Let the Sun in, bit by bit

HISTORY MUSEUM, DUBAI, UAE. Whilst other countries are building their lighting philosophies on the lack of the Sun, Middle East tradition is based on its abundance. A hut replica in the History Museum of Dubai illustrates logical and simple solution of letting in enough daylight and circulation of air. Bedhead is protected against direct light by a round-shaped rug. Good morning, Wisdom!

Dubai Metro

DUBAI, UAE. A regular metro passanger, I do enjoy Dubai's metro. The local RTA, Road and Transport Authorities, are up to create a sustainable and feasible transportation system in the city. Slowdown puts on hold opening of several station, but the most important stations are open (remember, Emirati are good merchants, and they have opened the most commercially potent locations, such as Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Financial Center, etc).





Metro is new, clean, garded by police in fashionable uniform, convenient to use and chill out before or after work. But what if it is a weekend (Friday and Saturday for most of the companies)? Chill out music, names of the stations changing from English to Arabic, Sun jumping out from one tower to hide behind the other, and interiors. designed as a football uniform -- modern, technologically advanced and slightly different in pattersns. And a whipped cream of lighting on top.

Light on parade

MALL OF THE EMIRATES, DUBAI, UAE

Accidentally I have bunped into a marching band opening a Shopping Festival in Dubai. Lood music and some hundred or more participants. Such heavy shopper as myself, I had almost turned away until I saw the glow.

Gotham City

TV TOWER, StPetersburg, Russia

I invite you for a ride

Through the Gotham City night...

Not the brightest ditty, sorry! The experience is pretty poignant though! The TV Tower that I'm passing by every other day reminds an eery Christmas tree, with LEDs scintillating and flickering up and down and thus making the tower a focal point in the city as your eye is inevitably drawn to the glowing carcass. 

And at night the beam starts ferreting the skies. Sinister party!

Photo - courtesy: KOBA.

Digi-City

LED ACTION FACADE, Madrid, Spain

The endless debate on urban development cannot leave out the essential part of a modern city - lighting. It's been used for commercial purposes, like advertising, and has recently been more and more applied for social projects. If we can create a shop identity with the help of lighting, why not use it to give some unique local flavour and differentiate on a broader city scale?

Thus, the fantastic project of the digital facade for Medialab Prado in Madrid. The patented device of large LED screen is used for idea sharing and info exchange, the system consists of a regular matrix of nodes of RGB LEDs implemented by means of aluminium cones, the section of which has been designed to reflect the beam of light of emission sources and to improve the screen’s viewing.

Yep, just give a brush to the genuine artist... next post is on other LED application, for a fine contrast!

On Light, Universe and Everything

DUBAI, UAE

Everything is different there: everpresent sun, high high high skies, colours and fragrances, faces and facades... The distance is measured in towers ("Now, you go two towers farther..."). Past meets future and Futurama is diluted by Tradition. Here you can come across traditional "old-fashioned" elements in modernist interiors. Like, musharabija as a decorative pattern and functional Persian blinds at the same time.

Signs attract special attention: they look like strokes (it's called "flourish"in ornamental script and the name is well justified imo). And they demand a somewhat different approach in designing and lighting.

Lighting can indicate the society lifestyle: in the Mall of the Emirates, a mega-shopping mall where you can be walking for hours shopping, watching movies, mountain-skiing or snowboarding, sipping coffee or dining out, you can also participate in social events or go reaaaal clubbing. Well, unlimited indoor opportunities in the Arrakis land. A universe in itself.

Lighthouse Family

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I have an honour to present... another kid from the Family of Lighting Geeks, our dear colleague Carl (apllause)! As if being a lighting designer and a Green Lighting Concept Guru is not enough, Carl can accompany the work process with writing "quick poems" -- and trust me, we are speaking obsession, well, the light form of obsession here!

OK, giving the floor to the poet:

When playing with light

Thinking of what one might

Create or destroy

I get excited with joy

Because lighting is my toy

LED

Luscious like lazer,

Exploding emotions everywhere,

Dramatic disco delirium

All these silly abbreviations…