Contrasting curves and grids define resort hotel experience
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationDubai, UAE
ClientAl Sharq
Size23.2 acres (site); 10.6 acres (landscape)

Positioned on the outer ring of Palm Jumeirah, the W Hotel and neighboring residential towers celebrate the contrasting views to the city’s urban skyline in one direction… and to the infinite sea horizon in the other. These contrasting views droves the form and texture of design elements throughout the property, exemplified by the juxtaposition of geometric shapes and manufactured materials against sinuous, organic curves and softer treatments.

The design team’s goals included establishing a “flirty, not sexy” identity that responded to gridded and organic forms. Experiential zones are focused at the intersection of these opposing notions. The expansive pool deck features a city-inspired pool and “party zone,” populated with cabanas reminiscent of buildings arranged on a city grid and oriented toward the incredible Dubai skyline. Adjacent to this pool, a series of sinuous, cascading pools transport visitors optically and physically down to the beach, where the two concepts converge in a stunning beach with a celebratory atmosphere.

Related Projects

Hyatt Gainey Ranch

The 28-acre site is part of an existing master planned resort community. The golf course and lake were existing. The owner wanted water gardens and had in mind tropical gardens with artificial rocks and rope bridges. The designers convinced the owner that a concept that recalled ancient South American themes was more appropriate for the desert. Lines of date p...

Desert Ridge

SWA provided site planning and full landscape architectural services for this 1,000-room desert resort hotel on a 54-acre site. The project also includes five restaurants, a day-spa facility and a conference center. The landscape design provides a desert theme contrasted with water in the form of lakes, pools and lush foliage, and the desert theme provides a d...

Address Sky View

The Address Sky View is centrally located in Dubai’s Burj Opera District, adjacent to the Burj Khalifa and Lake, and along the waterfront retail development. In this fast-paced environment, the Address Sky View offers unparalleled luxury that inspires rest and relaxation. Whether you are a resident enjoying the pool with family, an art aficionado strolling in ...

Grand Hyatt Mumbai

The Grand Hyatt Mumbai is a 750-room, five-star hotel near the Mumbai Airport. SWA’s site development concept reflects a contemporary interpretation of the historic Moghul garden. Water channels, cascades and reflecting pools link the site and create a garden setting for the upscale, urban hotel. Extensive rooftop gardens provide an outdoor gathering area for ...

Bishop's Lodge

Bishop’s Lodge Resort is a 66-acre parcel situated along valleys and ridges in the high New Mexican desert, four miles from downtown Santa Fe, known for its history, natural beauty, outdoor activities, and isolated location. The core of the resort is composed of a number of individual lodge-style buildings, along with the historically significant 150+-ye...

Marriott Marquis Hotel

The Houston Marriott Marquis Hotel takes advantage of its proximity to Discovery Green Park and the George R. Brown Convention Center with a distinctive arrival court, pedestrian-friendly streetscape, and clear connections to the Avenida de Las Americas and the new light rail station on Rusk Street. The SWA-designed 6th-floor amenity deck overlooks ...

Waldorf Astoria and Beverly Hilton (LA)

In collaboration with SWA The Waldorf and Hilton enterprises combined forces to revitalize their Art Deco-inspired Beverly Hills hotels with fresh, more sustainable landscapes. SWA designed custom planters for the Waldorf entry drive and exterior garden of the Beverly Hilton, leveraging the concept of a “veil” to organize a series of hedges and screens that bu...

Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo

Known for mountainous tropical landscapes where the Sierra Madre range meets the Pacific, the Jalisco coastline is one of Mexico’s preeminent ecotourism destinations, home to the UNESCO-designated Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve and vast marine sanctuaries. Carefully sited for minimum ecological disturbance, the new Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo centers con...