The Oberoi Dubai

The Oberoi Group, founded in 1934, owns and operates 35 luxury hotels, and currently has its head office in Delhi, India. The company is largely a family owned business with an exceptional reputation and known for their exacting attention to detail.

The Oberoi Dubai is the first hotel in the Gulf region to be operated by the Oberoi Group. The inner-city site, located in Business Bay, is an urban setting. There are two towers, one for offices, and the other for the hotel. Landscape spaces were small but important spaces for hotel guests.

Hotel spaces include; the main arrival courtyard, a central sunken courtyard overlooked by the arrival lobby, and restaurants, a swimming pool area, and yoga terrace.

The main courtyard is enclosed in glass on three sides and a water wall on the fourth side. This space is visible from the main arrival lobby, the special restaurant and all-day dining restaurant, making this an important part of the hotel identity.
A large raised reflection pool is in the centre of the courtyard. This element creates a visual anchor, which seemed to be needed to keep the attention at the lower level, otherwise attention would be pulled upwards.

The reflection pool is made from polished black absolute granite. The granite creates an inky blackness to the water, which creates a feeling of rich luxury, and strengthens reflections on the water’s surface.
The transparency of the glass facades around the courtyard varies according to where you are standing, and the changing light during the day. This creates an almost dream-like effect at certain times of day.

Detailing is clean and contemporary, in keeping with the urban context, architectural character, and the business hotel program. Landscape elements are clean-lined and without decorative ornamentation.

The water wall forms the backdrop to the courtyard as guests arrive at the lobby. Black absolute granite is used for the water wall, although this time the surface is grooved to create a fine texture that makes the water more visible as it falls down the stone surface. The water falls into a 20m wide slot at the base of the wall. The area of paving in the front of the wall is suspended with gaps between the stone to allow splash from the water wall to drain into a basin under the paving.
The swimming pool area is split into two levels. The pool is raised 450mm above the pool bar area. Water falls over ribbed stone at the end of the pool closest to the pool bar. Lowering the pool deck brings the floor level inside the pool closer to the level of the deck outside the pool. This reduces the difference in eye level between a swimmer at the edge of the pool and a person on the pool deck.

It is more comfortable for conversations, interesting too, to be able to speak with someone standing in the pool and be almost at eye level. The higher level of the water also brings the water surface to just below eye level for people seated at the lounge chairs around the pool bar. The less common angle of view makes it more interesting.
The yoga deck is fittingly located outside the gym and spa. The deck is raised to improve views from the deck towards to the swimming pool area.

A raised planter and reflection pool with seating edge runs along the deck side closest to the tower, to provide people with a little privacy when practising lying down or inverted yoga postures.

A reflection pool at the end of the deck is set amongst planting so that the foliage is reflected on the surface of the water.
Awards
2016 Business Traveller Middle East - Best Business Hotel in Dubai
2014 SAPOA Excellence Award – Best International Development
2014 World Travel Awards – Middle East’s Leading Luxury City Hotel

Location
Dubai, UAE
25.1857288, 55.2635694
Plot Size
1.0 ha (2.6 acre)
Lead Consultant
Direct Appointment
Studio Team
Peter Braun, Meilina Chuah, Kaya Cui Xian Zi, Thomas Hewitt, Vijayalakshmi Palniappan, Cassandra Rose, Michaela Schippl, Govindan Sukumaran, Laith Wark
Project Owner
Rani International
Role
Concept Design
Schematic Design
Design Development
Construction Documentation
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