Expo Winter Fest Scenic Fabrication at Al Wasl Plaza, Dubai 2023
Creating A Complete Winter Environment At Al Wasl Plaza
Expo Winter Fest 2023 required the transformation of Al Wasl Plaza into a complete temporary winter environment. Evolution Scenic was appointed by the event producer to design, fabricate, install and technically support the scenic package. The company also maintained the installation throughout its public operating period.
The project was developed and delivered over two months. Rather than focusing on a single stage or feature structure, the scope covered an extensive collection of architectural, sculptural and interactive scenic elements. These included a traditional chalet-style Christmas market, Santa’s House, a themed toy factory, festive fairground installations, tree islands, oversized baubles, entrance gates and a refurbished Santa letter station.
Each element formed part of the same visual environment, but its construction needed to respond to a different structural or operational requirement.
Developing The Scenic Architecture
The chalet-style market established the principal architectural language for the project. Pitched roofs, timber detailing and traditional winter decoration created the appearance of a seasonal European market while remaining compatible with temporary event construction.
The structures needed sufficient strength for installation and operation but also had to be practical to manufacture, transport, assemble and maintain. Timber framing provided the primary construction method for many of the architectural components. Plywood and MDF were used to form walls, façades, roof sections, trims and decorative details.
Working from a common design language allowed individual structures to retain their own identity while reading as part of one connected winter village. Santa’s House expanded this architectural treatment into an immersive themed installation. The building incorporated festive scenic detailing and Christmas elements designed to create a richer spatial experience than a simple decorative façade.
Golden entrance gates and associated scenic structures marked transition points through the environment. In addition to reinforcing the visual treatment, these elements helped organise the flow between different zones.
Combining Workshop Disciplines
The breadth of the project required several scenic manufacturing disciplines to operate within one production programme. Carpentry teams produced the framed chalet structures, walls, roofs and detailed joinery components. Metal fabrication supported structural elements and the internal frames required for technically integrated installations.
MDF provided smooth surfaces for routed profiles, decorative forms and painted scenic details.Plywood supplied robust sheet construction where greater structural performance was required. Steel was incorporated where structures needed additional rigidity or where moving components placed greater demands on the supporting framework.
The workshop also produced sculptural characters, oversized baubles, gift boxes, decorative islands and numerous smaller themed components. Managing these disciplines within one coordinated production process ensured that architectural structures, props and animated elements shared a consistent standard of fabrication and finish.
Fabricating Elves & Toy-Factory Installation
The hand-carved elves were produced in styrofoam. This method allowed the sculptors to create expressive three-dimensional forms without the weight associated with solid timber or heavier moulded materials. Following carving, the figures received a hard protective coating. The coating increased surface durability and provided a stable base for the final scenic treatment.
The characters were designed to work within the scale of the wider environment. Their proportions and finishes needed to remain visually legible beside the chalet structures, tree installations and larger decorative features. By treating the elves as constructed scenic assets rather than lightweight decorative ornaments, Evolution Scenic was able to integrate them more effectively into the complete environment.
The toy factory contained some of the project’s most technically integrated scenic work.The structure used metal framing, wire mesh and moisture-resistant MDF to form its architectural and decorative surfaces. Moving gifts were incorporated into the installation, introducing mechanical operation within the themed environment.This required the scenic fabrication and technical systems to be developed together. Support frames needed to accommodate the movement, while external finishes had to conceal or visually absorb the underlying technical components.
The moving features also needed to remain accessible for inspection and maintenance during operation. Snow flocking completed the winter treatment, unifying the toy factory with the surrounding chalet structures and decorative installations. The completed feature demonstrated how animated scenery can be incorporated within a temporary public environment without allowing the mechanical system to dominate its visual character.
Producing The Festive Focal Points
Large decorative elements were positioned throughout Al Wasl Plaza to create focal points between the main architectural structures. Tree islands combined artificial trees, fairy lighting and snow dressing. These installations introduced height and texture while helping connect the different scenic zones.
A major Christmas tree provided a central vertical feature within the wider composition. Oversized baubles and gift boxes were fabricated to remain effective within the scale of the plaza. Their three-dimensional construction gave them greater presence than printed or flat decorative treatments.
A giant bauble arrangement was installed on a custom circular platform at the centre of the main stage area. The purpose-built base helped define the composition and provided a controlled interface between the large props and the venue surface.
The Santa letter station was refurbished and incorporated into the updated scenic treatment. Surrounding decorations, timber gift boxes and themed elements allowed the reused structure to sit naturally within the newly fabricated environment.
Installing The Complete Scenic Package
The site installation brought together structures manufactured using different materials and construction methods. Chalet buildings required accurate positioning and alignment so that their roof forms, façades and decorative details retained a consistent architectural rhythm. Large freestanding props needed to be securely installed while preserving their intended orientation and sightlines.
The toy factory required both scenic assembly and technical commissioning. Its structural, decorative and moving components needed to operate as one finished installation. Tree islands, lighting features, entrance treatments and smaller props were then integrated around the principal structures to complete the environment. Project management personnel remained present during delivery, coordinating the scenic and technical work with the event producer. The installation was completed on programme.
Supporting The Environment During Operation
Evolution Scenic remained on site throughout the operating period.
This ongoing responsibility allowed the team to maintain architectural finishes, decorative props, interactive elements and moving scenic systems after the public opening.
Temporary environments experience different demands from static exhibition displays. Visitor contact, repeated operation, environmental exposure and daily cleaning can all affect scenic surfaces and technical elements.
On-site maintenance allowed the team to respond directly to these operational requirements.
The arrangement also ensured that any adjustment was undertaken with an understanding of the original construction methodology, materials and scenic finish.
Delivering A Unified Temporary Environment
The completed Expo Winter Fest environment combined scenic architecture, custom manufacturing and technical production across a broad site.
Its chalet-style structures established a coherent architectural setting. Sculptural elves, giant baubles, gift boxes and tree islands added depth and character. Santa’s House and the letter station created interactive destinations, while the toy factory introduced movement and technical animation.
Behind the winter appearance was a coordinated manufacturing process involving timber framing, steel fabrication, MDF and plywood construction, sculptural carving, hard coating, scenic finishing and mechanical integration.
Evolution Scenic’s complete scope—from design development through maintenance—allowed the environment to be treated as one operational scenic system.
The result demonstrated the company’s ability to design and manufacture complex temporary environments that combine architectural scale, detailed prop work and technically integrated scenic features.
