Spearing into the blue sky, Burj Khalifa – also called “the Dubai Tower” – has been regarded as one of the most remarkable building in human history. Burj Khalifa is a landmark among Middle East, where is mostly dominated by Islamic culture, and also an icon of how high technology can help to construct an “automatic” building. Across the Persian Gulf, there is a vivid comparison to Burj Khalifa –Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. The museum is a beautiful architecture that collects enormous number of Islamic artworks. Both of these two great building are lightened up by fixtures from Philips.

Philips undertook the whole lighting project of Burj Khalifa and developed an innovative system called “The Philips Dynalite” to control every single lighting fixture in many ways. For example, since there are hundreds of rooms in this tower, it is important to install a system that can simultaneously control lighting in every isolate room without overwhelming efforts. Furthermore, the lighting is necessary to be extremely energy-saving for this is such an immense skyscraper. As the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa not only proves that an Islamic country can achieve such a majestic goal but also becomes a symbol of technological innovation.

However, it is not always grand erections that represent the modern world can have connections with the newest technology. Middle East is a region that mixed ancient religious belief and futuristic imagination. Another application of Philips Dynalite system, Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar is the best instance of this.

The main purpose of this museum is to display all kinds of Islamic collections such as ceramics, glass, textiles and manuscripts. In addition, the museum itself is the biggest artwork that is comprehensively influenced by ancient Islamic architecture. Philips managed to apply a remote configuration that allows staffs in the museum to control lighting through their own PC or any mobile device. It is stunning to visit this museum, and it is also amazing to know that such a history-oriented place is organized by the newest technology.