For UAE National Day 2019, Evolution was asked to develop an original public activation for the Founders Memorial in Abu Dhabi. The experience needed to honour the legacy of Sheikh Zayed while encouraging visitors to engage more deeply with the site and its meaning.

The memorial already has a distinct language of material, proportion and quiet dignity. Evolution's design therefore began with observation rather than addition, drawing from the site's finishes and humble elegance to create an activation that felt naturally connected to its surroundings.

The resulting concept centred on Ghaf trees and public participation, allowing visitors to contribute to a living symbol associated with resilience, heritage and national identity.

The Challenge

A National Day activation at a memorial cannot rely on spectacle alone. It must remain respectful of the place, accessible to a broad public audience and durable enough to operate throughout a month-long period.

The relocation of Ghaf trees introduced practical guest-engagement and operational requirements. The interactive element needed to be understandable and welcoming while preserving the calm visual character of the memorial.

The Solution

Evolution designed elegant wooden planting boxes with a minimal form and refined finish inspired by the Founders Memorial. Their restrained appearance allowed the Ghaf trees and the act of participation to remain the focus.

The planting elements were positioned as part of the site's wider experience rather than as a temporary stand-alone attraction. Visitors could engage with the relocation of the trees and connect the National Day moment with ideas of stewardship, continuity and shared responsibility.

Evolution managed the guest-engagement process and operational support across the activation's month-long run. The approach combined a simple interaction with careful onsite management, maintaining accessibility and consistency over an extended public programme.

By using the memorial's own aesthetic as the starting point, the activation added meaning without visually competing with the architecture or the legacy it represents.

Delivery Highlights

• Original National Day activation developed for the Founders Memorial.
• Month-long public programme in Abu Dhabi.
• Minimal wooden planting boxes inspired by the memorial's materials and finishes.
• Ghaf-tree relocation integrated into the public interaction.
• Guest engagement and operational support throughout the activation.
• Inclusive experience aligned with the site's cultural significance.

Outcome

The activation gave visitors a quiet and tangible way to participate in National Day at the Founders Memorial. The Ghaf trees connected the occasion to continuity and care, while the planting boxes appeared as a natural extension of the site.

Its impact came from restraint: a simple public action, carefully designed, allowed the memorial and Sheikh Zayed's legacy to remain central throughout the month-long experience.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

Crown Prince Court, Abu Dhabi

Evolution Events: Led concept development, public-engagement planning, tree-relocation coordination, month-long operations and guest support.

Evolution Scenic: Designed and fabricated the minimal wooden planting boxes and associated activation elements.

ADNOC marked Emirati Women's Day 2022 under the theme Inspiring Reality... Sustainable Future at Abu Dhabi Energy Center. The annual occasion celebrated the achievements and aspirations of Emirati women, culminating in the Gender Balance Awards.

For its third consecutive year delivering the event, Evolution drew the complete visual approach from a mural by Emirati artist Diaa Allam. The artwork was not treated as a backdrop alone; its forms and character were carried into the stage, décor and audience activations.

This created an event identity with a clear cultural source, linking the theme of empowerment to the work of an Emirati artist and giving the celebration consistency from pre-conference engagement through to formal recognition.

The Challenge

The event needed to balance two modes: participatory activations that could engage ADNOC staff before the conference, and a formal awards environment capable of giving the Gender Balance Awards appropriate significance.

Using an existing artwork as the design foundation also required discipline. The mural needed to remain recognisable while being translated across different scales and functions without becoming repetitive or decorative.

The Solution

Evolution developed pre-conference activation concepts that introduced the event's message before guests entered the formal programme. These touchpoints created an immediate space for reflection and participation rather than asking the stage alone to carry the theme.

Elements of Diaa Allam's mural were then integrated across the stage design and décor. Colour, graphic rhythm and composition gave the room one visual language while allowing individual features to respond to their specific purpose.

The Gender Balance Awards received a focused presentation environment aligned with the wider event identity. The transition from staff engagement into recognition therefore felt like a progression within the same story, not a separate awards package added at the end.

Evolution managed concept development, production and delivery as one process, preserving the relationship between the original artwork, the event theme and the live programme.

Delivery Highlights

• Third consecutive Emirati Women's Day edition delivered by Evolution.
• Creative identity based on a mural by Emirati artist Diaa Allam.
• Pre-conference activation concepts for ADNOC staff.
• Mural-inspired stage design and event décor.
• Dedicated Gender Balance Awards environment.
• Integrated concept, production and live delivery.

Outcome

The event gave ADNOC's Emirati Women's Day celebration a distinctive visual identity rooted in local artistic expression. Guests encountered the mural's language through participation, environment and recognition rather than as a single isolated artwork.

The awards programme became the natural conclusion to an experience already centred on achievement, empowerment and a sustainable future.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

ADNOC 

Evolution Events: Led the creative concept, artist-led interpretation, staff activations, awards programme, production management and live delivery.

Evolution Scenic: Translated the mural into the stage design, décor, activation settings and Gender Balance Awards environment.

Additional Support:

Evolution Furniture, Evolution Technical