Sixties sci-fi meets Dali at ‘Secret Room’ speakeasy in Dubai
Dubai’s MO has long been to upsize every quotidian experience; whether to create the world’s biggest mall or an artificial island that’s visible from space.
Little surprise then that even the ideal of the traditional speakeasy as a small cozy affair has now been turned on its head. For Toronto-based Studio Paolo Ferrari, the visual references splice Rome’s Villa Farnese, the final Louis XIV-esque bedroom scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago.
The result is an unapologetically theatrical set-piece in which clear cast resin tables, 1960s furnishings, and smoked oak panels flank a bronze-hued fiberglass bar whose sinuous curves recall both Dali and Zaha Hadid. The bathrooms, lined with glass floors and mirrored walls, are attention grabbers – though, perhaps, not as much as the hidden doors in the main room that swing open for VIPs to literally drive into the speakeasy directly from the carpark.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
Basement, Five Palm Jumeirah Hotel
No. 1 Palm Jumeirah
Dubai
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
The making of Loro Piana’s magical festive Harrods takeover, ‘The Workshop of Wonders’
Celebrating 100 years of Loro Piana, the Italian house has taken over Harrods in time for the festive season, spanning 36 transporting windows, two pop-ups and a raft of one-of-a-kind products which embrace the spirit of giving
By Jack Moss Published
-
Radical modernity: Kim Jones on curating Charleston for Sotheby's
As the newly appointed vice president of Charleston, Jones is curating a two-part selling and loan exhibition at Sotheby’s, ‘Radical Modernity: From Bloomsbury to Charleston’
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Is Rochester Street Office a creative worker’s dream? Inside a Sydney workspace echoing calmness and light
Rochester Street Office by Allied_Office merges utilitarian design with cascading vegetation, presenting a thriving environment for creativity and collaboration
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Unmistakably Delano: the group’s new Dubai hotel draws on its storied Miami original
Lauren Ho checks into the Delano Dubai, the second opening in the hotel group’s sparkling new chapter
By Lauren Ho Published
-
One&Only’s portfolio of ultra-luxury escapes reaches out to new horizons
From the Maldives to Mexico, One&Only’s resorts and private homes around the world offer exceptional stays in idyllic locations, soon to include a first USA property, designed by Olson Kundig
By Simon Mills Published
-
The Dorchester Collection boosts Dubai’s hospitality scene with The Lana hotel
The Lana is the latest opening from The Dorchester Collection with interior design by Gilles & Boissier
By Lauren Ho Published
-
The Serai Wing launches its minimalist architecture in Sharjah
The Serai Wing opens in Sharjah to a design by Dubai-based studio Anarchitect
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Abu Dhabi travel guide: 8 cultural must-sees in the UAE capital
As the Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates its fifth anniversary, we spotlight the UAE capital city’s cultural highlights, from contemporary art in historical sites to an architectural Apple Store, and a waterside wellness ecosystem
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Last updated
-
AL Faya Lodge & Spa — Sharjah, UAE
By Emma O'Kelly Last updated
-
Form Hotel — Dubai, UAE
By Jessica-Christin Hametner Last updated
-
Five Palm Jumeirah — Dubai, UAE
By Daven Wu Last updated