Elie Saab To Design Residences in Dubai
The longstanding trend of Dubai developments co-branding themselves with names from the luxury world has a new A-lister to add to the crowd. Already the city has seen partnerships with Bulgari, Versace and Armani for both hotels and residences and starting in April a tower of condos designed by couturier Elie Saab will be on the market. This partnership is in conjunction with Emaar Properties for the Dubai Harbour—a massive maritime development that will bring 27 towers of residences, hotels and retail to a stretch of land overlooking the Arabian Gulf, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai skyline. With a market cap of $9.6 billion Emaar Properties makes several Forbes lists, ranking as high as number 20 on 2019’s Top Regarded Companies, and claims to be the world’s largest property development company outside of China. They are most famous for Dubai’s Burj Khalifa building, the tallest building in the world (and where the Armani hotel is located).
Saab’s designs will touch on all aspects of the Grand Bleu Tower building, from the lobby to the condos ranging from one to three-bedroom residences and the four-bedroom penthouses (prices for the penthouses start at around $1.4 million). Each resident has access to a private beach as well as the 8th floor amenity level with fitness rooms and communal party rooms. A landscaped pool deck and barbecue area are also available for resident use.
The overall design of the building harkens a 1930s Miami Art Deco feel to fit in with the developer’s goal of making Dubai Harbour feel like a Miami beach experience. This means plenty of gold when it comes to the fixtures and wall treatments, but just like many of Saab’s fashion designs everything has the feel of flowing water. Residents who purchase units here can work with the Elie Saab design team to outfit their homes with pieces from Saab’s homeware collections. Here’s a look at several of the concepts he has put together.
Another view of the lobby shows a custom-designed couch which brings in the Art Deco style curves and freestanding sculptural elements that mimic water droplets.
The dining room in one of the units uses draperies with the same interlaced pattern as seen in the lobby sculptures as well as a metallic base to the table which adds a subtle sheen to the room.
The kitchen keeps everything very subtle so the cabinets appear to be part of the wall and the island blends in by picking up the same gold tones of the veins in the cabinetry.
The bedroom still uses gold tones against a white backdrop, but these are softer and woven more subtly into the space.
Here’s a look at the entire development plan for Dubai Harbour, with 27 towers lining either side of the beach.
