Marek Papke on his Cameo design for NATURE ONE 2024

In interview

Pydna, missile base. These two words alone are enough to send EDM fans into raptures. Simply, NATURE ONE is THE festival for techno, house, trance, hardstyle, and all other varieties of electronic dance music in Germany (and beyond). A great amount of the special atmosphere at NATURE ONE is thanks to its main stage. At this location, visitors don’t just dance in front of the stage, but in the middle of an elaborate truss construction with numerous light and video elements which takes on a different shape every year.

Marek Papke from GERDON DESIGN has been responsible for the stage, lighting, and content design for the main stage for many years. Back in 2023, Marek put his trust in a wide range of Cameo lights for the stage and truss construction. Now the festival’s creative force is returning to the missile base and once again has plenty of Cameo with him – first and foremost the OTOS® H5 IP65 Beam-Spot-Wash Hybrid Moving Head. We spoke to Marek about NATURE ONE’s fascinating appeal and his lighting design (“clean, straight, powerful”).

Hello Marek, you were once again responsible for the lighting and stage design at NATURE ONE 2024, working with GERDON Design. What makes this festival so special for you?

Marek Papke: NATURE ONE is something like a home base for me. It’s like a feeling of coming home. The festival simply has a special vibe that overwhelms me every year thanks to the unique site and incredible atmosphere. Even during the first night of setting up the lights – two days before the official start of the festival – you can already hear the bass at the campsite. The 14-hour party gets started as soon as the gates to the site open. In addition, the many small floors built around the main floors give NATURE ONE a unique atmosphere. This is how the site is always able to dish up new surprises, and you really can’t get enough of it in one weekend.

What has changed on the main stage compared to 2023?

Marek Papke: With this year’s stage design, we’ve established a new look which stands out above all for its clean lines and uncluttered architecture. The stage applies a contour based on architecture, and it’s filled with decorative elements such as banners and single-pixel LED strips. On the floor, we’ve supplemented the basic shape of the pyramid that everyone knows with a design made up of crossbars.

“The festival simply has a special vibe that overwhelms me every year.”
Marek Papke, GERDON DESIGN

Was there an overriding theme for the main stage?

Marek Papke: Yes, the theme was “organic industrial”. We applied this to the video content above all, for which we created a look with plants that brings to life the industrial-looking base structure of the Layher stage, using “organic” elements.

How do you approach the design for a big festival like NATURE ONE?

Marek Papke: The designs are created in close coordination with the organiser, I-Motion. Firstly, we think together about what we particularly liked in previous years and what new ideas we want to try out for the current year or the next one. Based on that, I then create a 3D visualisation that serves as the basis for the technical planning. After that, our technical partner, Schoko Pro from Wiesbaden, plans every detail until we have a finished stage in front of us in the end. So, my day-to-day work is mainly done in 3D programs and on the phone. As the on-site show director, I’m responsible for ensuring that all the operators from the various trades are able to do their best and that a unique show is created through their interaction together.

Which system do you work in during pre-production?

Marek Papke: Pre-production in our studio is done entirely on a Depence 3 system. We completely preprogram the time code intros, the 20-minute “NATURE ONE Inc” show, our busking show file, and the video content, with the result that we only have to make adjustments when we’re on-site.

“I’m always amazed at how easily the OTOS® H5 survives an outdoor techno festival lasting several days.”
Marek Papke, GERDON DESIGN

What was your focus when designing the lighting?

Marek Papke: The scaffolding structure at the main stage offers a wide range of options for attaching the lights to Layher ledgers. My approach is to follow the lines of the stage with the lights. For example, there are several long, straight arrangements of Cameo OTOS® H5s, which I use to emphasise the geometry and shaping of the stage. Additional OTOS® H5s, arranged as sets of four on the scaffolding structure, create the classic “sky beam” look. A matrix of 8×4 OTOS® H5s is also used in the centre grid above the floor, delivering plenty of punch from above. At NATURE ONE, we’ve been working exclusively with IP-certified fixtures for several years, which is why we have the ZENIT® P130 as a backlight and truss toner and the ZENIT® W600 for banner lighting. In our experience, the weather can change quickly at our location. We prefer to just play it safe in this respect.

What impressed you most about the OTOS® H5?

Marek Papke: I’m always amazed at how easily the OTOS® H5 survives an outdoor techno festival lasting several days. Switching between rain and blazing sunshine is no problem for the light, and we haven’t had a single failure in a week of production. And the lamp is also simply great fun during the show!

Marek, thank you for this conversation!