DSS Custom Builds fabricated a tennis-themed retail display for Polo Ralph Lauren at Melbourne Airport during the Australian Open. The installation brought together an oversized racket and ball, a tennis-ball feature wall, display shelves, clear acrylic columns and custom lockable cabinetry.
Building an oversized racket in sections
This was one of DSS’s early 3D printing projects. The printers available at the time could not produce the oversized racket in one piece, so the team printed it in sections, assembled it, filled the joins, sanded the surface and spray-finished it. The rounded string grid needed especially careful finishing. Textured tape gave the handle the look of a scaled-up tennis racket grip.
DSS now has larger 3D printers, allowing similar large pieces to be made with fewer joins. This project shows the workshop finishing involved when an early large-format print had to look seamless on display.
Making the tennis ball look convincing
The oversized tennis ball was also 3D-printed. Stretch fabric gave it a tennis-ball texture, but applying it neatly over the curved form took patience. After spraying and masking, white filler created the familiar seam. The detailed vinyl emblem was difficult to bond to the textured surface, so the team used additional adhesive to secure it.
A complete retail display
Behind the hero props, DSS CNC-routed a backboard with snug openings for real tennis balls. The team made the display shelves, laser-cut oval mirror inserts for the wall rackets and built the cabinetry from scratch, including lockable storage for eyewear and other stock.
Clear acrylic columns held more tennis balls at the front. Inner and outer tubes gave the columns a full appearance without filling the entire volume with balls; the components were bonded with acrylic adhesive. Blue acrylic elements were UV-printed to match the requested colour.
The finished airport installation
The finished display combined 3D printing, CNC routing, acrylic fabrication, cabinetry, graphics and detailed hand finishing in one Australian Open retail setting at Melbourne Airport.
Planning an oversized retail prop or branded display? Explore DSS’s large-format 3D printing and exhibition display services, or tell us about your project.