Spectacular Dubai light show breaks records
- Details
Six months ago, it all kicked off with a spectacular New Year's Eve Light Up 2018 launch, masterminded by Emaar Properties and realised by AO Creative, that broke from all conventions to stage a Guinness world record-breaking, multimedia light and sound show.
Emaar Properties' ambitious vision for the New Year's Eve event was fulfilled by AO Creative, the creative division of Arts Outdoor Lighting Technology. More than one million people descended on Dubai to watch it live. In addition, over 2.5 billion viewers saw it through live TV broadcasts and online streams.
From the outset, Emaar Properties' vision was to create the most advanced and visually exciting New Year countdown on the planet. At times space warping, the immersive installation visually remodelled the 828-metre-tall Burj Khalifa tower and its surrounding area, enabling audiences to see Dubai from a whole new perspective.
AO Creative executive producer, Marco Niedermeier explains: "Our task was to deliver 'the biggest show in the world' and make a positive, lasting impression, not only on the guests celebrating in Downtown Dubai, but on the entire world. Emaar Properties' idea was to create a spectacle on a different scale from the usual New Year's Eve celebration. They trusted in our ability to deliver, and gave us complete licence to develop this fresh, radical concept."
The result was an atmospheric fusion of fountains, light, sound and video. Inspirational content included Arabic calligraphy, geometric designs and the story of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE's first president. The LED façade of the tower acted as the central storytelling element, while sharp beams of light framed the building's distinctive shape.
(Jim Evans)
