Roarwas appointed by SENSASIA founder Salina Handa and Majid Al Futtaim group to create the interior of SENSASIA Stories, a flagship destination spa committed to total body wellness and located at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Combining Pan Asian architecture, natural materials, a mutedcolour palette and textured tone-on-tone, the result is a 4,000 sq/ft, deeply tranquil space, specially curated to take clients on a unique journey through the senses of Asia.
The interior concept is rooted in SENSASIA’s Pan-Asian origins, evoking traditional architectural elements from the region and giving them asleek, contemporary twist. Pallavi Dean comments: "We cast the net wide to understand the architecture of the region looking at countries such as Thailand, Bali and Vietnam for inspiration. Arches kept appearing in our research as key features of this architectural typology, and it soon became apparent that this shape would influence our design. We have usedlarge, illuminated arches above the male and female lobbies and incorporated arch-like decorative elements around the reception area’s shelving to compose a dramatic, theatrical effect. Another important architectural statement is the parametric form of the spa frontage. The spa is unusual in that it has two entrances: one from the hotel, the other from the mall, and this piece was designed to draw passing shoppers in.”
Roar collaborated with a dedicated lighting consultant to tacklethe lack of natural light. Pallavi Dean explains: “As well as giving the space the right amount and type of illumination, we also experimented with lighting to create dramatic effect: for example, adding the strip LED lights to the arches is a signature moment. We also celebrated the ceilings; they are often neglected but in a spa, clients spend a lot of time on their backs! So we clad the ceiling with a captivating bronze mesh structure. Each room has a unique pattern creating a newexperience for every visit to the spa.”
Organised around a central courtyard, punctuated by contemporary interpretations of traditional Asian arch structures, SENSASIA Stories comprises of 8treatment rooms, one couples’ suite offering total privacy, a wet treatment space ‘hammam’, separate male and female changing rooms and therapeutic relaxation areas, complete with heated beds.
Bespoke facilities include experience showers, an ice fountain (Ice Fountains are usually used in conjunction with a heated experience room for example a sauna or steam room. The combination of the heated experiences and the cooling down process means that the body is brought back down to the normal temperature again slowly before returning to a heated experience room.), herb saunas, steam rooms, a Jacuzzi and virtual reality headsets, which can be incorporated into treatments to offer complete, customised escapism and guided meditations, transporting clients to the world’s most beautiful destinations.
Material Used :
1. Flooring | Bolon
2. Wall textured paint by | Artemis
3. Wallpaper | Maya Romanoff
4. Sanitaryware | Gessi and Bagno
5. Fabrics + upholstery | Carniege
6. Glass | Mirodec mesh glass
7. i-mesh ceiling feature in every room the mesh pattern varies
