical details were handled in the background.
The result was a practical, polished and site-appropriate ceremony setup that worked with the environment rather than against it.
Bring Your Next Live Event to Life With EMS Events
To discuss LED video walls, stage lighting, or full event production, get in touch with our team.