expo-city-festive-scenic-installation

Seasonal destinations rely on scenic environments to create a strong sense of place while offering visitors memorable opportunities for interaction, photography and family activity.


For Christmas at Expo City Dubai in 2022, Evolution Scenic fabricated a wide-ranging collection of festive installations that transformed the venue into an immersive winter environment.


The project included large snow-covered décor islands, giant baubles, illuminated reindeer, stylised trees, Santa’s sleigh, oversized nutcrackers, Santa’s house, festive retail units and a Letters to Santa activation. Each feature combined specialist fabrication with detailed scenic finishing to create a cohesive seasonal experience.

The Challenge


The project involved numerous large-scale scenic elements, each with different structural, material and finishing requirements.


The freestanding décor islands were particularly difficult to handle. Their substantial size and lack of caster wheels made them challenging to move through confined workshop areas while snow-effect flocking was being applied in different locations.


Santa’s sleigh and reindeer also required careful fabrication. The sleigh needed to accommodate children safely for photography, while both elements required sufficient structural strength and detailed scenic finishes.


All installations needed to work together visually while supporting different functions, including photography, children’s activities, retail and general venue decoration.

The Solution


Evolution Scenic constructed the freestanding décor islands using expanded polystyrene foam and moisture-resistant medium-density fibreboard. Snow-textured finishes were applied to create the winter appearance required for the wider environment.


Stacks of oversized baubles were designed and fabricated as colourful focal points, while illuminated reindeer and stylised tree sculptures introduced light and visual depth throughout the venue.


Santa’s sleigh was built at a scale suitable for children to sit inside for photographs. The sleigh and accompanying reindeer were fabricated from a combination of polystyrene and timber, then completed with detailed scenic painting to create a more realistic appearance.


Oversized nutcracker sculptures provided additional festive landmarks and photography opportunities. A custom Santa’s house was fabricated as a central attraction, incorporating detailed architectural and decorative features.


Holiday-themed retail units were produced to support event activities and merchandise sales. Evolution Scenic also created a giant Letters to Santa mailbox with custom tables and seating, forming a dedicated writing activity for children.

Delivery Highlights


  • Large freestanding festive décor islands
  • Expanded polystyrene foam fabrication
  • Moisture-resistant MDF construction
  • Applied snow-texture finishes
  • Stacked giant bauble installations
  • Illuminated reindeer
  • Stylised illuminated tree sculptures
  • Santa’s sleigh for children’s photography
  • Scenic reindeer fabricated from foam and timber
  • Detailed scenic painting
  • Oversized nutcracker sculptures
  • Custom-built Santa’s house
  • Holiday-themed retail units
  • Giant Letters to Santa mailbox
  • Custom children’s tables and seating
  • Installation across Expo City Dubai


Outcome


The completed installations transformed Expo City into a varied festive environment offering visual landmarks, interactive activities and photography experiences for visitors of different ages.


Santa’s house, sleigh and oversized nutcrackers created recognisable seasonal attractions, while the illuminated reindeer, stylised trees and giant baubles extended the winter theme throughout the venue.


The Letters to Santa area provided a dedicated children’s activity, and the festive retail units supported the event’s commercial requirements.


By coordinating structural fabrication, sculptural production, scenic painting and snow-effect finishing, Evolution Scenic delivered a cohesive Christmas environment despite the handling and installation challenges created by the scale of the individual elements.

Project Ecosystem


Evolution Scenic – Scenic development, EPS-foam fabrication, moisture-resistant MDF construction, sculptural production, timber fabrication, scenic painting, snow-effect finishing, festive retail units, interactive installations and venue installation.