Celebrating 50 Years of dpa lighting consultants in the UAE

2026 marks a landmark year for dpa lighting consultants, as we celebrate half a century of continuous involvement in the United Arab Emirates. Our journey in the region began in 1976 with our very first UAE project: the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. Designed by our Founder, Derek Phillips, in collaboration with pioneering New York-based lighting designer Howard Brandston, the project not only set a precedent for lighting design in the region but also sparked a long and valued friendship between Derek and Howard.

At the time, none of us could have predicted just how significant Dubai, the wider UAE, and the Middle East would become to dpa’s evolution. Following the Sheraton, we were privileged to contribute to a number of notable commissions across the region, gradually strengthening our connection with the UAE’s rapidly growing architectural landscape.

A major turning point came in the late 1990s when we were appointed to the Grand Hyatt Dubai. This landmark project proved pivotal, and in 2004, we opened our Dubai studio. From that moment, our presence in the Middle East expanded significantly, and today every dpa studio is actively engaged in projects across the region.

Over the past 50 years, we have had the privilege of contributing to many of the UAE’s most important and celebrated developments. The selected projects featured below represent only a small portion of the work we have been honoured to undertake, and we remain deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by our clients, collaborators, and partners across the Emirates.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to supporting the region’s evolving architectural landscape through thoughtful, contextual, human‑centred lighting design. Here’s to the next 50 years!