Dark Horses Turns London Building into Giant Racing Helmet for Nissan Formula E

Last night a giant Nissan Formula E helmet landed in the heart of London transforming the 110 The Queen’s Walk Building into a massive moving racing helmet. 

The stunt, which was created by Dark Horses and Nissan Motor GB, in partnership with Grand Visual and Pixel Artworks with media planned and bought by Nissan United UK, was created to celebrate the arrival of the Nissan Formula E team in the capital and the final race taking place at ExCel London on 30th July. It uses innovative motion video mapping and Nissan race livery colours to give the illusion the helmet is racing.

The 110 The Queen’s Walk Building, was once described as a 'monstrous carbuncle' by King Charles, was chosen because of its uncanny resemblance to a racing helmet. Although there have been previous projections on the side of the building, this was the first time the front of the building has been projected on incorporating its structure as part of the stunt, giving a dramatic impact and mesmerizing the audience. 

The projection was also the culmination of Nissan’s ‘Feel Electric Festival’ taking place in the busy social hub of London’s Covent Garden, which is being executed by Fusion 2K. A unique Cherry Blossom Garden has been set up around the Nissan Formula E lab where people are invited to put their driving skills to the test with racing simulators. People also have the opportunity to grab a photo with digital versions of both Nissan Formula-E racing drivers, Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato. 

Outside in the stunning Cherry Blossom Garden people can relax and sample limited edition Sakura sushi and complimentary drinks whilst watching the racing live. And for the final surprise of the festival, on Friday and Saturday evening people will be treated to  an immersive Japanese dance and music performance, inspired by the spirit of Kabuki.

Dark Horses has also created some digital OOH and print work for the festival which will be prominent on the London Tube and the Metro newspaper. 

Steve Howell, chief creative officer at Dark Horses, said, “For the final race of the season, we wanted to create a stake in the ground moment that really showcased Nissan Formula E taking over the city. And there was no bigger stake we could find than transforming one of London’s most iconic buildings into a 150 feet tall Nissan race helmet.”

Nic Thomas, marketing director Nissan Motor GB Limited, said, “The Feel Electric Festival is designed to bring the excitement of Formula E to life ahead of this weekend’s races. The projection on the 110 The Queen’s Walk Building is a very high profile visual spectacle that combines art, technology and motorsport with the Nissan Formula E Team. We want it to captivate people and inspire them to find out more about this fantastic sport.”