ICAO Reception
As part of the triennial General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Arab Emirates mandated Lulu Événements to produce a prestigious immersive reception at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
The objective: to create a multisensory experience highlighting aeronautical innovation, as well as Emirati culture and identity, for 1,600 delegates from more than 170 countries.
This diplomatic event required a technical execution comparable to an international touring production—within a highly regulated corporate environment.
Lulu Événements selected Solotech for one key reason: its ability to provide both senior-level specialized labour and a fully integrated audiovisual solution—including audio, video, lighting, and rigging—eliminating the need to manage multiple vendors and simplifying logistics, planning, and creative programming.
Very quickly, the scale of the project became clear. More than twelve 53-foot trailers of equipment—more than some arena concert tours—were required to transform the venue into an immersive environment.
140 motors, 200 rigging structures, 10 LED walls, nearly 400 automated lighting fixtures—and a technical team working around the clock in rotating shifts to deliver the highest possible standard for this one-of-a-kind evening.
“A success like this is built on teamwork, and I was extremely fortunate to rely on an exceptionally skilled technical team. More than a dozen department leads applied the expertise and know-how they’ve developed on touring productions to a high-end corporate event. Despite the long hours and fatigue, the synergy was remarkable, and I am immensely proud of the entire team’s efforts.”
– Simon Bonami
Project Manager at Solotech
The technical approach was built around a fully integrated audiovisual architecture: ROE Visual LED panels driven by Brompton processors; ROBE lighting programmed to support cultural and protocol-driven storytelling; an L-Acoustics sound system optimized for flawless intelligibility in a fully transformed environment; and a multi-layered video workflow featuring more than twelve synchronized media servers routed through two Barco E2 processors, ensuring seamless mapping across content, transitions, and independent LED walls.
Every element had to function as a single, unified system.
Over the course of several days—and nights—the venue was completely transformed. Technical crews, designers, content creators, and logistics teams worked as one to bring this ambitious vision to life.
“Working with Technical Director Mathieu Desroches was an absolute pleasure,” added Simon Bonami. “His deep understanding of our challenges, unwavering adaptability, and open-minded approach make him an outstanding partner. I look forward to our next collaboration.”
“Every contributor to this project—every artisan, every technician working behind the scenes—deserves recognition,” said Mirella Di Blasio, President and Creative Director of Lulu Événements. “A huge thank you to Solotech for delivering this project under the technical leadership of Mathieu Desroches, the ultimate TD ninja!”
On the evening of the event, the reception delivered a fully immersive experience where technology, culture, and precision converged.
“Watching guests enter the room and film everything as if they were at a U2 concert gave me chills,” added Mirella Di Blasio.
The event was praised by diplomatic teams and international delegates alike, reflecting a flawless execution and an uncompromising level of precision.
Explore the event in video format, courtesy of Lulu Événements and Benoît Rousseau.
ICAO Reception in Images
The Team
Lulu Événements Team
Production Director: Mirella Di Blasio
Project Manager: Luz Carbonell
Technical Director: Mathieu Desroches
Lighting Designer: Hubert Gagnon
Audio Designer: Pat Laforce
Solotech Project Team
Project Manager: Simon Bonami
Senior Lighting Crew Chief: Martin Laurendeau
Lighting Crew Chief: Simon-Olivier Lamothe-Landry
Senior Video Crew Chief: Steve Lalonde
Senior Video Crew Chief: Ian Bertrand
Video Crew Chief: Olivier Dupuis-Nadeau
Video Crew Chief: Adam Notman
Senior Audio Crew Chief: Alexis Lucas
This project would not have been possible without their commitment, expertise, and close collaboration with the Lulu Événements team and all technical partners involved.
Set Design – STUDIOS ARTEFACT
Special Effects – CR34TE and FOSFOR
Custom LED – T-NODE Systems
Stages and Drapery – Show SDT
Labour – PRO-SPEC
Structures – TRUDEL RIGGING
Structures (Hoists) – FLYPLATT
Furniture – ABP
Photos: Patrick Beaudry
