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HBA designs Middle East properties with local influences

HBA designs Middle East properties with local influences

posted | Thursday, 19 Jul 2012

Three new lifestyle experiences at Grand Hyatt Dubai showcase global hospitality interior design leader HBA’s latest projects in the Middle East – hot on the heels of the prestigious new landmark St. Regis addresses in Abu Dhabi.

Grand Hyatt Dubai has commissioned three distinctive concepts for Ahasees Spa and Club, the multi-event venue Al Manzil and The Living Room lounge bar complex.

Trendy lounge bar, The Living Room is designed to reflect the energy and vibrancy of Dubai’s mix of diverse cultures spanning the Middle East, Europe and Asia. With a unique concept for each ‘living room’, Velvet Lounge is inspired by Middle Eastern colour, with vivid hues of purples, magenta and gold.

The European Lounge has Louis VX chairs and antique mirrors against a white backdrop. Entry is through an orange portal in high gloss lacquer, which creates a grand sense of arrival.

The Chinese Lounge is bold with strong reds and blacks. Two oversized, flamboyant chandeliers in crystal and velvet are the central feature. One wall depicts a photographic scene from a Chinese nightclub and silk fabric panels abound.

“This combination of cultural interplay, artistry and unique spatial planning creates an energetic and lively environment that could only exist in the dynamic city of Dubai,” said managing associate – Dubai, HBA, Michelle Evans.

HBA also delved deep into local cultural, artistry, craft and lifestyle when designing Al Manzil, Grand Hyatt Dubai’s ‘Residence’ multi-event venue for meetings and events – housing six venues including meeting rooms, a lounge, family room, conservatory and open show kitchen in the dining room.

In neighbouring Abu Dhabi, HBA has combined Mediterranean style with Arabic influences for the first St. Regis Hotel in the Middle East, St. Regis Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

“St. Regis Saadiyat Island promises more than a respite from the urban – it promises a freedom from concerns,” says associate – Atlanta, HBA, Ira Imerlishvili. “The purpose of a seaside resort is to invite the guest into relaxation, pleasure and comfort. The design is more than visual enrichment – it is essential to the guest experience.”

“The overall palette has a strong connection to the island, light and airy with natural and earthy materials, colours and shapes including sand roses and sea swells.”

In contrast, The St. Regis Nation Towers aims to offer a defining urban hotel experience in Abu Dhabi.

The distinctive addition to the Abu Dhabi skyline is an ultra-sleek glass and steel landmark of two skyscrapers of 268 and 233m linked by the world’s highest sky bridge. The St. Regis Nation Towers occupies the top floors of the smaller tower with 228 guestrooms and 55 grand suites, including one on the connecting bridge.

HBA delivered interior architecture worthy of both the storied brand and this hotel’s remarkable location along the city’s garden-lined coastal boulevard.

“With very few local references, we looked to the colours of the sands, and the traditional foods, spices, arts and crafts that flourished in the markets of the time – imaginatively elevating and applying them to a refined, gazelle-like style,” said Imerlishvili.

HBA has been increasingly active in the Middle East since opening a dedicated new office in Dubai in 2000. High-end projects have also included Taj Palace Dubai, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anatara, The Ritz-Carlton Dubai and Amethyst Lounge Beirut.

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