Nestled within lush tropical surroundings, the resort’s original colonial-style architecture has been preserved with references galore to the traditional Mauritian lifestyle and architecture, including local plantation manor houses, sugar cane kilns and soft palm-thatched roofs, while its interiors boast a more contemporary approach.

Soaring wooden doors open up to the reception area that automatically reveals unobstructed views of the ocean, while the high-ceiling stone and wood breezeway is interspersed with vast dome-shaped open windows, letting in natural light and air flow. Floors of silver travertine and white-washed walls echo the ripples of the seashore, and further add to the brightness and welcoming atmosphere of the space.

The guest rooms feature spacious living spaces design with muted hues of warm white marble, teak and greys, creating a relaxed island feel. dsgn from South Africa worked closely with the resort team to ensure that the interior design and architecture of all spaces truly captured the essence of the island, while keeping One&Only’s guidelines in mind. A strong focus has been placed on showcasing the serene views and surroundings of the resort, with furnishings, fabrics and colour schemes reflecting the lush tropical landscapes, the vibrant turquoise Indian Ocean and the bleached white Mauritian sand. Natural materials such as timber, stone, leather and linen are used across the interiors, with bespoke furniture and locally crafted lithographs selected to resonate with the tropical Mauritian environment.

The hotel’s Villa One – a private two-bedroom secluded island home on the property – is understandably the most desirable living space in the resort, and features bespoke furniture, locally crafted artworks, handmade ceramics and opulent natural materials such as marble, silk and leather. Artworks throughout the resort pay homage to the island. These include the starfish artworks by Dong Sculpture that adorn the walls of the entrance gallery and celebrate Mauritian marine life. Outside, a stainless steel spherical sculpture – also by Dong Sculpture – stands in the shape of a palm frond blowing in the wind.

For Villa One, the design team has selected a number of works by Mauritian artists, connecting guests to the heritage of the island and its culture. One such artist is Sarah Thompson, who designed two abstract ceramic pieces for the master bedroom and the dining room, inspired by the underwater treasures of the India Ocean, utilising a sea urchin application on white, with touches of glaze and metal.

Also in the master bedroom is the work of local artist Hélène de Senneville, who looks to tropical gardens and nature for inspiration. Her figurative acrylic gold and silver leaf painting is displayed on the wall. The second bedroom additionally features a collection of her handmade ceramic plates that evoke the colourful indigenous flora and fauna. In the living room, a selection of paintings reflects the resort’s legendary history, which has now been artfully retained through its remarkable attention to detail, its respect for culture and tradition, and its understanding of the modern-day luxury-loving traveller. 

Read more like this here.

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Butler’s Table overlooks the historic waterfront of Batroun and is imbued with warm tints and yellow accents that simulate and stimulate the natural sunlight. The focal point of the space is the bold yellow bar that symbolises the radiant energy of the solar rays, reinterpreted through a fractal design. Handmade using a mixture of sand and epoxy by Lebanese artist Nelsy Massoudi, its soft brightness alludes to the golden hour. Suspended above the bar is an oversized chandelier, meticulously crafted using 200 pieces of blown artisanal glass, arranged in four descending levels – all executed by local artisans.

“Artisanship holds a special place in my heart,” Gerges explains. “It is very inspiring to have collaborated with many local creatives [on the restaurant]; those who are still guardians of their craft, incredibly generous with their time, and highly skilled. Although they are constantly faced with adversity, there is always that commitment to finding solutions and problem-solving that resonates with my own process as an architect. There is a lot of possibility when you are in this disposition.” 

Echoing the chandelier, the walls are decorated with sconces made from the same captivating material. “Every aspect of these glass fixtures has been carefully designed to maximise the reflection and amplification of the natural sunlight during the day. As night falls, they create a warm ochre light, enveloping the surroundings with a touch of enchantment and adding a sense of magic to the space,” Gerges describes. Throughout the interiors, elegant iroko wood envelops the space from floor to ceiling, blending seamlessly with the terrace panelling, where the restaurant continues outdoors. Butler’s Table embraces the hotel’s hedonistic slow-living approach: it is a place where culture and luxury meet, under the complete cycle of the sun. 

Read more about Carl Gerges design here.

More of Batroun? Read here.

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Off the grid

“Although quite voluminous, the seats of the [Wire collection] act like chameleons,” says Muller Van Severen – the Designer(s) of the Year for the September edition of Maison & Objet Paris. “When the sun shines through them, they become invisible,” they add. A series of objects created for Solo House – an architectural home set within 100 hectares of natural landscape in the north of Spain (designed by OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen), the seats are an exercise in balancing transparency and strength. The gridded form creates an abundance of welding points, while keeping a basic shape of a mattress that is then folded. While originally conceived as outdoor furniture, the seats can also be used inside.

