The challenge
The premiere of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire by Warner Bros. Pictures required an unmissable outdoor activation capable of stopping commuters and luxury mall patrons along the Asia Afrika avenue and Plaza Senayan’s main entrance.
Key engineering and logistical challenges included:
- Harsh Outdoor Exposure: Uncovered open-air placement exposed to tropical Jakarta midday heat, torrential equatorial rain, and sudden high wind gusts.
- Monumental Scale & Anatomy: Both titans had to be balanced in a cinematic battle-ready pose without compromising structural integrity or visitor safety.
- Strict Overnight Installation Window: Work on the mall forecourt was restricted to after-hours slots (23:00 to 05:00) to ensure zero disturbance to daily mall operations and pedestrian circulation.
- Studio-Level Character Fidelity: Godzilla's complex reptilian scales, pink bioluminescent dorsal plates, and Kong's muscle anatomy with the mechanical yellow B.E.A.S.T. Glove had to match Hollywood production guidelines down to the finest millimeter.
Our approach
- 3D Modeling & Structural Load Computation:
Livindo's engineering team transformed the studio's digital assets into modular fabrication blueprints. The internal skeleton was constructed from heavy-gauge galvanized steel box sections engineered to withstand severe wind loads without requiring invasive floor anchoring into the mall's granite pavement.
- Precision High-Density Sculpting & Composites:
The massive forms were carved from dense EPS foam using 4-axis CNC routing combined with hand sculpting by Livindo's master artisan sculptors. The entire surface was laminated with multiple coats of marine-grade composite resin and woven roving fiberglass, yielding a rigid, impact-resistant, and 100% waterproof shell.
- Duco Automotive Coating & Luminescent Shading:
The finishing utilized an automotive-grade polyurethane duco system with meticulous airbrush shading to capture skin pores and furrowed scales. Godzilla's dorsal fins received translucent pink pigments with natural light-refracting coatings, while Kong's B.E.A.S.T. Glove was treated with authentic weathered industrial weathering and metallic highlights.
- Engineered Rocky Podium & Perimeter Protection:
Both figures were elevated on a 1-meter multi-tiered faux-rock podium. The podium served dual structural purposes: housing concealed concrete counterweights for balance and providing an intuitive, elegant physical buffer keeping visitors at a safe photo distance.
- Modular Transport & Rapid Assembly:
Manufactured in modular segments at Livindo's Kelapa Dua workshop in Gading Serpong, the components were transported via flatbed trucks and seamlessly assembled on-site using a mini mobile crane over two nocturnal shifts.
Outcome
The Godzilla x Kong installation emerged as one of Jakarta's most photographed brand activations in early 2024. Over tens of thousands of social media impressions across Instagram and TikTok drove surging footfall to both the cinema and surrounding retail establishments. The sculpture stood flawless through rain and sunshine for the entire promotional period, reaffirming Livindo's reputation for world-class experiential mall installations.
