2012 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

An inspired urban concept sprawling an area of two square kilometres, Downtown Dubai is a vibrant mixed-use community that reconfirms Dubai's status as a global player. From shopping and dining to leisure and hospitality, Downtown Dubai gives the world a new point of reference while providing the answer to modern city living. Our key objective was to show the human side of this magnificent project, to bare the heart and soul of this magical place to its people.

The Brief

Pertinently referred to as the Centre of Now, Downtown Dubai is an inspired urban concept sprawling an area of two square kilometres. The brief was to humanise Downtown Dubai.

How the final design was conceived

We set about capturing real-time moments of people experiencing the district. We partenered with Emirati photographer Alia Al Shamsi to capture day-to-day life within the district. Alia spent the most part of her time gently embracing the cavalcade of experiences that captivated the district. Every precious moment, every untailored conversation, every unbridled expression was documented. These images were then compiled into an opus, copies of which were distributed individually by the Chairman to key clients across the globe.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The book received accolades from various media across the UAE as well as the region and invariably became a much talked-about PR story. A global exhibition is planned to showcase the story of downtown to the rest of the world.