With the Dubai Water Canal, the city implemented a grandiose urban transformation, giving birth to a vast public space. Neri has provided a hi-tech lamppost that not only illuminates the pedestrian route but, reflecting on the water, creates a unique scenic backdrop.
Dubai Water Canal, UAE
2016
RTA – Meydan
Christos Papachristos, CPLD; AE7
Antonio Neri
The Water Canal has a long promenade along both its sides. The light studied by Neri illuminates these, combining effectiveness with scenography. The lampposts are equipped with four light sources. A mark-up at the top of the post allows linear reflection on the water; a performing bracket light illuminates the pedestrian walkway; a luminous area on the upper part of the lamppost lights the façades of the buildings and a long luminous area on the canal side extends for the entire height of the post. The lampposts are also provided with video cameras, a small table with a socket for telephone recharging and a Wi-Fi connection system enabling coverage of the entire area.
The project also includes several pedestrian bridges which permit crossing of the canal at key points and the enjoyment of breathtaking panoramas. The alternating colours reflecting on the water create an effect of continuous movement.
The nocturnal display, remote controlled, is animated with the alternation of red, green, yellow, blue, white, violet and sky-blue colours.
Read about other projects
Lighting Restoration in Martina Franca
For Neri, restoration means giving continuity to the identity of a place — as in the historic center of Martina Franca, where the redevelopment of public lighting helped enhance its most authentic elements. The 270 historic wrought-iron lanterns, which have lit up alleys and squares for decades, were dismantled, sandblasted, repaired where damaged, and repainted. Original decorative features were preserved and highlighted, while irreparable structural elements were faithfully reconstructed. To ensure visual and functional consistency, 298 new lanterns identical to the originals were also produced. A similar restoration was carried out on the 12 lanterns of the main square, characterized by unique dimensions and ornamentation. The project also included the integration of LED technology, replacing the old light sources, and the removal of opaque glass panels — improving both energy efficiency and light quality.
New Light for the Porticoes of Bologna
The Pavaglione portico, part of Bologna’s portico system recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the focus of a redevelopment project led by Studio I-DEA, within which Neri completely restored the historic chandeliers, now equipped with LED technology to ensure greater efficiency and safety. The intervention involved a thorough conservative restoration: cleaning, structural reinforcement of the metal sheets, gold painting as per the original finish, and a new fastening system for the glass parts, now also protected by a transparent safety film. A precise and respectful work that brings to light Bologna’s historical identity and demonstrates how light can also be a tool for heritage preservation.
Polis: Contemporary Light for Pistoia
Pistoia regains a new identity thanks to the lighting redevelopment project carried out by Hera. The intervention selected Polis as a key element: a lighting fixture designed to blend elegantly and discreetly into the most delicate urban settings, replacing old systems with high-efficiency LED solutions. Its sober design – simple, flat, and circular in shape – naturally integrates into the urban fabric, enhancing public spaces and the surrounding environment without altering their historical identity. The project focuses on balancing aesthetics and performance: construction quality, LED technology, and attention to the context combine to create a more welcoming and safer urban environment, even at night.