Designed for Al Majan, off Emirates Road, Dubai, The Desert Butterfly is a unique project developed by architectural firm Steelman Partners after having keen observation on the forms and patterns of butterflies.
The project is a unique and luxurious, thirty-seven story, 5-Star hotel; consisting of a single tower with a variety of hotel rooms (single, double, suites, etc.), a grand lobby, a ballroom with separate drop-off, all day dining, feature restaurants, meeting rooms, a pool with gym and spa, a bar / pub, main kitchen, administration offices, hotel back-of-the-house, and three basements of parking for guests, staff, and services.
Design
The design was inspired by the magnificence of a butterfly. The root idea for the lobby ceiling sculpture of The Desert Butterfly developed from observing forms and patterns of several butterfly wings, and cocoons. From that base, the ceiling sculpture steadily matured into its own iconic personality and took flight. A nature-based, intuitive and artistic sense steered the design, with broad strokes creating fluid form. An organic figure developed…the expression of a wing in flight was liberated. How wings glide through the wind and are touched by light had a natural influence on the structures' silhouette.
| Location | : Al Majan, off Emirates Road in Dubai |
| Built up area | : 70,000 SM |
| Client | : Al Hamad Engineering Company, Dubai |
| Cost | : $116,000,000 US DOLLARS |
| Status | : Designed. Construction started then stalled due to the economy and the status of Dubailand |
| Architect | : Steelman Partners |
The exterior design utilizes a multi– layered skin that includes a glazing system with ceramic frits to reduce and control light and heat penetration. A B. Louvre system provides a secondary shading device. In addition, a C. Ribs holding tertiary system of scales is employed to further filter undesirable environmental factors. Through this multi–layered skin system, the building can adjust and adapt to harsh environmental aspects of site and location. Optimal light levels can also be adjusted and allowed in as desired. The skin system also houses and supports nightly light shows that transform the structure through slow changes in illumination intensity and hues - bringing the casing to life and metamorphosizing before spectators' eyes.
Distinctive Features
Each of the restaurants provides distinctive offerings to the guests. The Italian dining facility is modern, with unexpected details that play off of the art and movement in the interior. The exposed, all-stainless steel chef kitchen magnifies the dynamic space by bringing the dining experience to a more interactive-level. The Steakhouse design is inspired by the Arabian moon-lit sky. Textures and movement reflected in the walls and throughout the ceiling pay homage to the fluid and graceful nighttime atmosphere and ethereal glow of the moon. The Asian restaurant brings the concept of Tokyo and Hong Kong's bright lights and billboard skyline into the space through the dynamic LED ceiling, creating a unique dining style all its' own. The 3 meal dining option offers a melting pot of cultures cradled into a timeless and simple design that captures the effortlessness and harmony envisioned by its clean lines and crisp textures.
The Mediterranean restaurant is designed in white on white with a splash of tan. Moved by the desert tan cliffs and white terrace homes on the Mediterranean coast, the design creates an open and airy nostalgia as it relates to the serene pool deck just outside. Lastly, the black on black nightclub is the cocoon - textured in a metal pattern of the butterfly. The design touches on the contrasting nature of enclosed space within a larger whole through the nesting of the VIP pods and entertainment spaces.
