The Middle East broadcaster MBC Group has opened new studios in Dubai, UAE, and in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Both studios utilized cutting-edge technology – including Braq Cube WNC LED Fixtures and almost 4 km of RoscoLED Tape VariColor – to seamlessly integrate ancient traditions of Islamic architecture and contemporary design into their state-of-the-art broadcast facility.
MBC group recently converted a soundstage in Dubai Studio City into a TV studio complex that complements its headquarters in Dubai Media Center. The multi-level, 20,000-square-foot facility consists of three broadcast venues dedicated to news, sports, children’s, and daytime programming.
Through its Dubai-based distributor, Oasis Enterprises, Rosco provided nearly 3km of RoscoLED Tape VariColor and several Braq Cube WNC LED fixtures for the new MBC studio in Dubai. Oasis Enterprises was responsible for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of all the Rosco products in the facility and shared photos and testimonials about the project.
Reels of RoscoLED Tape VariColor were installed to illuminate the set in vibrant, changing colours – creating a bright and modern look, while at the same time highlighting its classic Islamic design. The team at Oasis Enterprises chose RoscoLED Control Boxes to supply the power and control data because the unique Plug-&-Play connectivity between the RoscoLED Tape and the Control Box reduced their installation time by eliminating a lot of the in-the-field soldering.
The project was featured in an article from NewscastStudio, who reported that the MBC set design was based on two traditional Islamic concepts – tessellation and subtractive form. Tessellation is an arrangement of shapes closely fitted together in a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping. This can be seen, for example, in the repeated X-pattern seen throughout the set, as well as the diagonal lines found in the backlit walls.
Subtractive forms were used to remove portions of planes in the set design as a way to alter its original shape and create segmentation. Throughout the MBC Dubai set there are openings, such as video walls and monitors, that break up the brightly lit planes of the textured walls.
The project was also written up in BroadcastPro Magazine, who reported that “lighting plays a significant role in these studios. The Braq Cube provides a smooth effect for low-ceiling applications, while the flicker-free RGBW strip from Rosco illuminates the decorative set.”
Video courtesy of Joe Bou-Mikhael via Facebook
MBC also recently opened a new sports broadcast studio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for their MBC Pro Sports channel. This studio features similar backlit panel design elements to the Dubai Studio City project. Using nearly 1 km of RoscoLED Tape VariColor, supplied and installed by Oasis Enterprises, MBC Group created bright, color-changing backlit surfaces to provide a modern aesthetic for this state-of-the-art broadcast facility.
Karim Abdel Massih, Lighting Systems Manager from Oasis Enterprises explains why he chose RoscoLED Tape for the MBC studios: “I like the RoscoLED strips and the idea of RGB+W. I never hesitate to use Rosco products because of the support I get, especially from Andreas Dessloch (Rosco’s Director of International Business Development), to make the job successful and my customer happy.”
If you are looking for an LED tape solution for your next studio design, be sure to visit the RoscoLED Tape VariColor web page and explore the products MBC Group used inside its new studios.
Photos courtesy of Oasis Enterprises
