GOING DOWN

120 minutes of full CG, 4K resolution, several terabytes of data, various underwater worlds and thousands of virtual fish. What may sound like the making of "Finding Nemo 2" is actually the state-of-the-art submarine-simulation created by DOSO, Austria, for the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

The seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel is not only known for its one-of-a-kind architectural design but for its outstanding restaurants as well. The most exclusive of these, the seafood paradise, Al Mahara, can only be reached by a very special means. As legend has it, the Al Mahara lies amongst colossal coral reefs, deep in the Persian Gulf, and can only be reached in a golden submarine, skippered by a fearless captain.

The journey begins in a hangar at the Burj Al Arab and gets under way with a trip through the caverns beneath the hotel that are accented beautifully by a blanket of self-illuminating anemone (the Heteractis Burj Al Arab, a fluorescent anemone, were computer-bread, especially for this project). Our brave captain skillfully navigates around various obstacles, thereby reminding the passengers about the usual safety procedures and required codes of conduct for such a voyage. After all, a lot can happen during a journey as perilous as this.

Passengers can gaze in amazement at the fairytale underwater world through any of seven portholes. Rock formations or sea life appearing unexpectedly in the submarine's path are circumvented quickly, causing the entire cabin to rock and vibrate, diesel engines droning. Changes in direction are heralded by sounds from the rudder and rhythmic Arabic music emanates from the submarine's radio.

The journey continues into the coral reefs and past the colorful fish, coral and diverse sea life - and deeper into the hollow in which the Al Mahara restaurant lies. Along the way the submarine might pass a shipwreck, navigate through a large school of fish or barely avoid a collision with a large sea turtle. During the day, the underwater world is flooded by warm sunlight, at night the submarine's lights illuminate its surroundings. The captain has several lighting scenarios from which to choose, depending on the time of day or the mood desired. Otherwise the captain is busy steering his subaqueous vehicle safely to its destination.

The largest technical challenge in the creation of this vast and lively underwater world was the creation of a seamless look for the entire trip. In film, cuts are used to separate individual scenes. This project, however, required that the submarine be able to navigate through its environment uninterrupted. The project's complexity was increased further by the requirement that the passengers be given a 360¡ view of the underwater environment through any of the submarine's seven portholes - and this in accordance with trips of varying lengths, as defined by the restaurant's staff themselves. Topping it off were fully rigged fish and tons of virtual plant life that swayed with the current.

This project was rounded off by a synchronized audio track that was also produced by DOSO. The submarine's Surround Sound 7.1 system was set up in a dummy submarine in order to precisely synchronize all sounds. Everything from background music to hangar noises, the faint sound of sea life brushing the submarine's sides and curious sea turtles combined to create a harmonious soundtrack for this one-of-a-kind journey.

This unforgettable, yet quite safe, voyage in a golden submarine through underwater worlds is a highlight for any visit to the Burj Al Arab hotel.