America's Cup Regatta 2013

FDL was commissioned by Anderson Design to develop and manufacture a series of large moulded fibreglass forms for a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise display at the 2013 America’s Cup Regatta in San Francisco. Designed to resemble billowing sails, the forms were incorporated into the display known as the Plastic Waka.

Standing approximately four metres high and 2.2 metres wide, each sail was free-formed before being carefully cut and finished to achieve its sweeping sculptural shape. Fibreglass was particularly well suited to the project, allowing the large, complex curves to be produced without the weight associated with many traditional construction materials.

The completed forms were transported to San Francisco and installed within the Plastic Waka by the Anderson Design team in July 2013. The project demonstrates the freedom composites provide when creating large architectural and exhibition features with unconventional shapes.