Long Ma: a monumental machine in Accoya

Long Ma Jing Shen is a spectacular monumental machine representing a mythical creature, half horse, half dragon, conceived by François Delaroziere and built by Compagnie La Machine, based in Nantes and Toulouse. Created to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China, this articulated machine weighing several tonnes breathes fire, rears up, lashes its tail and interacts with the audience in grand performances. Accoya wood was chosen to withstand intense mechanical stresses (movement, vibration, torsion) and repeated exposure outdoors: rain, sun and changes in temperature. Its dimensional stability, its exceptional durability and its light weight, achieved through acetylation, were essential to the mobility of the whole, while how easily it machines allowed bespoke parts to be assembled. Long Ma demonstrates the potential of Accoya wood in an unexpected world, that of performance machines and contemporary mechanical creation.