introduction

A partnership between two industry leaders: Gulf Related brings together international mixed use development expertise and local knowledge. We merged Gulf Capital’s award winning financing and local investor capabilities with Related’s robust real estate development experience, effectively delivering all aspects of each project from design, construction and leasing to management and marketing.

The Galleria on Al Maryah Island is a joint venture between Mubadala Real Estate and Infrastructure and Gulf Related. It is Abu Dhabi’s super-regional mall in the heart of the city. With over 400 stores, including 300 of the world’s most popular brands, 100 food and beverage options and an abundance of entertainment catering to all ages, The Galleria has something for everyone. 

First opened in 2013 as a luxury and fine-dining destination with brands such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and Zuma, on 4 September 2019 it will dramatically expand its offering when 250 new stores such as Zara, H&M and Debenhams open alongside family favourites such as The Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang’s and Paul Café. Combined with world-class entertainment venues including a 21-screen VOX Cinema with IMAX, a flagship Xtreme Zone and urban parks catering to family activities, this incredible offering sets The Galleria apart as the most exciting retail, culinary, entertainment and lifestyle hub in the Middle East.

The expansion of The Galleria into a super-regional mall is part of the integrated strategy by Mubadala Real Estate and Infrastructure (MREI), a unit of Mubadala Investment Company, and Gulf Related, to create a dynamic lifestyle hub for the evolving Abu Dhabi community in line with Al Maryah Island’s positioning as a business and lifestyle destination. The unrivalled dining and luxury collection includes 130 of the world’s most acclaimed luxury brands, with new openings in 2019 including Chanel, Valentino and Piaget. Looking ahead to September 2019, The Galleria will add over 300 additional retail brands, including 250,000 square feet of entertainment and over 70 new dining options to the integrated project. 

Scope of Work

• Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, National Day activation
• The Galleria Expansion Opening
• Winter Wonderland Festival
• Chinese New Year Festival
• New Years Concert
• Halloween

Project Notes

I really hope that the images below tell a wonderful story of what beautiful content by focusing on capturing emotions and chasing THE MOMENT can look like for such kind of events and celebrations.

As usual I would consult my clients to discuss what is important for me as a professional photographer. But honestly the recipe to success it is super simple = its called Creative Freedom.

A lead photographer can only dedicate his/her skills to beauty shots if a 2nd shooter takes care for all items on the must have event checklist. Such working environment permits the main shooter to spend more quality time with engaged visitors and be more selective overall on what to capture.

It is not always about the scale of an event or the number of hired photographers it is more about the strategic alignment of individual scopes and a production team that works in harmony, ideally a crew who worked together prior on similar gigs. A crew which compliments and can rely on each other, especially during intense moments.