Breaking boundaries 

Design duo Atelier Caracas – based in Venezuela – are inspired by ‘masters’ of Italian design and the radical stage of design of that era, which featured a far less serious approach and used unlikely materials across a plethora of furniture and interior designs. Noticing little experimentation with upholsteries in collectible design, Atelier Caracas started playing around with the idea of incorporating classical textile and upholstering methods into strident and colourful geometries, creating pieces that explore the boundaries of colour, sensuality and construction. Their Home Office collection features a three-piece ensemble, comprising a chaise longue, a globe-shaped bar and a container box. The pieces in the collection merge subtle tones with unexpected pops of colour, curved and organic shapes with strictly geometric corners, decorative elements with smart functional gimmicks, and traditional upholsteries with unexpected fabrics. The result is a series of unconventional and innovative pieces that concurrently nod to modernity and vintage design.

Traces of light 

Lidia Covello’s whimsical Bōru screens feature two separate sheets of OmniDecor glass joined together, where the glass acts as an architectural element and function – dividing yet allowing one to see through space – but also as an independent furnishing item that looks to define a new type of interior design. Inspired by the designer’s adopted homeland of Japan, the screens reflect one’s need for harmony and freedom. Its sinuous shapes are discreet, transparent and fluid – just like light that passes through glass. 

Heart of Glass

The Cassina Perspective is the brand’s approach of combining innovative new products with its iconic collections, yet it also allows for collaborations with special partners: in this case, a duo of vases designed by English designer Bethan Laura Wood and produced by Venetian hand-blown glass experts Venini. Colourdisc is a perfect synthesis between centenary art and contemporary design, featuring a fruit bowl and a cylindrical flower vase. They each comprise a series of coloured compositions of discs and diamonds in Murano glass, cast in metal forms and placed around a brass volume – and available in two light finishes. One can even choose to add an optional blown glass vase in amber or horizon blue for an additional pop of colour (and to make it easier to fill up with water for flowers). The colours of the decorative glass are sourced from the Venini Archive, and they overlap and create a third shade. When hit with sunlight, the colours reflect on the vase to create a kaleidoscopic effect. 

Natural beauty 

Some of the most loved furniture designs are now being recreated in outdoor editions as more people begin to favour indoor/outdoor living. Minotti’s latest outdoor collection features some of its indoor favourites – including, as featured here, the Sendai family of seats designed by Inoda+Sveje, complete with elegant and airy lines. The Sendai Cord Outdoor features an upholstered volume, stylised through the skilful use of cord in colours including ecru, burgundy and dark brown, and reminiscent of the nautical themes of summer. The light aesthetic of the chair creates a harmonious contrast when combined with bulkier seating systems, with a swivel system that is completed by a natural teak finish.

Play time 

The new In & Out rug collection designed by Deanna Comellini for GT Design is inspired – just as its name suggests – by the hula hoops of our childhoods. The series of circular and oval-shaped rugs features a ribbed texture that has been handmade using a non-toxic technical yarn, and is resistant to wear-and-tear, UV rays and even bacteria. Hula Hoop is available in circular and oval models and across seven colour combinations, including: Penny, a brick-shade red with white and orange accents, created as an ode to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company trains’ colour scheme; Racing, alluding to British Racing Green, the official colour of British race cars from the early 1900s; and Jet, a metallic grey recalling the shade of an airplane’s fuselage. The versatile rug collection can be adapted to any type of indoor and outdoor space.  

Read more like this:
Six contemporary kitchens that are redefining the living space

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Photography by Salim Azzam

“We hope that showcasing Kamala’s work will spotlight and [bring] awareness to the current situation in Sudan,” Al Qasimi explains. “It is devastating that this launch has come at this terrible moment that has affected many lives, and the painting we used for the large print, Blues for the Martyrs, painted in 2022 – which referenced the Khartoum massacre in 2019 – feels especially poignant now.”

Photography by Salim Azzam

The collection is an homage to the defining stories of Ishaq and her visceral works that inspire a distinct exploration of optimism and defiance in the face of adversity.

