Launched in late November 2023, the Heriot-Watt University Climate Hub operated for two weeks alongside COP28 in Dubai. The initiative was created as a platform for international dialogue, new partnerships and practical discussion around the global climate challenge.

The attendance of His Majesty King Charles III underlined the profile of the programme, but the environment also needed to work across many days for a wider community of speakers, partners and attendees.

Evolution approached the hub as a temporary climate commons: a setting that could feel credible for high-level participation while remaining open, legible and welcoming enough for repeated conversation and collaboration.

The Challenge

A two-week event has different demands from a single conference day. Scenic elements, furniture, signage and collateral need to remain durable and consistent, while the environment must support changing programme content and a steady flow of stakeholders.

The COP28 context also placed the hub among a dense field of climate initiatives. It needed a distinct and professional identity capable of communicating Heriot-Watt University's role without relying on excessive visual treatment.

High-profile attendance increased the requirement for a polished setup, clear wayfinding and dependable venue operations.

The Solution

Evolution developed a cohesive creative treatment across furniture, backdrops, signage and decorative components. These elements transformed the venue into a recognisable hub while preserving the flexibility required for different discussions and partnership activity over the two-week programme.

The visual approach focused on clear communication and an inviting atmosphere. Backdrops and branding established identity at key viewpoints, while furniture supported both formal discussion and less structured conversation between sessions.

Brochures, banners and supporting collateral carried the same language beyond the principal spaces, helping attendees understand the initiative and navigate its content. Media coverage documented the programme and extended its visibility within the wider COP28 conversation.

Evolution coordinated the setup and ongoing operations around the programme's high standards, allowing the environment to remain consistent as participants, activities and daily requirements changed.

Delivery Highlights

• Two-week Climate Hub delivered alongside COP28 in Dubai.
• Event environment supporting international climate dialogue and partnership building.
• Scenic backdrops, signage, decorative components and branded features.
• Furniture for formal and informal discussion settings.
• Brochures, banners and collateral supporting communication and visibility.
• Media coverage across the initiative.
• Venue setup and operational support for a high-profile programme.

Outcome

The Climate Hub provided Heriot-Watt University with a clear and adaptable physical presence during COP28. Its environment could host prominent visitors and formal discussions while continuing to support everyday exchange across the full two-week period.

The result was a platform that felt established rather than temporary, giving climate dialogue, partnership and university-led expertise a consistent place within a crowded international programme.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

Heriot-Watt University

Evolution Events: Led creative development, project management, collateral, media coordination, venue setup and ongoing event operations.

Evolution Scenic: Designed and installed backdrops, signage, branded features and decorative environmental elements.

Evolution Furniture: Provided furniture supporting formal meetings, partnership discussions and informal conversation areas.

Atlantis The Royal marked its global reveal on Palm Jumeirah from 20 to 22 January 2023. Looking Glass Events appointed Evolution to design and build a focused package of custom environments supporting the celebration.

The scope was not a single stage treatment. It involved three different expressions of the guest experience: a sculptural DJ setting, a recognisable branded photo moment and a premium VIP departure lounge for guests travelling to the main show.

Evolution approached the elements as a family of carefully finished interventions, each designed for a different audience behaviour while matching the sophistication expected of the hotel launch.

The Challenge

Every feature would be experienced at close range by high-profile guests. Engineering, finish quality and brand accuracy therefore needed to remain equally strong, particularly where the scenic treatment also performed a functional role.

The main DJ booth required a custom leaf shading structure, the 818 Tequila logo needed to work as an immediate photographic landmark, and the VIP Sailing Club had to balance comfort, circulation and a sense of occasion before guests transferred to the main programme.

The Solution

Evolution engineered and fabricated the DJ booth as a complete scenic object, integrating the custom leaf canopy so shelter, silhouette and performance position read as one design.

A life-size 818 Tequila logo created a clear social and photographic focal point. Its scale and finish allowed the sponsor identity to register immediately without relying on a conventional branded wall.

The VIP Sailing Club was designed and furnished as a refined hospitality environment. Layout, furniture and branded detailing supported the transition from private guest arrival to onward transport for the show.

Production planning connected the three settings through one fabrication and installation programme, protecting consistency of finish even though each element served a different function.

Delivery Highlights

• Grand Reveal programme delivered from 20 to 22 January 2023.
• Custom main DJ booth with an engineered leaf shading structure.
• Life-size 818 Tequila logo created as a photo opportunity.
• Design and furnishing of the VIP Sailing Club.
• Premium guest environment supporting transport to the main show.
• Integrated scenic fabrication and installation across the launch settings.

