MEDAINA'S STAGES

Between Sandstone and Light: Melissa Valentina’s Temporary Stages at Wadi Rum and Petra

Two site-specific architectures that merge performance, material, and monumental landscapes in the Jordanian desert.

Wadi Rum — Reflecting the Desert’s Silence

When designer Melissa Valentina first visited Wadi Rum in January, the desert was vast, raw and alive. Over several visits, the light, temperature and sand shifted — but its energy remained unchanged: grounding, ancient, powerful.

“I wanted to create something that could hold space for us and for music within all of that. A structure that could mirror the rock, reflect the light, and still hold its own. Green chrome and mirrored gold — chosen not to blend, but to shine. Bold lines. Geometric curves. A shape from another time, or maybe from the future.” — Melissa Valentina

Three months of design development resulted in a stage made of curved vertical steel frames clad in green and gold reflective panels. These finishes were chosen for their high reflectivity, durability in extreme desert conditions and ability to shift character from night to day.

Technically, all LED fixtures were embedded within the structure — wiring hidden during assembly to preserve the silhouette. At night, the entire stage became a dark, sculptural outline illuminated from within. By sunrise, artificial lights faded and the real material palette emerged: warm metallics, mirrored surfaces and desert hues in constant dialogue with the sun.

The entire build sits on modular steel bases, free-standing and demountable. Anchoring points were minimized to reduce the environmental footprint. Local Bedouin know-how was essential: materials and crew had to adapt to the terrain’s unpredictability and remote logistics. 

Wadi Rum Credits: 

Event: Medaina 

Design: Melissa Valentina (@_melissa.valentina) 

Production: TITHOREA (@tithoreanyc) & iJordan (@ijordanevents) 

Build: Almallem (@almallem.issawi) 

Stage Lighting Design & Operation: Erick Estrada (@erick_catharsis), Guillermo Zarate (@memoshot) 

Venue Lighting & Sound Design: Tritec AV (@tritec_av) 

Video: Tepo 

Photos: Raul Aragão (@raul) - final selection TBD

Sad Al-Nimer, Petra — Extending Ancient Stone

Petra’s Sad Al-Nimer stage pushes site-specific design to an even more delicate level. Here, the goal was to build on the canyon itself — using its natural terraces as the only structural base.

The design creates three stepped levels that follow the sandstone’s contours with no artificial risers. The audience, performers, and DJs are distributed across these rock platforms, blending into the carved landscape.

Above, five vertical steel structures stand over 4.5 meters tall — wrapped by hand with more than 10,000 strands of natural rope. This choice softens the canyon’s raw geology with a layer of warmth and movement. The rope wraps also respond to wind and light, creating shifting shadows and a tactile surface that contrasts the rock’s permanence.

The entire build was pre-fabricated in modular parts, then carried and assembled on-site with minimal tools. All rigging and lighting elements are non-invasive, respecting Petra’s UNESCO-protected status. Sound design relies on the canyon’s natural acoustics — enhancing the site’s monumental echo rather than overpowering it.

“I wanted to create something that spoke the same visual language as Petra’s ancient facades. Something that feels timeless and monumental but is made with fabric and texture — a soft layer over thousands of years of stone.” — Melissa Valentina

Petra Credits: 

Event: Medaina 

Design: Melissa Valentina (@_melissa.valentina) 

Production: TITHOREA (@tithoreanyc) & iJordan (@ijordanevents) 

Build & Decoration: The Designer Guys Co. (@thedesignerguys), Almallem (@almallem.issawi) 

Stage Lighting Design & Operation: Erick Estrada (@erick_catharsis), Guillermo Zarate (@memoshot) 

Venue Lighting & Sound Design: Tritec AV (@tritec_av) 

Video: Luc Negri (@lucnegri) 

Photos: Raul Aragão (@raul) - final selection TBD