The Mall of Qatar is a shopping centre that opened in December 2016 in Doha, Qatar.
The mall, which is the equivalent size of 50 football pitches with over 500 stores, is
the nation’s largest mall. It also features mall-wide live entertainment with a
professional live theatre, 360-degree acts and shows performed on a multi-lift rotating
stage.

For the stage’s lighting control, a grandMA2 light; a grandMA2 replay unit; an MA
onPC command wing; an MA VPU plus MK2 (Video Processing Unit); four MA network
switches; two MA NPUs (Network Processing Units); twelve MA 2Port Nodes and two
MA 4Port Nodes were used. The technical design was completed by LichtUnit, with
Stephan Floeren as lighting designer, Udo Rath as assistant lighting designer, and
Desimir Skoracz as operator.

Floeren explained the product choice: “As reliability and easy show control was
crucial, MA Lighting was our first choice. Especially because the video content is
integrated into the lighting showfile which makes the work a lot easier for the
operator. And, of course, MA was chosen because of its overall networking and control
features.’

“The so-called “main shows’ are a mixture of dance, live artist and music and were
programmed in our LichtUnit studio with the use of a grandMA2 light, an MA VPU and
an MA NPU. The shows are timecoded and each lasts between 35 and 45 minutes.
Because detailed preparation was needed on site, we only had to make small
amendments. The biggest challenge was that the show takes place on a 360-degree
stage, with audience positions on three different levels. The task was to make it
incredible to watch, for every spectator in the house. Naturally, each artist has to be
seen clearly, from every seat. So, it was a demanding exercise to set the lights for
them.’

“All in all, the lighting design is based on a multifunctional setup that can light every
scenario that might happen on the stage. We had to deal with musical performance,
theatrical production, the genres of music and dance, as well as kids shows and the
requirements of TV,’ concluded Floeren.