Photography by Omer Asim

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Omooma (which translates to ‘motherhood’ in Arabic) is a fitting example of this approach, comprising a chair that can be used by nursing mothers in public spaces, offering them a sense of privacy without disrupting their daily activities. Bokr explains that many of the mothers in her circle who breastfeed in public are often faced with discomfort and a sense of shame, causing them to resort to isolated spaces such as bathrooms or cars. “This disruption not only affects their freedom but also deprives them of the opportunity to seamlessly integrate breastfeeding into their daily lives. I wanted Omooma to be a chair that acts as a space within a space and can provide a tranquil and cosy environment amidst bustling public spaces like offices, libraries and centres [so] mothers [need not] sacrifice their convenience or compromise their daily routines,” Bokr explains.

Made using tinted oak wood, the body of the chair is cocooned within a curved backrest that is cushioned with camel leather to “soothe the space”, while the forefront of the chair features a curtain made from lightweight, breathable linen, which acts as a partition and provides a sense of privacy. Inside, you can find armrests to support the mother while she nurses, as well as space underneath to store bags. Bokr views the simple chair as the most ideal starting point to designing a space. “When I was in architecture school, everyone used to say how an architect needs to design at least one chair in their lifetime to really understand it all,” she remembers. “Starting my exploration with a chair has unveiled the potential of space in a unique and intimate manner that one does not come across in designing large-scale architecture. It is a direct interface between the human body and the built environment, offering a point of connection and interaction. 

“When I begin contemplating the chair, I engage in a process of understanding human needs and behaviours,” she continues. “This leads me to observe how people interact with it; their postures, movements and the relationships they form within the space. From this starting point, the chair’s relationship to its immediate surroundings begins to play into larger environments, such as rooms, buildings and even urban landscapes. By exploring these spaces, I can envision how the arrangement of furniture and architectural elements within a room can create zones and patterns and allow for meaningful human connections. By drawing inspiration from a chair’s qualities, we can create a cohesive and harmonious design language that resonates across various scales, unifying the spatial experience.” 

Bokr is currently working on a few interior design projects, including F&B spaces as well as a graphic design office. She is also collaborating on furniture designs with friends and exploring the intersections between music and architecture. “I dream of exploring spaces that not only serve functional needs but also evoke emotions, foster connections and enrich the lives of those who inhabit them. I want to introduce architecture within other creative fields like fashion, music, photography and film-making,” says Bokr. 

Her first step towards this was an event she curated last month titled ‘Grazing Dinner with Architecture’ at Satellite Gallery in Al Quoz: a one-day event that brought together creatives across various fields. “For the longest time, I have felt that there has been a gap between architecture and the creative scene in the UAE,” Bokr explains. “This was a way to discuss and introduce architecture and architects to other creatives around me and to hopefully start integrating architecture within our projects, our thinking and our way of living. I am hopeful that this can become an annual event that brings out all sorts of creative thinking within architecture.”

Photography by Wathek Allal

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His designs seek inspiration from Ethiopian culture and traditions as well as the “essentiality of African design”, which acts as the starting point for all his projects. “In African design…each piece has an inner soul and is made with care and raw materials that make one feel closer to the earth,” Brioschi describes.

It is fitting then that the designer chooses wood for all his designs – a material that holds a strong sense of admiration and nostalgia. “I grew up in Milan, but my parents had a small house on Lake Garda with a garden where my childhood and much of my adolescence was spent building arches and other small things using different types of [tree] branches,” he shares.  “I love wood,” Brioschi continues. “To me, it is an emotional, living material and it also conveys to me a sense of tranquillity. In the physical approach of the material, wood also helps me in the realisation of the many prototypes which I make in my small basement; it makes me a lot more aware of the limits of the material.”

Wood also bears witness to the art of African sculpture – a medium that strongly inspires Brioschi’s work – in addition to being abundant in the regions of northern Italy, where his pieces are created by carpenters using handcrafted techniques, with the help of machinery and advanced technology for more complex cuts.

The Burgui collection was born from a desire to link historical and cultural elements from Ethiopia with a “technological present, and an eye towards the future”. The Chenfér chair, on the other hand, features curved forms inspired by the labial discs used by the women of the Mursi tribes in southern Ethiopia as a symbol of beauty and female pride.

Similarly, the Lefleté chair takes inspiration from the traditional Ethiopian headrest: wooden objects used for the purpose of safeguarding hairstyles during sleep while also possessing symbolic and social value. “The aim of the collection is to communicate the vision of African design, which is about essentiality but also loaded with symbolism and identity, offering a new and innovative look,” Brioschi describes. The designer adds that much of African design is based on what is necessary and functional to use while, contrastingly, a lot of contemporary design from the West is focused on aesthetics and “outward harmony”.

