Protecting Turtle Habitats at Shebara Resort
22nd May 2026
On the coastline of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination, the futuristic overwater villas of Shebara Resort sit within an environment as visually striking as it is environmentally sensitive.
For this beachfront project, lighting needed to do more than perform beautifully. It needed to respect the natural habitat surrounding it.
Working collaboratively with Light Touch PLD, LightGraphix developed a completely custom exterior downlight solution designed specifically for the coastal conditions and ecological requirements of the site.
Designing Around the Environment
Sea turtles rely heavily on natural moonlight reflection to navigate between nesting sites and the sea. Artificial lighting that falls within the wrong wavelength range can disorient hatchlings, drawing them inland instead of safely back towards the water.
To help minimise this impact, the project required a dual-source exterior downlight capable of switching between general architectural illumination and turtle-friendly lighting during sensitive nighttime periods.
The solution incorporated:
- 1x turtle-friendly amber LED using a CREE XPE source within the wavelength range considered safer for turtles (565–623nm)
- 1x 2700K LED source for general nighttime illumination
- Full 360° rotation and 25° tilt adjustment for precise aiming
- IP67 Marine-grade construction suitable for harsh coastal environments
Both light sources were integrated into a fully custom dual-gimbal downlight engineered around our RLE (Replaceable Light Engine) module platform.
Engineered for Harsh Coastal Conditions
Projects located directly beside the sea demand more from exterior lighting.
Salt exposure, moisture, heat and corrosion can significantly reduce product lifespan if materials and finishes are not carefully considered from the outset.
The fitting was machined from solid aluminium and hard anodised (50 microns) to withstand the demanding coastal environment while maintaining long-term performance and durability. Narrow beam optics were carefully selected to ensure controlled illumination with minimal spill.
Like many custom solutions developed at LightGraphix, the project started with a specific challenge rather than an off-the-shelf request.
The result is a discreet architectural fitting that supports both the visual intent of the space and the sensitive natural environment around it.
Collaboration Through Light
At LightGraphix, many of our custom products begin with conversations around constraints, environments and project-specific challenges.
Sometimes the answer is about performance.
Sometimes it is about installation.
And sometimes, as with this project, it is about designing lighting that works more thoughtfully alongside the natural world.
Because lighting with intent is not only about how a space looks.
It is also about how that space exists within its wider environment.
Lighting Design:
Light Touch PLD https://www.lighttouchpld.com/project-touch/shebara-resort/
Project:
Shebara on Sheybarah Island, Saudi Arabia https://www.shebara.sa/en/
Learn more about the resort:
Red Sea Global https://redseaglobal.com/en/portfolio/projects/shebara-resort/