The streets of Milwaukee roared this summer as bikers from across the globe made their way back home. Production Plus was there to help make it all happen. With street parties across the city, multiple venues and the introduction of the Harley-Davidson Museum and a special exhibit at Discovery World the 105th anniversary event had something for everyone.

Working with the independent curator Ileen Gallagher and producer Robert Butters, we were entrusted to overcome many challenges to create a museum like environment and exhibit from the innovative designs of Lorenzo Apicella and Matthew Clare of Pentagram, San Francisco. A special exhibit entitled "Designing Custom" was hosted by Harley-Davidson at Discovery World with a closer look at how Harley-Davidson's bold cutting edge ideas come together to be mechanical scultpures driving a culture of free thinkers. This event featured many one of a kind prototypes entrusted to Production Plus to display with custom mounts that showcased them as true works of art.

Even before the first bike rolled in, we were at work figuring out how to turn a patch of grass into a temporary exhibit that could hold up to weather, wind gusts off the lake and provide the comforts of a permanent structure. We were entrusted to overcome many challenges to create a museum like enviroment. Floors, walls, electric, air conditioning, and stability were all taken into consideration to ensure that the structure would be safe and inviting for the guests as well as secure and flattering for the one of a kind items Harley-Davidson wished to exhibit.

The truss structure outside the tent masked the fact that this structure was temporary from the outside while solid walls, flooring and exceptional lighting created the illusion of a permenant exhibit inside. The tent was transformed from the ground up to showcase the unique styling and cultural cues taken in creating Harley-Davidson bikes from sketch to final production.

Guests are greeted with large scale graphic panels and videos explaining the diverse culture surrounding the Harley-Davidson brand and the individuals that design Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The main part of the exhibit explores the creation and inovation that takes place everyday at Harley-Davidson. From sketches to computer models to one of a kind pre-production parts and bikes, many of which bare the signatures and notes of the designers. Designing Customs helped the fans and riders of Harley-Davidson bikes learn the depth of thought put into every Harley-Davidson bike before they see it in their local showroom.

Finallizing with a display of production models, the result of the notes, models and drawings seen in the main hall. The bikes many of the visitors ride and love in a whole new perspective now that they know all the thought and care Harley-Davidson takes to make these bikes rolling art and precision machines.

Production Plus was involved in creating signage and groundplans for the concerts and events at Veteran's Park and the Summerfest grounds as well. From building a huge 105th anniversary logo to grace the top of an equally huge stage to the parking and venue signage, Production Plus left a mark across the event creating visually impressive and easily understood directional signs for the entire 105th event.

As the event closed and the unique roar from the pipes went from a scream to a whisper, we're looking forward to next time and the thundering sound of another ride home.