A trendsetter in retail technology

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The site of the mall covers 12.1 million sqft.

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Around 1,000 screens will be housed throughout the mall.

S&S looks at how the Dubai Mall is changing the face of shopping entertainment and is using a host of sophisticated multimedia systems to make it a global destination for retail leisure.

The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest shopping and entertainment destinations, developed by UAE-based real estate developer Emaar Properties PJSC, will open its doors this month drawing fashion and multimedia enthusiasts from far and wide.

The US $20 billion mega-project located in Downtown Burj Dubai will open on October 30, and give rise as the new frontier in shopping mall entertainment, while delivering technological concepts that are a first for the region.

With a total site area more than12.1 million sqft, the mall's expansive dimensions in all its various construction components are truly epic in proportion.

The structural steel used in the Dubai Mall is double that deployed for the Eiffel Tower (7300 tonnes), and the stone and tile works of 1.2 million sqft are approximately 18 times the size of a football field measuring 69,000 sqft. The net leasable floor area is equivalent to the size of 50 football fields put together.

The mall hosts a number of "world-class attractions", including an epic-sized aquarium that contains some 33,000 species of marine life featuring 400 sharks and rays. A 180-degree tunnel runs through the tank, which can hold 10 million litres of water. The Discovery Centre above is an educational centre and has interactive stations with marine life.

Other key attractions include the region's first SEGA indoor theme park covering 76,000 sqft; the world's largest indoor Gold Souk; a 440,000 sqft fashion precinct; an 80,000 sqft children's ‘edu-tainment' centre; a 22-screen cineplex; an Olympic-size ice rink; and The Grove, which features an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof

Adding to this, the mall has more than 14,000 undercover car parking spaces and is adjoined by a luxury five-star hotel boasting 250 rooms and 450 serviced apartments - the project has been no small feat.

The main contractor for the construction of the Dubai Mall was Dutco Balfour Beatty and Al Ghandi CCC. While, DP Architects Pte Ltd (Singapore) were the main architects and the project managers were Turner Construction International.

 Danny Barnycz, the CEO of US-based The Barnycz Group, was chosen to head the lighting design and sound engineering for the mall's multimedia systems, except for Fashion Avenue where all the sound engineering has been constructed by Shen Milson and Wilke via Barco.

Barnycz worked with a team of world-class technologists, systems designers, experienced architects, artists, engineers and content creators in order to develop a unique and highly sophisticated entertainment project.

Employing some of the most sophisticated multimedia and surround sound systems ever seen in a shopping mall; the displays taking pride of place, include a 20m x 10m high definition Barco12mm ILite 12 SMD LED screen that overlooks the ice rink, a fully retractable LED-clad catwalk in Fashion Avenue and the 22m wide Treasury Dome.

The Treasury Dome is capable of projecting images in planetarium format and is supported by a host of Sony SXRD projectiors supplied by Al Ahmadiah.

The Dubai Mall general manager, Yousif Al Ali, says in total, the project features more than 400 high-definition LCD screens and more than 600 advertising panels, including 40 premium panels of 11m x 4m dimension, prominently located along the mall's main thoroughfares and public spaces.

"Customers demand a different shopping experience from malls, particularly in the Middle East where malls have become lifestyle and entertainment destinations. The colourful displays, the sounds and the buzz of activity are all key to creating a vibrant mall environment," he informs.

"The integrated multimedia network at The Dubai Mall will be an audio-visual spectacle that will keep visitors constantly entertained and stimulated. It will be unlike anything ever seen or experienced in a shopping mall."

To manufacture and fit-out the mall with all of its technology, Al Ali says the expertise of Martin Middle East and Bond Communications were called upon to deliver the lighting requirements for the multimedia components.

"There are a variety of specific fixtures that have been installed to ensure the multimedia systems at The Dubai Mall rival that of any large scale mall development in the world. Emaar Malls has worked closely with The Barnycz Group in specifying all fixtures.

To head-up the live performance lighting fixtures, Al Ali says a host of Martin fixtures have been deployed throughout the Ice rink and Treasury Dome precincts chosen for their reliability and quality.

To ensure the mall's audio is broadcast in high-quality sound throughout its entire vicinity, Al Ali says The Dubai Mall worked with a variety of manufacturers and suppliers to insure the right mix of audio-visual equipment was installed.

Some of the key audio brands that are showcased throughout the precincts are Meyer Sound, Tannoy and Renkus Heinz.

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