“My goal was to propose a useful and usable product that is not relegated to an aesthetic, but with a cultural soul, thereby creating practical products that are a synthesis of identity and design,” he concludes.

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To understand the Moruna collection, one must become familiar with the brand’s Duality collection – an ongoing project that aims to redefine and disrupt the perceptions of Egyptian design, both locally and globally. “Imagery of ancient Egypt is universally recognised but defining modern Egypt is a struggle for Egyptians and those outside of it,” Don Tanani and Alorabi state in their brand manifesto.

“Our designs aim to redefine and explore our history and to help us to understand where we come from and to define our future,” says Alorabi. “Every piece we design is an exploration of the limits of craft, furthering the role of Egypt’s excellence in artisanship and its unique identity and position in [the art world].” Don Tanani groups its collections into two segments: ‘closed editions’ like the Duality collection explore the brand’s research and development, creating limited-edition pieces such as the Ouroboros chair and the Mehen and Apep tables; while the ‘open editions’ reference the ideas and concepts of the former by creating more functional and commercially viable designs. “Instead of creating a single object as [a] demonstration of skill and concept, we expanded into functional needs,” Alorabi explains. “The seats are designed around ergonomic principles, while also allowing for both relaxed and formal seating postures. The collection can be used both indoors and outdoors, blurring and expanding [the] boundaries of functional spaces in a home.” 

The Moruna collection comes in solid oxidised oak or solid teak, with cushions that are fully removable, and upholstered in a selection of outdoor fabrics. Each piece also features brass-capped feet. The collection also includes a coffee table with solid wool ‘tiles’ inlaid with end-grain inserts to create a contrasting pattern from the top, curving seamlessly down to its front. 

“We wanted to express the luxurious slow life that we enjoy as Egyptians; conversing, sharing, making memories and enjoying company,” Alorabi explains. “The Moruna collection focuses heavily on expanding the definition of seating as a social machine. The Double Sided sofa can be used from both sides, while the Conversation chair aims to stir up deep dialogues, and the sun lounger invites relaxation. The collection expresses physicality and functionality as an intangible social expression.” Most importantly, Don Tanani’s goal is to contribute to the elevation of Egyptian design by facilitating opportunities for innovative and research-based design in Egypt. As the country continues its rigorous urban expansion, Egyptian designers, artists and curators are using this time to ensure that the momentum is guided in the right direction, where cultural pride and the appreciation of the country’s heritage are carefully referenced and interpreted in a contemporary context. “The Egyptian design scene has become aware of its importance in preserving our culture and artisanal heritage,” says Alorabi. “Design can serve as a protector and developer [and] so it is a very exciting time to be a designer in Egypt. 

“People are more demanding and thoughtful when considering their environment and the objects they interact with on a daily basis,” she continues. “They want to contribute to something and not follow blind consumerism. Purpose is transforming the Egyptian design scene.”

Photography by Louay Nasser

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Enter WAYOUT, a Swedish water tech company that recently set up its first international outpost in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue – with a site-specific global showroom designed by Dubai- and Stockholm-based sa|design studio, led by Shad Askari, and inspired by its sustainable technology and east-meets-west approach.

WAYOUT’s innovative water system converts any type of source water into drinking water, with a purification, distribution and dispensation system that has also been developed to reduce the use of plastic bottles and the overall carbon footprint. According to the brand, a single WAYOUT system produces up to 20,000 litres of mineral water a day – enough to provide 10,000 people with their daily drinking water – while simultaneously preventing up to 13 million plastic bottles and 1,400 tonnes of CO₂ from entering the ecosystem yearly.

By installing digitised eco-friendly water systems in various neighbourhoods in the city (which are 100% locally sourced and include smart pods and kegs), the aim is to transform the area’s water supply by working with local water users, communities and experts to help accelerate the progress of water production in the region.

The showroom itself is set opposite the brand’s outdoor micro-factory where kegs are cleaned and refilled with drinking water, and which features a stainless steel façade that was the first point of inspiration for the interiors. The use of this material continues from the outdoors to the entrance tunnel that leads inside the showroom, creating a sense of continuity. A ripple-effect ceiling feature continues the metaphor of water inside. “Water itself is very sexy so [we decided] to implement it in the design as a [defining] element,” says Askari, who also cites the Swedish mountains and deep forests as other points of inspiration, in addition to the brand’s sustainability values. Many of the items in the minimally designed and furnished space are custom-made, including a table on the mezzanine floor (which doubles as a work and meeting space) made from recycled wooden floor tiles from Kährs by Nordic Homeworx.

