The Mosque which accommodates more than 30,000 worshippers and is the sixth largest in the world also provided the perfect canvas for Speirs & Major to win the best interior lighting design for a 'Public Building'.
Speaking about the multi-award winning project, Jonathan Speirs, director at Speirs & Major Associates commented: "To win not just one but two awards for the same building is a testimony to the talent and dedication within our team as well as the quality of our lighting design which we feel paid the perfect complement to an outstanding example of Islamic architecture. It is also very gratifying that such an eminent panel of judges should recognise our work in this fashion and to be honoured in front of our industry peers was the icing on the cake."
One of the judges, Riad Saraiji, remarked: "The ingenious lighting design that Speirs & Major created for the Sheikh Zayed Mosque deserved the highest accolade, but in many ways all of the entries deserved to be celebrated. Moreover, the bar has been raised for architectural lighting design throughout the region and a new benchmark for excellence has been established."
Other winners announced on the night were, Kevan Shaw Lighting Design for their creative work on the Aspire Tower in Qatar; NeoLight for their hospitable designs for the Four Seasons Golf Resort; celebrating their 50th Anniversary, dpa Dubai were recognised for the Junsui restaurant project in the Burj Al Arab and Philips for their sustainable initiatives with the LivingColour product.
MELDA which is organised by IIR Entertainment and Installation Technology Group, is an integral part of PALME Middle East which concluded this week at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.
The awards were sponsored by Philips ME, Martin Professional Middle East, Production Technology and International architectural lighting journal mondo*arc. MELDA is also supported by iguzzini and the International Association of Lighting Designers and Lighting Urban Community International.
(Jim Evans)
