October 3-7  |  Starting at $500

House of Vans DXB

The world’s highest skate park

The time we turned a 43rd floor penthouse into the world's highest skate park. Van-dalized opulence. Dubai's skaters finally got their night, in a moment that didn’t capitalize on culture; it moved it forward, creating space for sport and city to finally find love in an unexpected place.

A performer with dreadlocks and a colorful shirt is on stage pointing towards the audience, who are dancing and watching attentively at an indoor concert or event. The venue has ornate wall decorations, framed pictures, and a large chandelier, with a sign that reads 'House of Vans' in the background.
“Dubai isn’t the first, second, third or fourth place you think of when you think skating, but that doesn’t mean that the scene doesn’t exist there. Vans recently launched its latest House of Vans in the city, to the surprise of some, who didn’t think the city was a viable destination. But a deeper look into the scene reveals that the launch makes perfect sense.”
— HYPEBEAST

Client
Vans Middle East + Global

Market
Dubai UAE

Scope
Concept, spatial design, event production, talent programming, brand activations, customization

An interior decorated wall with ornate gold frames, patterned wallpaper with black and gold floral design, and red and black checkered accents. Various framed pictures, a bust statue, and a sign reading 'NAIS' are displayed. There is a fireplace with an elaborate gold frame, a checkered armchair, and a man in business attire standing nearby. The setting appears to be at an event or exhibition with red lighting effects.
A photography session with a person dressed in vibrant traditional clothing in front of a colorful backdrop, surrounded by equipment and accessories, with a photographer taking pictures.
A skateboarder is performing an air trick, jumping off a ledge indoors with a glass of drink in the foreground. Spectators are watching, and the environment is lively with colorful lighting and motion blur.
A young male skateboarder with long hair, wearing a white Vans t-shirt and black pants, performing a trick on a rail inside an indoor skate park with colorful lighting and a large screen in the background.
Four young adults sitting and posing on an ornate vintage-style sofa with a checkered and gold design in a decorated room with red and black wallpaper. One person is lying across the sofa, and three others are sitting or kneeling beside them, with relaxed and playful expressions.
Indoor urban space with a large sign reading 'House of Vans' at the end of a corridor surrounded by posters and artwork, with a few people walking and talking.

Bring House of Vans to the Middle East for the first time. Show the world a different side of Dubai — the skaters, the creatives, the community that had been building its own culture long before anyone came to support it.

BRIEF

Van-dalized opulence. Take the most glamorous setting imaginable and destroy it beautifully. A swanky penthouse covered in skate culture. Free music, free food, skate lessons, live demos from global talent. Style portraits by Marta Lamovsek letting people try on a new identity. Laser gun customization with localized Arabic graphics. One-of-a-kind drops made on site. Nothing passive, nothing velvet-roped, nothing that felt like a brand activation.

INSIGHTS & APPROACH

30 million people reached. Three booked-out days. The world's highest skate park, functioning properly at 43 floors up, overlooking one of the most recognizable skylines on the planet. A city not known for skate culture got its defining skate moment. And Vans proved it belongs everywhere the culture lives, not just where it's already established.

EXECUTION & IMPACT

Why it worked.