BRUSSELS – Awards ceremonies are more than just celebrations recognizing outstanding individual achievements; at their best, they’re also positive reflections of the organization bestowing the honors. Such was the case at the Brussels Expo Paleis 10, where two women, Rika Coppens, CEO of House of HR, and Diane Govaerts of Ziegler, were named Manager Van Het Jaar (Manager of the Year) by Roularta Media Group’s Trends magazine, the largest circulation business weekly in Belgium, and Trends Tendence the Wallonia version of the publication.

Rika Coppens, the Trends honouree, and Diane Govaerts (Tendence) were both praised for their forward-thinking creativity and their ability to maintain high standards of excellence. The same can also be said of the stylish awards ceremony itself, which set a sophisticated, yet relaxed, tone throughout the venue.

Contributing to the success of the event was D-Dream, which provided technical support and creative vision for the evening’s activities. “We’ve been working together with Roularta Media Group, the publisher of Trends and Trends Tendence, for several years,” said D-Dream Managing Director Elke Scheirs. “This year, we were again chosen to supply all audiovisual support for the execution of the awards.”

Mixing dramatic, deeply saturated colors, along with evocative dark spaces at various points in the ceremony site, the design team created sleek contemporary looks. On the stage itself, the lighting was bold and crisp, working hand and hand with a large video projection, all while being camera friendly. At the center of the main auditorium/dining area was a massive overhead chandelier lighting display that underscored the importance of the proceedings.

“The theme colors for the event were very dark blue and gold,” said Scheirs. “We used a combination of these colors to create a cozy atmosphere. We are most proud of the chandelier which created a very memorable look.”

Helping the D-Dream team achieve these stunning results was a collection of 28 CHAUVET Professional Maverick fixtures. Among them were 20 Maverick Force 1 Spot units, which were used for backlighting, in addition to texturizing various areas and displaying sponsor logos with gobo projections. Also included were eight Maverick MK2 Profiles, which were called upon to provide front light.

For the visually commanding chandelier, the team relied on a large collection of CHAUVET Professional ÉPIX Strip IP one-meter linear fixtures. Combining the high output white lights with string curtain, the team created a dazzling effect with this magnificent centerpiece.

“The chandelier was a work of precision,” said Scheirs. “There were two different halls used for this event. The guests entered the building and walked through a self-made corridor decorated in the theme of the event, which we created together with partners. The corridor ended by the entrance of the auditorium where the guest took place and followed the awards show. After the show they took a different exit from the auditorium going through to the dining hall where we created the diner set-up with the chandelier and gobos of the sponsors.”

As they concluded their evening with dinner under that stunning chandelier, guests had to be impressed, not only with the accomplishments of the two award winners, but also with the exquisitely designed and impeccably executed production.