Lighting up the night for Ramadan
From sunrise to sunset, millions of Muslims around the world fast for the holy month of Ramadan. As soon as the sun sets, however, cities and communities around the world come life. Why? Because many activities are pushed into the evening hours: social gatherings, shared meals, business meetings, and even sporting events – did you know, for example, that football fans in Birmingham who fast during Ramadan can take part in the so-called “Ramadan Midnight League”?
Of course, all these activities share one essential element: light. No light, no meals. No light, no football. No light… You get the idea. In areas where Ramadan is celebrated, the light output increases so much that in December 2014 scientists using a NASA-NOAA satellite picked up that night-time lights in some Middle East cities were 50 to 100 percent brighter during the holy month of Ramadan.
Which makes sense if so much of a community’s activities take place in the darkest hours.
For shopping centers and cities in these communities, it also makes sense to stay open later. In the UAE, for example, restaurants are closed during the day, but full at night, and many shopping malls change their operating hours, with shops and leisure facilities sometimes staying open as late as midnight or 1am.
With longer opening hours and millions of people awake and active late into the night, how can malls and cities draw visitors out of their homes and into their spaces? Well, we have an idea: lighting custom-designed to celebrate Ramadan.
Looking for inspiration?
From giant Fanous Ramadan (Ramadan Lanterns) mounted to the ground and hanging from ceilings and lamps, glorious pavilions and façade lighting, to Ramadan motifs like crescent moons and stars, we have ways for you to transform any space into a festive place to enjoy Iftar.
Mix the traditional with other motifs
Although our customer-designed Ramadan lighting design and concepts are popular, you might want to mix the traditional with non-traditional lighting to celebrate the season, sales, or to encourage people to take photos and share them to get people talking about your space.
Inspired? Need a little help planning and implementing the lighting for your Ramadan nights?
Get in touch with us. We’ve worked with businesses large and small, shopping centers and cities, specifically to help them fill their space with light over Ramadan. Our dedicated teams in Turkey and the UAE not only understand light, but Islam, and can make sure that whatever we create together is glorious, culturally relevant, and that honors the holy month.