For Oasis Live ‘25, Star Live designed, engineered and built a modular staging system that stretches an impressive 72m and carries over 100 tonnes of production
It withstands storm-force winds yet goes from components to show-ready in just two to three days: modular construction executed to the highest standard.
Rock and roll engineering
The Ultra Stage system, used on the Oasis Live ‘25 UK & Ireland tour, showcases the full potential of modular engineering, combining scale, strength and speed in a way that sets a new benchmark for live event infrastructure.
Early systems were designed for components to be small enough to handle by hand, which meant thousands were needed for each structure.
As components became heavier, it became more efficient to pre-assemble parts into the largest sections that could fit onto a truck or into a shipping container and lift them into place with cranes.
The design process now looks for modular increments that work with this handling. For Oasis Live ‘25, around 90% of components were pre-assembled into truck-sized sections, reducing crew numbers and bringing build times down to just three 12-hour shifts.
Once rooted in live touring, these engineering principles are now reshaping how both permanent and semi-permanent buildings are delivered. As global projects face mounting pressure on time, safety and sustainability, this approach offers a faster, proven way to build – one that is already influencing the wider construction world.
The DNA of modularity
Modular staging systems are based on pre-engineered components, manufactured offsite and assembled at pace on site. They are designed for multiple reuse cycles, with precise tolerances and consistent quality.
This is modular construction in its purest form: fast to deliver, safe to build, designed for reuse and aligned with sustainable practice.
From modular staging systems to permanent-standard buildings
While a touring stage can be assembled in days, applying the same principles to permanent-standard buildings is about saving months rather than hours.
The results are transformative. At Battersea Power Station, Star Live delivered NEON, a 3,200 sq m immersive exhibition venue in under eight months.
The 128-tonne roof was preassembled on the ground and lifted into place using 48 synchronised hoists, cutting structural works by around 60% compared with a traditional approach.
The same approach is evident in other Star Live projects. At Butlin’s and Haven holiday resorts, entertainment venues that began as temporary modular facilities have been adapted into permanent, fully compliant spaces. This proves how these structures can evolve over time.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, modular construction enabled the rapid delivery of Nightingale hospitals and vaccination centres precisely when they were needed most.
More recently, modular solutions have provided swift, compliant responses to the RAAC crisis, keeping communities safe while long-term repairs are carried out.
Long associated with live events for their speed, repeatability and efficiency, these modular principles are now helping to address urgent challenges across healthcare, leisure, education and entertainment.
The wider benefits
Compared with traditional builds, modular programmes are typically 40% to 60% faster. They generate less disruption, with quieter sites and fewer vehicle movements. And with up to 95% of materials designed for reuse, modular embeds the circular economy from the outset.
All of this is achieved while meeting permanent Building Regulations, from fire safety and energy efficiency to accessibility.
Future vision
Modular is not only faster and more sustainable; it also creates opportunities that traditional construction cannot. Imagine a venue that can grow with its audience or a healthcare facility reconfigured as needs evolve.
Flexibility becomes a design principle, turning buildings into assets that respond to change, rather than resist it.
Changing how we build
The lessons from global music tours are clear. If a stage capable of carrying over 100 tonnes of production equipment can be built in days then the same approach can save months on the delivery of permanent standard buildings.
From immersive venues such as NEON to resort entertainment facilities, healthcare infrastructure and emergency response projects, Star Live is proving that modular is no longer just temporary. It is compliant, sustainable and future-ready.
Modular has shown it can meet permanent standards at pace and perform under the most demanding conditions, yet traditional construction still remains the default.
The prize is clear: faster programmes, less disruption and a more sustainable built environment. Modular has already shown it can deliver. The opportunity now is to see how far the approach can shape the future of construction.
*Please note that this is a commercial profile.
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