In the centre of the room is a 12-seater semi-circular sofa and pebble-like poufs set under a Bolon rug. Above, a series of lightweight fabrics hangs like an abstract curtain. Askari explains that it was designed to add to the water elements in the space, whether interpreted as a rain cloud or, more technically, a filtration system. In the centre of the room is a 3×6-metre screen that doubles as an education tool for visitors.

While design elements are kept to a minimum, the new space sets out to do what was intended, which is to educate more people about the importance of water.

Photography by Natelee Cocks 

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Its name draws inspiration from the word ‘baab’ (meaning ‘door’ in Arabic), which symbolises the opening of a new experience. This is the feeling Chehab wishes to express, where every project is a renewed exploration of space. The studio’s aim is to create timeless and contextual architecture, with a story at its core.

Ganache Chocolatier in Alserkal Avenue in Dubai

“Studio Baab focuses on the curation of spaces where form, rhythm and flow are considered,” Chehab describes. “We always like to begin by highlighting and emphasising the existing features [and later] envisioning how we can define a balanced composition from it. I believe that, to set the right tone in any project, we always seek the use of natural materiality and lighting that sets the mood within the space.”

Toplum restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Toplum – a restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – was the first project under the studio’s portfolio, and one that applied the most pressure. “I remember having a recurrent thought, which was ‘how [am I to] design this space considering [that it] is our first project and will have an impact on defining our character?’,” Chehab remembers.

Toplum restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“[But] I always tried keeping in mind the identity I wanted for Studio Baab and the impressions that I wanted to avoid. I made sure that the design focused on a neutral colour palette, using wood as a contrasting and eclectic feature within [the space]. Since then, we have instinctively used wood as a material in most projects and have realised its endless potential,” she says. Toplum’s architecture features clean lines, shapes and rhythmic patterns that reflect a geometric simplicity. Studio Baab combined architecture with craftsmanship, focusing on elements and materiality for refined detailing. Clayworks’ raw natural earthy clay was used throughout the surfaces, contrasted by the combination of clay and wooden blocks in different shapes and sizes. The overall calm atmosphere is contrasted by the mustard colour used for the fabrics and defined by curating atmospheric lighting designed in collaboration with Beirut-based Fabraca Studios.

Toplum restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Its most recently completed project is a chocolatier in Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue, called Ganache. “The thought behind the space was to create a captivating geometric flow that emulates the layering of the chocolate yet maintains a calm and warm experience for the user,” Chehab describes.

Ganache Chocolatier in Alserkal Avenue in Dubai

One can immediately sense the duality in its design: at once soft in its curvature yet grounded in the industrial features of its context, which have been intentionally maintained. The space becomes an unravelling experience of movement through an architecture of organic volumes, mimicking the organic process of chocolate-making, defined by a series of niches that target the different experiences within the space, from seating to retail and custom gifting. Delicate suspended lights featuring the 21 series by Bocci were used in the niches of the entrance, which later unwraps into a vast open ceiling of varying volumes, featuring a central Moby Dick lighting feature by Karman, which flows above the main retail space.

Following the success of Ganache Chocolatier, the studio is currently working on a range of projects in the region, which – in addition to interior works – is slowly encompassing architecture.

“Having personally pursued architecture as a career, the vision is to be a multidisciplinary design studio, focusing on both architecture and interior design,” Chehab concludes.

Photography by Mohammad Taqi Ashkanani; Oculis Project

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Since taking the helm of this regional legacy title, my goal has been to create a more global platform for design in the Middle East and Africa. The talent and creativity in the region are ample – and I felt it was our job at identity to amplify them to the world. The approach from the start was to create a more globally focused publication that is based and made in the region, where ideas from all over the world converge to form a design landscape that is cohesive and forever in dialogue. We wanted to showcase the diversity of the work produced in the region alongside design from other parts of the world so we can better learn from each other and appreciate the other’s craft. 

It makes me very proud to say that today identity is being read in almost every continent of the globe and I truly believe this cross-cultural approach is the future of the unified world we can build together. 

What mattered most to me at identity was sharing the stories and works of creatives, designers, architects, artists; people with new ideas, people with respect for the environment, for culture and tradition; people who put other people first and create for them. Design is a powerful tool and I hoped to have to shed some light on those who were using that power wisely, while I could. 

It has been an honour to be trusted with so many stories and I hope you were able to enjoy them as much as I have. 

I thank everyone with whom I had the privilege of sharing so many wonderful moments. I hope to see you all very soon.

Read the July/August 2023 ‘The Style Issue’  issue online here.

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