Ain Dubai Plaza lighting design represents the apogee of the vibrant lifestyle destination which Bluewaters Island is known for. As the visitors approach Ain Dubai, the drama and excitement of a world-class retail and entertainment zone which is evident throughout the Bluewaters retail strip, gradually builds up and culminates in a dazzling display of colours and animated light show in the plaza.
Complimenting the fun and colorful lighting principles of the Bluewaters retail strip, the plaza lighting comprises of traditional architectural landscape lighting principles as well as dynamic entertainment lighting elements. The plaza features seventeen 16-metre-high lighting totems which complement the aesthetics of the existing streetlights along the Bluewaters retail promenade. Each totem houses a cluster of gobo projectors and a state-of-the-art moving head in order to create an exciting array of colour and image projections in the plaza area. The plaza water feature is also illuminated by fully controllable and dynamic underwater light fixtures.
Through balancing architectural and entertainment lighting elements, the plaza lighting principles aims to create a fluid and adaptable lighting scheme which changes throughout the evening. This vision was achieved by integrating all architectural and entertainment lighting fixtures in a central lighting control system which also controls all the lighting elements in the Bluewaters Wharf Retail and therefore allowing for a synchronized lighting show throughout the retail and entertainment zone. Consequently, the overall mood and ambiance of the plaza is constantly evolving which allows the visitors to experience either a sophisticated, subdued, warm and inviting experience or be animated by the dazzling display of lights in the plaza area.
In the original lighting concept of the plaza, the surrounding buildings façade also played an important role in the plaza overall lighting scheme. Through the integration of dynamic façade lighting elements which were to be synchronized with the plaza lighting programs, the surrounding retail buildings would mimic and compliment the plaza mood and ambiance and provide an additional layer of interests for the viewers. However, as the project progressed through the years, the retail buildings which are surrounding the plaza were connected to each other through an external panoramic retail corridor and these façade lighting elements are now reflecting the vibrant ambiance of the plaza in an interior retail space.
Nevertheless, whether through surrounding buildings dynamic façade lighting or through its animated and colourful landscape lighting principles, the plaza overall lighting scheme aims to create a drama and to arouse interest for the visitors, whilst setting an alluring and vibrant stage for Ain Dubai, the world’s largest observatory wheel and its entertainment light show.
The design team aimed to overcome the challenges in creating a comprehensive entertainment lighting and control system in the plaza area as well as its surrounding retail buildings which would meet the client’s policy for clean roofs and invisible infrastructures and worked closely with allied designers (e.g landscape designers, architects), manufacturers and contractors to make this vision into a reality.
Ain Dubai Plaza lighting design is a great example of an artistic vision which challenged and redefined the technological limits which were prevalent at the time of its conception. Its lighting scheme which was designed along with the rest of the retail strip in order to arouse a sense of wonder and amazement in all visitors of Ain Dubai Plaza.
