XYOGA Dubai
It all started when…
I got the opportunity to lead and art direct the XYOGA brief to create an inspiring and global yoga event in the heart of Dubai. XYOGA is a yearly even that reinforces Dubai as a world-class destination for health, lifestyle and wellness.
Through a series of free yoga classes, activities, music, and entertainment, this event is open to everyone, and creates a space for people to breathe and disengage from their hectic lives. It brings people from all walks of life together, to actively create a healthier and more mindful lifestyle, with a focus on building a community. The event is powered by XDUBAI.
This project consisted of three iterations
1
I created and art directed the event look and feel with its theme, branding and structures, in addition to the customer journey and overall experience. In our first round, I came up with the idea of having a tea house for relaxation and refreshment after yoga classes, in addition to chanting and meditation areas, and a zen style hammock area.
2
In our second round, I art directed the look and feel of the Reebok sponsored ladies’ tent, which was used as an indoor yoga space for women who wished to have a more private practice.
3
The event was a huge success with over 13000 participants and over 213 kg of plastic recycled. By the end of 2018, we submitted another proposal powered by Abu Dhabi Sports Council to take the event to Abu Dhabi, as a way to celebrate openness and an awareness of conscious living in the capital.
XYOGA’s creative approach
Yoga is becoming whole, it is coming home to ourselves, and letting go of tension and strain. It is an uninterrupted flow of energy that exists within us, and is a path to discover a sense of unity while being present in the moment.
While driving inspiration from everything that Yoga represents, I was able to come up with a holistic visual approach. My main inspiration and theme was the Circle Mandala that represents our center point, wholeness and unison of our bodies, minds and spirits. The Lotus Flower blossom was used as as our main mandala, and featured as an integral part of the artwork and in our structure designs.
We created an earthy, zen space where everyone felt relaxed, grounded, connected and welcome.
Based on this theme I also came up with the look and feel of the presentation that featured the circle mandalas, lotus, and chakras as our main graphic symbols and vehicles of communication.
… and Breathe …
1
Artistic Direction
To bring the theme and concept to life, I created a look and feel materials board and blueprint sketches of all the structures. I worked closely with our 3D visualizers to transform these sketches into structures and create our floor plan, and set up our consumer journey in the actual venue through a series of three dimensional renders and a fly through video. I then designed and put together our presentation to XDUBAI.
Inspiration
The Creative approach
from sketches to structures
I came up with the concept, and look and feel of structures which I initially visualized in sketch form, and then worked closely with our 3D visualization team and production team to bring them to life.
Look & feel / entrance Arch
Xyoga happens in Spring, the season where everything blossoms, as such, the entrance was to be the main window of the event. The opening was an arch that resembled a lotus flower in full bloom which revealed a blossoming green facade. Guest felt like they are entering a beautiful zen garden. It also turned out to be a rad photo opportunity. The general look and feel consisted of earthy materials to create an uninterrupted flow of energy.
Registration
Online and at the event.
main stage
Ladies tent
Targeted for women who want to have a more private practice.
VIP Lounge
Designed in a way to feel like a premium yoga spa/lounge.
Tea house
Designed for guests who wants to relax, replenish, and enrich their yoga journey.
Xyoga at kite beach 3D renders & Journey
2
Reebok studio and ladies tent
XDUBAI decided to partner up with Reebok to recreate the ladies tent. The initial idea was to have a space for the Reebok merchandise and an upper level studio for a more private practice and mainly dedicated for ladies. I art directed the look and feel of the Reebok studio. With Reebok’s tag line of ‘Be More Human’ in mind, and in line with our theme, I created visions boards of style and materials. The lotus flower and the openness of yoga needed to be portrayed in everything we created, hence we kept the same earthy look and feel, infused it with a modern edge, creating a space that is friendly, attracts guests and brings in enough sunshine and a beautiful natural light. I worked very closely with the 3D team, client servicing and production to breathe life into this structure. The setup and final design was reiterated to a single level and modular Reebok ladies’ studio.
Final Setup and Event
CREDITS
Project: Xyoga Dubai
Company: Blink Experience 2018
Client: XDUBAI
Creative Director: Jeton Morina
Art Director l Design : Hala
3D Visualizers: Eldy Tendero, Hesham Hattab
Photography: Blink Experience, Unsplash
WEBSITE
Design and layout: Hala
Copywriting : Hala
Art Direction l Design
© 2019 HalaDesigns l hello@haladesigns.org