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.
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...
Grand Mansion Hotel
The Grand Mansion Hotel sits atop a historical museum on the site of a former palace, the ruins of which have been preserved and are now an extension of the main museum exhibit, with parts that can be seen across the street. The overall design concept was to reinterpret a traditional leisure garden featuring Japanese cherry, bamboo, and maple trees, and the gr...
Sanya Edition
This Ian Schrager-helmed Haitang Bay resort off the coast of Southern China was conceived as a “dream of aqua,” where sky and water converge. SWA’s competition-winning landscape design emulates a river delta and its convergence with the sea. Gently curved forms define the boundaries for 40 private villas, and are echoed throughout the terraced resort in ...
Virgin Hotel Dallas
The Virgin Hotel Dallas is a boutique hotel appropriately set within the city’s design district, carrying forward Virgin’s high standards of distinctive, comfortable luxury programs and experiences for guests. SWA worked with the architecture and interior design team to propose a modern spin on an urban hotel constrained by an extremely small site. Fronting H...