Outcome

The three environments gave the reveal a sequence of memorable guest touchpoints rather than one repeated visual treatment. Music, sponsor engagement and VIP hospitality each had a setting designed around its purpose.

The scenic work supported the grandeur of the wider launch through precision and restraint, adding distinctive moments without competing with the hotel or main performance.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

Looking Glass Events

Evolution Events: Led client coordination, guest-environment planning, installation programming and delivery across the three launch settings.

Evolution Scenic: Designed, engineered and fabricated the DJ booth, leaf canopy, life-size sponsor logo and branded VIP environment.

Evolution Furniture: Provided and coordinated the confirmed furnishings for the VIP Sailing Club hospitality setting.

As a prelude to COP28, the Global Faith Leaders Gala Dinner brought 400 distinguished faith leaders from around the world to Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

The evening was designed to foster unity and connection while introducing guests to the depth of Emirati culture. Evolution approached hospitality as a sensory form of storytelling, using music, aroma, taste and human welcome to create common ground before formal global climate discussions.

The experience did not rely on a single performance or decorative theme. Cultural elements were layered through the evening so guests could encounter Emirati tradition through several senses and at different moments in the programme.

The Challenge

The event welcomed senior faith leaders from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, requiring an environment that balanced dignity, warmth and inclusivity. Every aspect of the guest experience needed to reflect UAE hospitality while ensuring all attendees felt equally respected and welcomed.

Hosted at Emirates Palace, the event also demanded a restrained and authentic design approach. Traditional entertainment, Emirati hospitality and formal dining needed to be carefully integrated, creating a programme that encouraged conversation and cultural exchange without overshadowing the purpose of the gathering.

The Solution

Evolution curated an oud performance to establish a calm musical atmosphere rooted in Emirati tradition. The performance introduced the evening’s cultural language without interrupting the social purpose of the gathering.

A sensory guest journey incorporated the aroma and ritual of gahwa, traditional oils and Emirati cuisine. These elements allowed culture to be experienced through welcome and hospitality, creating natural prompts for conversation among delegates.

Evolution coordinated the guest journey, cultural programme and live event operations for 400 international faith leaders, ensuring each stage of the evening flowed naturally from arrival through to dinner. Every element was carefully integrated to maintain the dignity of the occasion while supporting meaningful interaction between guests.

The result was an experience where Emirati hospitality became the primary expression of the event's purpose, creating an environment that encouraged dialogue, mutual respect and shared understanding across cultures and faiths.

Delivery Highlights

• Gala dinner for 400 distinguished global faith leaders at Emirates Palace.
• Cultural hospitality programme developed as a prelude to COP28.
• Curated oud performance introducing traditional Emirati sound.
• Gahwa coffee ritual and traditional aromatic oils incorporated into the guest experience.
• Emirati cuisine presented as part of the cultural narrative.
• Environment designed around unity, connection and inclusive hospitality.
• Full event coordination and management for a senior international audience.

Outcome

The dinner created connection through shared experience rather than formal messaging alone. Music, scent, coffee and cuisine gave guests a direct encounter with Emirati hospitality while leaving space for dialogue across cultures and traditions.

The evening set a thoughtful tone for the conversations ahead of COP28, presenting the UAE not only as host, but as an active cultural participant in the gathering.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

SHF Holding LLC

Evolution Events: Led the cultural concept, entertainment curation, sensory guest journey, hospitality planning, international stakeholder coordination and live-event management.

Additional Project Support:

Evolution Furniture - Evolution Scenic - Evolution Technical

Held from 19 to 21 March 2019 at Saadiyat Rotana, Ghadan 21 - The Gathering brought leading urban-planning and architecture experts together to develop six projects for the future of Abu Dhabi. The three-day programme concluded with final presentations and an awards ceremony.

This was not a conference about innovation; it was an event in which participants were expected to produce it. Evolution transformed the ballroom into a working studio where teams could draw, model, test and refine ideas, while still supporting plenary discussion, stakeholder engagement and formal presentation.

The experience was designed around productive behaviour. Furniture, technology, spatial zoning and live support were selected for the work participants needed to complete rather than for a conventional conference layout.

The Challenge

Six project teams needed distinct working territories, practical tools and sustained access to technical support over three days. At the same time, the ballroom had to accommodate speeches, panels, shared discussion and the final presentation and awards programme.

