The 50th UAE National Day celebration required 220 tonnes of performer disc to spin, as it floated on the waters of the Hatta Dam.

The vision of artistic director and designer Es Devlin provided a canvas for projections and a stage for the performers. Towering at 19 metres tall, the tilted disc included a focal iris lighting feature along the central line. 

The skeleton of the disc structure was manufactured from steel box-truss sections that were supported by truss ladder units, allowing the team to create the initial height and width. The inclined performance deck was achieved by retrofitting steel stage frames which were clad in 18mm plywood before the final finish was applied. The outer carcass was a series of curved units suspended from the steel frame perimeter to create the exterior shape. 

A series of steel pontoon boxes were connected to form one large floating platform that would hold the weight of the entire structure, equipment and performers. The end result was a powerful celebration of independence for those in the UAE.