UAE Golden Jubilee skyline formed from one hundred custom telescopic structures.

Landmark national celebrations often demand scenic solutions that combine symbolism, spectacle and complex engineering. For the UAE’s 50th National Day at Hatta Dam, Evolution Scenic delivered one of the production’s most technically ambitious features: 100 telescopic replicas of iconic UAE buildings designed to rise from the stage in synchronised formation during the climax of the performance.


Designed by Es Devlin and produced by LarMac Live, the wider production used the dramatic mountain landscape and a floating stage within an artificial pool as part of the visual narrative. Evolution Scenic’s contribution focused on transforming architectural references into compact, illuminated scenic structures capable of concealed storage, controlled vertical movement and precise repeatability under challenging outdoor conditions.

Evolution Scenic custom scenic engineering for the UAE Golden Jubilee celebration.

The Challenge


The project required 100 individual building replicas to rise from the stage as part of a tightly choreographed performance sequence.


The scenic elements needed to represent different architectural forms and heights while remaining compact enough to disappear within the stage when not in use. Some structures exceeded 6 metres in their fully extended position but had to fit into concealed spaces as small as approximately 1.2 metres by 20 centimetres.


Movement also had to remain reliable in an exposed mountain environment affected by wind and humidity. With all 100 elements forming part of a single performance moment, consistency and synchronisation were critical.


The structures also had to integrate lighting without adding unnecessary visual or mechanical complexity, while maintaining enough structural integrity to operate repeatedly throughout rehearsals and live performance.

The Solution


Evolution Scenic designed and fabricated 100 telescopic lightbox buildings based on iconic UAE architecture.


Each structure was developed as a self-illuminated scenic element with individually controlled LED lighting, allowing the building forms to remain visually legible as three-dimensional objects when viewed from the audience.


The buildings were engineered with up to four telescopic tiers, allowing different overall heights to be achieved while preserving the compact storage requirements beneath the stage.


Telescopic tower machines and heavy-duty industrial tracks were used to create the required vertical movement. The mechanisms were selected and integrated to support repeated operation within the environmental conditions at Hatta Dam.


The internal lighting systems were coordinated so that all 100 scenic structures could be controlled as part of the wider performance sequence. This allowed lighting changes and movement to work together during the final reveal.


A major part of the engineering challenge was packaging. Structures extending beyond 6 metres in height had to retract into extremely limited concealed volumes without compromising alignment, movement or the final scenic appearance.


The resulting system combined scenic fabrication, mechanical movement, structural planning and integrated illumination within a highly compact footprint.

Delivery Highlights


• Scenic engineering for the UAE’s 50th National Day celebration.

• Event staged at Hatta Dam.

• Design by Es Devlin.

• Production by LarMac Live.

• 100 telescopic replicas of iconic UAE buildings.

• Fully illuminated scenic lightbox structures.

• Individually controlled LED lighting.

• Up to four telescopic tiers per structure.

• Building heights exceeding 6m when fully extended.

• Compact concealed storage conditions.

• Telescopic tower mechanisms.

• Heavy-duty industrial tracks.

• Synchronised vertical movement.

• Integrated lighting control across all 100 structures.

• Scenic fabrication developed for exposed outdoor conditions.

• Operation within high wind and humid conditions.

• Precision integration into the stage environment.

• Large-scale scenic engineering and installation.

Outcome


The telescopic buildings formed one of the defining visual moments of the 50th UAE National Day production.


As the 100 illuminated structures rose from the stage in synchronisation, they created a symbolic representation of the country’s architectural development, achievements and progress over five decades.


The project demonstrates Evolution Scenic’s ability to engineer large quantities of moving scenic elements where compact packaging, structural integrity, repeatable motion, integrated lighting and outdoor environmental conditions must all be resolved together.


It also highlights the role of scenic engineering in major live ceremonies, where complex mechanical systems must ultimately disappear behind a clear and powerful visual moment for the audience.

Project Ecosystem


Evolution Scenic – Scenic engineering, telescopic building fabrication, mechanical integration, lightbox construction, LED integration, compact scenic packaging, structural coordination, delivery and installation.


Es Devlin – Production design.


LarMac Live – Production.