Robe powers Burj Lake NYE show

As part of Dubai’s New Year 2026 celebrations, lighting designer Dom Smith and associate designer Paul Johnson of UK-based studio NeonBlack specified 86 Robe iFORTE LTX luminaires for a large-scale pre-fireworks show staged on the Burj Lake.

Organised by Emaar and produced by Our Legacy Creations, the event featured a 20-minute performance across a 450m area of the lake, leading into the midnight countdown and fireworks display on the Burj Khalifa.

The show involved 570 performers and 25 custom floats, boats and jet-skis. A central element was a tightrope walker crossing a 450m cable suspended 60m above ground between the Dubai Mall and the Souk Al Bahar area.

A key challenge for the lighting team was delivering sufficient output and consistent colour temperature across long throw distances of up to 200m, while meeting broadcast requirements for 36 cameras directed by Marcus Viner.

Twenty-four iFORTE LTX fixtures were positioned on the roof of the Dubai Mall to light the tightrope line. Two additional fixtures, operated via a Robe RoboSpot system, were dedicated to tracking the performer from approximately 150m away.

“We were concerned about achieving enough intensity from that distance,” noted Johnson. “Once deployed, the fixtures delivered the output and consistency we needed for both the live audience and broadcast.”

Smith added: “The iFORTE LTX was the only fixture that met the long-throw requirements of this show while maintaining consistent beam quality and colour temperature on camera.”

The remaining fixtures were distributed around the lake, primarily mounted on permanent PA towers and custom truss structures. Most were integrated into a remote follow-spot system using multiple fixed cameras to cover the large performance area.

The Robe fixtures were supplied by Dubai-based rental company Media Pro as part of a lighting rig comprising approximately 3,000 luminaires, including the building’s permanent lighting installation. All key and white lighting was programmed and directed by David Wolstenholme.