Founder’s Memorial Launch Majlis Scenic Fabrication in Abu Dhabi
BUILDING TWO TEMPORARY MAJLIS ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE FOUNDER’S MEMORIAL LAUNCH
The opening of The Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi required a temporary environment suited to the significance of the occasion and the setting of the Emirates Palace lawn. Two large majlis structures were created, providing a combined covered area of 1,000 square metres and accommodating a complete programme of arrival, display, seating and hospitality.
Evolution Scenic was responsible for the design, technical development, fabrication and installation of the two environments. The scope combined an I-Novation temporary structural system, ten-metre scaffold-supported façades, illuminated wooden mashrabiya, a 50-metre entrance ramp, 5.3-metre CNC-cut display panels and custom white furniture.
The project was developed over an approximately two-month programme. Within that period, the structural enclosures, exterior architecture, interior scenery, lighting and furniture all needed to progress as parts of one coordinated temporary build. The scale of the work placed it much closer to temporary architecture than a conventional marquee fit-out, with the scenic elements defining the physical character of both majlis environments.
DEVELOPING THE TWO MAJLIS STRUCTURES
The I-Novation system established the principal enclosed volumes and fabric roofs of the two majlis structures. Evolution Scenic supplied and installed the temporary system before developing the scenic architecture around and within it.
This underlying structure provided the weather-protected space, but it was never intended to remain as the visible identity of the project. The external elevations, entrance route and internal display features transformed the functional enclosure into a purpose-built ceremonial environment.
The fabric roof incorporated rainwater drainage, allowing the structures to respond to possible rainfall while maintaining the covered interior. This requirement influenced the temporary architecture from the outset, because water management had to remain integrated with the roof geometry and structural arrangement.
Internally, the large open spans created sufficient volume for tall display panels and extensive seating without making the spaces feel crowded. Externally, the temporary structures provided the base around which the ten-metre scenic façades could be developed. Each layer had a distinct function, but the completed environment depended on them aligning accurately and appearing as one considered structure.
ENGINEERING THE TEN-METRE FAÇADES
Ten-metre-high scaffold walls created the principal external elevations around the majlis structures. At this height, the façade system needed to maintain stable geometry across large areas while supporting timber cladding, integrated lighting and the repeated mashrabiya pattern.
The scaffold provided the working structural framework, allowing the external architecture to rise well above the roofline of the primary enclosures. Custom wooden panels were then installed against this support system, concealing the functional construction and establishing the visible form.
Repeated linear patterns are particularly sensitive to changes in level and spacing. A small variation in one section can become increasingly obvious when viewed across a long elevation, especially when the pattern is illuminated. Accurate setting-out and controlled panel fabrication were therefore central to the result.
The façade construction also had to account for wind stability. Large areas of scenic cladding attached to a ten-metre support system create a different engineering condition from an open scaffold frame. The relationship between the supporting wall, timber panels and exposed surface area formed part of the technical development and confirmed HSSE planning.
BUILDING THE BACKLIT MASHRABIYA
The wooden mashrabiya panels were developed as illuminated scenic architecture rather than simple decorative screens. Their repeated pattern transformed the scaffold elevations into a refined architectural surface while allowing light to become part of the construction.
Backlighting emphasised the linear geometry after dark, making the façades remain clearly defined across the Emirates Palace lawn. The position of the light sources, the depth of the panels and the spacing of the openings all influenced how evenly the pattern appeared.
Integrated lighting works best when it is coordinated with the scenery before fabrication is complete. The panel construction needs to provide suitable cavities, fixing positions and cable routes, while the supporting framework must keep technical components away from the visible face.
The same geometry continued through the entrance and interior areas, where illumination created patterned shadows across the floor and adjacent surfaces. This allowed the design to extend beyond the timber itself. The physical panel created one layer of detail, while the projected light created another.
The result was a contemporary interpretation of mashrabiya construction that retained the warmth and repetition of the traditional pattern while operating as part of a large temporary façade system.
FABRICATING THE INTERIOR DISPLAY PANELS
Inside the majlis environments, a series of 5.3-metre-high display panels provided the principal scenic architecture. Fabricated from MDF and timber, the panels introduced vertical scale and divided the interiors into a sequence of defined spaces.
CNC machining allowed the component profiles and repeated details to be produced accurately. This was particularly useful at 5.3 metres high, where small inconsistencies near the base could become increasingly visible across the full elevation.
The panels were finished in custom white spray paint, creating a restrained and consistent surface across the MDF and timber construction. Their height allowed them to retain presence within the large open interiors without relying on heavy colour or complex material treatments.
Rare photographs of Sheikh Zayed were integrated into the panels. The imagery became part of the architecture rather than being displayed through conventional freestanding frames or temporary graphic boards.
This gave each panel a dual role. It presented important photographic content at a substantial scale while also organising the interior, establishing framed views and creating transitions between seating and circulation areas.
CONSTRUCTING THE FIFTY-METRE ENTRANCE RAMP
A 50-metre custom entrance ramp created the approach from the Emirates Palace lawn into the raised majlis interiors. Its length made it a substantial part of the environment rather than a simple access connection.
The ramp needed to manage the transition between the surrounding ground level and the internal floor while continuing the visual language of the main structures. White scenic surfaces and illuminated linear panels extended along the route, creating a deliberate progression towards the covered environments.
Long entrance structures require careful control of level, alignment and finish. Variations that appear minor over a short distance become more noticeable across 50 metres, particularly where continuous edges and lighting details guide the eye.
The route also influenced the site logistics. Materials, structural components, tall panels and furniture all needed to reach the work areas without obstructing the final approach or damaging finished sections.
The completed ramp linked access and scenic presentation within one structure. It performed the practical task of bringing people into the raised interior while becoming part of the visual arrival sequence rather than appearing as separate temporary infrastructure.
PRODUCING FURNITURE AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Evolution Scenic directly fabricated the custom white furniture installed within the two majlis interiors. Long upholstered seating elements defined the edges of the spaces, while low tables and supporting pieces established the internal arrangements.
Producing the furniture within the same project scope allowed its dimensions, upholstery and finishes to be coordinated with the scenic panels and circulation routes. The pieces could be developed around the actual interior rather than selected independently and placed into the completed space.
The furniture followed the restrained white palette of the scenic architecture. This allowed it to support the display panels and photographic content without competing for visual attention.
Custom fabrication also provided control over the scale of the seating. Within a 1,000-square-metre combined environment, standard furniture could easily have appeared undersized or created an inconsistent arrangement. Longer pieces established clearer lines and helped organise the open interior.
The relationship between furniture and scenery is often underestimated. Seating affects how people occupy the environment, how routes remain open and how the scenic panels are viewed. Developing both scopes together helped the completed majlis feel cohesive rather than furnished after the architecture had already been fixed.
INSTALLING WITHIN THE EMIRATES PALACE LAWN
Restricted vehicle access across the Emirates Palace lawn shaped the delivery and installation strategy. The I-Novation structures, scaffold systems, façade panels, ramp sections, tall displays and furniture all required planned movement into their final work areas.
The installation followed a coordinated structural sequence. The primary temporary systems established the covered volumes, followed by the ten-metre scaffold elevations. The wooden mashrabiya cladding and integrated lighting were then installed and aligned around the exterior.
Inside, the 5.3-metre panels, photographic content and custom furniture were positioned once the principal structural work had progressed sufficiently to protect the completed finishes.
Working at height formed a significant part of the façade installation. The ten-metre elevations required controlled access, safe working procedures and coordinated movement around partially completed structures. Wind stability, rainwater drainage, restricted logistics and final inspection were all included within the confirmed HSSE controls.
The approximately two-month programme connected design development, workshop manufacturing and site installation. Progress in one area influenced the next, making coordination between technical information, fabrication readiness and site access essential throughout delivery.
BRINGING STRUCTURE AND SCENERY TOGETHER
The completed Founder’s Memorial launch environment combined temporary structural systems and scenic fabrication at architectural scale. Two majlis enclosures provided a combined 1,000 square metres of covered space, while the ten-metre façades gave the installation a strong external presence across the Emirates Palace lawn.
Backlit wooden mashrabiya transformed the scaffold elevations into illuminated architecture. The 50-metre ramp created a considered entrance sequence, and the 5.3-metre CNC-cut panels brought rare photographic content into the interiors at a scale suited to the occasion. Custom white furniture completed the spatial arrangement without competing with the display architecture.
The project depended on several layers working together. The I-Novation structures provided the enclosed volume, scaffold created the external height, timber panels established the visible façade and integrated lighting extended the pattern after dark. Inside, CNC production, spray finishing, photography and furniture created a restrained environment with its own rhythm and scale.
Evolution Scenic carried the work from design development through fabrication and installation, allowing the structural, scenic and operational decisions to remain connected. The finished result shows how a temporary system can be transformed into a purpose-built architectural environment when engineering, materials, lighting and spatial planning are developed through one coordinated process.
