Sentosa Crane Dance

McLaren Engineering Group engineered an 80-foot-tall animatronic Crane Dance in Singapore. The figures are abstract representations of cranes, a bird with strong significance in Singaporean culture. They stood in the middle of Sentosa Bay, on a concrete platform 200 feet from the shoreline of Resorts World International’s Sentosa building. Each animated figure weighed more than 150,000 pounds, yet moved in a graceful, safe and accurate motion.

Designing for Saltwater

McLaren carefully coordinated with various owners, designers and prospective fabricators to manage the complexities of competing demands to deliver unparalleled results that fit the vision of all involved. Positioned in the middle of a saltwater marine environment, on a major shipping lane, McLaren’s entertainment team worked diligently to ensure the figures were made from materials that could withstand a highly unfavorable environment and be easily produced. The design overcame environmental challenges to deliver a stunning show, with complex electronics and precision servo-controlled mechanics.

Additional Services

For the Sentosa Cranes exhibit, McLaren Engineering Group also provided a range of motion study, and calculations for the barge deck and wall design, barge truss design, pile design, barge anchorage, loading platform and rockwork support, and temporary work platform.

Award Winning

This design won the Structural Engineers Association of New York’s Excellence in Structural Engineering Award as well as a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement.