Preparations are currently underway for the dismantling of one of Cape Town’s most recognisable installations, the Coca-Cola Crate Fan. Affectionately named Elliot by the team that constructed the installation, the Coca-Cola Crate Fan has stood proudly at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront since 2010, a legacy of Coca-Cola’s partnership with the FIFA World Cup.

Standing 15 metres high and consisting of over 2600 red Coca-Cola crates, the structure was initially intended to stand for one year but three years down the line it is still a much loved and visited feature of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

The construction of the Coca-Cola Crate Fan was in itself an engineering feat. Being able to keep such a huge structure stable, meant that the foundations needed to include steel cabling, giant water bottles, weighted sandbags and further reinforcements along the harbour wall to support the weight. The dismantling of the structure involves a rigid program and vigilant procedures including barricading the entire surrounding area off and using carefully positioned scaffolding so that the crates can be removed one by one and lowered to the ground using ropes.

Although this is the end of the road for Elliot, it is not the end of Coca-Cola’s® presence at the V&A Waterfront. “Elliot has been a fantastic ambassador for our brand but we are in discussions with the V&A Waterfront team on a new installation to delight and engage visitors. It is sad to bid farewell to Elliot but we are redirecting the crates into a recycling program with our bottling partner, Peninsula Beverages,that will benefit the local community and increase awareness of the importance of sustainability in South Africa”, comments Donnay Carter, Brand Manager, Coca-Cola South Africa.