The project also involved invitations, badging, gift bags, catering, hostesses and liaison with DPM, The Agency and participating experts. These services needed to remain responsive to a workshop process in which requirements could evolve as ideas developed.

The Solution

Custom workshop tables and furniture gave each team a defined base for collaboration. Large-screen Wacom drawing tablets, plotter printers and specialised modelling supplies allowed participants to move directly from discussion into visual development without leaving the event environment.

The ballroom layout maintained a relationship between individual work and the collective programme. Team zones supported concentration, while the auditorium, stage and shared circulation kept the six projects connected to one wider urban vision.

A complete pre-function and ballroom fit-out, including carpeting, staging and custom decorative elements, gave the temporary studio a considered identity appropriate to senior public-sector stakeholders. Full AV and truss systems supported both working sessions and formal presentations.

Evolution coordinated badging, invitations, gifts, catering, hostesses, documentation and stakeholder communication over the three days. The operational plan was built around the workshop rhythm, allowing support teams and technical resources to respond as the projects progressed.

Delivery Highlights

• Three-day workshop, plenary and awards environment at Saadiyat Rotana.
• Six project workstreams supported within one adaptable ballroom.
• Custom workshop tables, furniture and decorative elements.
• Large-screen Wacom drawing tablets, plotter printers and modelling supplies.
• Full AV, truss, carpeting, staging and pre-function fit-out.
• Delegate badging, invitations, gift bags and onsite support.
• Catering, hostess management, documentation and stakeholder coordination.

Outcome

The Gathering gave six teams the practical conditions to develop ideas rather than simply discuss them. The environment supported concentration at the worktable, access to specialist tools and moments of collective focus when teams returned to the shared stage.

By the final evening, the ballroom had carried the projects through their complete cycle - from early collaboration and visual development to presentation and recognition.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities (DPM)

Evolution Events: Led the event strategy, spatial planning, workshop infrastructure, delegate services, stakeholder coordination and three-day live operation.

Evolution Scenic: Delivered the stage, pre-function fit-out, carpeting, decorative elements and physical workshop environment.

Evolution Technical: Provided the full AV and truss solution, Wacom drawing systems, plotter printers and technical support for working sessions and presentations.

Evolution Furniture: Built and supplied the custom workshop tables and furniture supporting the six project teams.

Within the France Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Renault stand provided a dedicated platform for the brand’s technologies, products and sustainability commitments.

The challenge was to create a distinct Renault experience without disconnecting it from the wider national pavilion. Evolution developed the fit-out as a focused layer within the existing architecture, balancing brand visibility, product communication and visitor movement.

The stand used custom-built displays and interactive elements to move the experience beyond passive presentation, allowing visitors to encounter Renault’s innovation through the physical layout and points of engagement.

The Challenge

Expo visitors move quickly through dense environments containing many competing stories. The Renault space needed an immediately understandable route and enough visual distinction to encourage people to stop and explore.

The installation also had to remain durable and precise throughout the long Expo operating period. Interactive features, display surfaces and circulation needed to maintain both appearance and function under sustained public use.

The Solution

Evolution designed and constructed custom display elements around Renault’s innovation and sustainability themes, giving products and information clear positions within the stand.

Interactive features created direct visitor engagement and introduced variation within the journey, allowing the brand story to be discovered rather than only read.

The layout was planned around intuitive circulation and comfortable interaction. Visitors could approach, understand the principal displays and move through the space without disrupting the surrounding pavilion flow.

High-quality materials and precision fabrication were selected for visual finish and structural durability, supporting the demands of a long-duration public exhibition.

Delivery Highlights

• Renault brand environment within the France Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
• Custom-built product and information displays.
• Interactive visitor-engagement elements.
• Layout planned for intuitive circulation and interaction.
• High-quality materials selected for visual finish and durability.
• Complete exhibition fit-out integrated within the existing pavilion.

Outcome

The stand gave Renault a clear identity within the larger France Pavilion while allowing visitors to understand its products and future-facing commitments at their own pace.

Its effectiveness came from balance: visible enough to stand apart, integrated enough to belong, and durable enough to sustain continued public engagement throughout Expo.

Project Ecosystem

Client:

Renault

Evolution Events: Led fit-out planning, pavilion coordination, visitor-journey development and installation management.

Evolution Scenic: Fabricated the custom displays, physical stand environment and durable exhibition finishes.

Evolution Technical: Integrated the confirmed interactive elements supporting visitor engagement within the stand.

Additional Project Support:

Evolution Furniture - Evolution Scenic

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.