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Canopy of Light - Mandarin Oriental Dubai

The desert of the United Arab Emirates can conjure up several images in one’s mind. Hot. Dry. Dusty. Camels. But the region also has beautiful vegetation that has cunningly adapted to its environment. Inspiration from such desert trees has led to a captivating lighting installation now sparkling in the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira.

The Mandarin Oriental Jumeira is a gorgeous beachfront resort right on Jumeirah Beach. Entering the space, guests should instantly be captivated by the gorgeous crystal and brass trees spread throughout the lobby. Preciosa worked with Kuala Lumpur-based DESIGNWILKES to create the magnificent look.

Canopy of Light is a dynamic installation featuring 14 trees in three sizes, made from hundreds of hand-blown Bohemian crystal leaves with a champagne matte brass finish. What makes the installation unique on the hospitality market is that the lights in the trees are specially programmed to produce different effects. The Mandarin Oriental has a day scene, a night scene, and then every hour the lights ‘move’ through the trees. Each tree is modelled separately and differently, roughly 400-500 channels, depending on the tree. This means a different light effect can be programmed to each individual tree and not necessarily the ‘forest’ as a whole. Motions that could be created include a downward movement of light through the trunk, a sparkling effect or a motion that looks like wind is blowing through the leaves.

I had an opportunity to work in collaboration with DESIGNWILKES. My part was harmonizing the scale of the trees in relation to each other and with a relation to space and styling the lower part of the trunk.

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