Christmas Marquee Letters
About
Seventa, an established events planning and management agency, approached ARN Design to create a set of large illuminated marquee letters for a Christmas market installation. We’ve been collaborating with Seventa since 2024, and this project offered the perfect opportunity to expand both the relationship and our in-house capabilities.
At the same time, we had recently invested in new metal fabrication equipment, making this our first substantial project using those tools. The brief was to design and build a set of robust, freestanding letters that would stand up to outdoor winter conditions, incorporate lighting, and create real visual impact within a busy festive setting.
Services Used
- Concept & CAD Design
- Laser Cutting
- Metal Fabrication & MIG Welding
- Powder Coating
- CNC & Fabricated Bases
- Assembly & Installation
What We Did
Concept & CAD Development
The project started from scratch. We developed the letterforms and structure through CAD design, working out proportions, structural support and how each element would be assembled. Designing at this scale required careful consideration of wind load, stability and safe installation in a public environment.
The CAD stage also allowed us to coordinate how lighting, frame and ballast would integrate into one cohesive system.
Laser Cutting & Metal Fabrication
The letter faces were laser cut in steel by Knees Engineering, giving us precise, clean profiles to work from. Back at the workshop, we fabricated and MIG welded steel edges to create depth and strength, forming robust 3D letters.
This project marked our first proper use of our new metal fabrication setup, pushing us confidently into welding and steel construction alongside our existing CNC and timber capabilities.
Powder Coating & Festoon Lighting
Once welded, the letters were professionally powder coated to provide a durable, weather-resistant finish suitable for outdoor use.
Festoon lighting was then integrated into the design, giving the letters their warm, festive glow and ensuring strong visibility within the Christmas market setting.
Frame, Ballast & Final Assembly
To secure the installation, we fabricated a bespoke steel support frame, onto which the letters were bolted. For stability, we created weighted plinths using CNC-cut and painted plywood ballast boxes, designed to house sufficient weight while maintaining a clean, considered appearance.
All components were assembled into a single, structurally sound installation ready for public display.
The Result
The finished illuminated letters created a bold, eye-catching focal point within the Christmas market marquee. More importantly for ARN Design, the project marked a significant step into metal fabrication, welding and large-scale structural builds, expanding our workshop capabilities beyond timber and CNC manufacture.
It was a great way to stretch ourselves technically while strengthening our ongoing partnership with Seventa - combining CAD design, laser cutting, metal fabrication and CNC processes into one cohesive festive installation.
