Abu Dhabi's brand new super club O1NE Yas Island boasts the world's largest privately owned graffiti wall and is set to open on Thursday to coincide with the first night of the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
The huge, cylindrical structure, located near the du Forum arena on Yas Island, has a 2,500-square-metre facade featuring bold, colourful murals by some of the world's best graffiti artists.
The venue will be operated by Sky Management, the company that owns Sky Bar in Beirut and which previously operated the Sky Bar nights at du Forum in Abu Dhabi over F1 weekends in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
For O1NE Yas Island, 18 artists were flown in from the Netherlands, Argentina, England, Spain and Brazil for two weeks of painting work.
Each artist was given a stretch of wall, so the structure showcases an array of different styles.
The club's management says high-profile acts will play there during the F1 weekend, but did not name them.
The club will be in operation every night during F1; afterwards, it will only open its doors once a week.
"We are going to be very exclusive; we will only open once a week – on Thursday – because scarcity makes you want things more," says Chafic El Khazen, the chief executive of Sky Management. "It will not be open for the masses. It will be targeting VIPs."
El Khazen hopes to attract clubgoers from far and wide, with its selection of house music and R&B.
"O1NE Yas Island is more than just an aesthetically pleasing masterpiece; it is also poised to be a top party place in the UAE and the whole region," says El Khazen. "It has state-of-the-art technologies for an experience clubgoers have never seen or imagined," he adds.
For example, 3-D mapping designs will be projected onto the wall, offering visitors a different backdrop every time they attend.
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
What are the influencer academy modules?
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Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
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Don’ts
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
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- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million