With design furniture and bespoke art pieces scattered around, the lobby also serves as an open-space gallery. With design furniture and bespoke art pieces scattered around, the lobby also serves as an open-space gallery.

“The idea for the lobby was to create a volume by using very simple materials, such as stone and wood and with the use of high ceilings, maximising the natural daylight,” says Chennoufi.

“As for the artworks, we have designed many iconic pieces such as the pink sculptures, which can be named a symbol of the hotel. It is the first thing you see when entering the hotel and represents a complex structure of two multifaceted geometric towers made from a reflective stainless steel in a vibrant pink colour. Each sculpture is 7m high and goes up toward the ceiling.”

All the F&B outlets are also themed, each of them holding a different concept, which makes them stand out from one another. The Accents, all-day dining restaurant, has an open kitchen where the chefs prepare dishes on the spot.

To make the food stand out, designers used a white solid surface for the buffet counter tops.

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“We wanted to give more importance to the food that is served, so the entire space is designed to be neutral with the exception of the buffet counter, which looks like a sculpture. We used a white solid surface on the buffet counter tops to make the food stand out,” says Chennoufi. With some statement art pieces and a vast collection of designer furniture, the YNot wine bar has a completely different look and it is planned to become a new meeting point with direct access to Dubai Marina Walk.

“With different types of chairs, tables, bar stools and art pieces that we collected from everywhere, YNot is a casual bar that has an aged look. Trying to convince the hotel operator to have more than 10 furniture brands in just one space was one of the struggles, since this was not the standard approach. However, we didn’t want to choose an easy way and we wanted to create an atmosphere to suggest the bar has already existed for years.”

For the rooms and serviced apartments, Chennoufi says that they tried to use all advantages of the Marina views and abundant daylight to make the rooms brighter and more luxurious. The hotel features a considerable selection of natural materials — stone, marble and wood — in a variety of textures and shapes; as well as the use of solid surfaces in the rooms that are a signature feature of Draw Link’s designs.

“Natural daylight and stunning views are the new synonyms for luxury,” concludes Chennoufi.