Abu Dhabi’s Yas Hotel leads the way for contemporary hospitality design in the Middle East

The first hotel in the world to span a Grand Prix circuit, The Yas Hotel opened last November to host the inaugural 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. From the outside, the hotel is an expanse of sweeping steel and over 5,000 diamond-shaped glass panels, draped over the two hotel towers, and reflecting thousands of coloured lights against the stark desert landscape.

The Yas Hotel lobby

Located on Yas Island, the hotel building was designed by New York City-based Asymptote Architecture’s Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture and interiors are by London-based Jestico + Whiles.

The Grand Prix circuit splits the hotel into two elliptical wings: a Land-side Wing, which has a range of guest suites and specialist restaurants, and a Water-side Wing, which has the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Suites, a restaurant, ballroom and café.

Contemporary and well-considered natural materials have been used throughout the interior of the hotel: pure white quartz, Carrara marble tiles, bronze mirrors in bedrooms and bathrooms, and fine oak joinery shaped in reference to the form of wind filled sails of local boats.

Jestico + Whiles were briefed to create a contemporary and luxurious hotel which can accommodate those enjoying the short, bright life and frenetic speed of the Grand Prix as well as those simply retreating from the stresses of home.

In keeping with its sophisticated location, the hotel eschews overt shows of wealth and trivialised generic Arabic themes which have become the default design language of many hotels in the region. The materials are considered and refined, but not showy. Forms are streamlined and flowing in reference to the race track and F1 cars, or evoke marine imagery of the Arabian Gulf. Cultural references are interpreted in subtle, fresh ways. Spaces flow easily together, and the filtered light highlights textured, natural materials for a relaxing, reviving experience. 

Flowing spaces: The deluxe king suite

ACCOMMODATION

The Deluxe and Executive Suites make the most of the abundant sunshine with floor-to-ceiling glass panels. The glass ceiling, floor, wardrobe fronts and bathroom partitions have colours that change to saturated scarlet or indigo creating a coloured tunnel as a threshold between the lobby and the “sleep” zone. The glass-enclosed bathroom has panels of fine silk sheers, mounted in the glass for modesty, but revealing tantalising ghosts within.

Once inside the room, demarcations are further dissolved to create a single flowing living space, with functionality defined only by finishes. A wide sliding glass panel can fully open the bathe zone while also securing the entrance lobby, for extra privacy. Within these main translucent partitions of the bathe zone, an over-sized wet room drench shower is enclosed within a frameless crystal box and a further, symmetrical, frosted box conceals the WC for total discretion (when the bathe zone is opened).

The materials mix leather texture porcelain tiles or ribbed, Carrara marble tiles with tinted bronze mirrors and inset, back-lit alabaster wash stands. The bath is topped by a heavy slab of pure white quartz, which extends seamlessly into the sleep zone as an amorphous, flowing plinth which clasps the bed and the lounger.

This plinth is mirrored to create the work zone, which replaces the standard hotel desk with a far more versatile and friendly surface. Finishes in the sleep and work zones are natural, but refined. Fine joinery in sun bleached oak is shaped in reference to the form of wind-filled sails of local dhows. Unruly rugs define a “sit zone” and porcelain tiles are pressed with stone aggregate.

The Yas Presidential suite is a lofted, double height space. An all-white space, it features original contemporary artwork, exclusive furnishings from MoMA and many bespoke pieces, including custom-made beds. The suite can accommodate up to 16 people dining, is serviced by a private lift, a full chef’s kitchen, dining room and a private lap pool on the large terrace.  The largest of all the suites encompasses the hotel’s two Yas Presidential Suites, covering the entire 6th and 7th floor of the hotel, totalling 28 bedrooms and 2,531 Sqm - the largest in the GCC.

Restaurants: The Yas Hotel Angar terrace

SPECIALIST CUISINE RESTAURANTS

The identity of each restaurant is unique, but they talk to each other, to offer a coherent global culinary tour. The restaurants are accessed from a wide internal route which follows the elliptical core of the hotel. They are designed to be entirely contemporary, with only very subtle references to the culture from which the cuisines originate.

Angar the tandoori restaurant, for example, takes the saturated colours of traditional saris and actually incorporates panels of fabric into table tops. Amici, the Italian restaurant is focussed on a heavy, family sized olive wood refectory table. Noodle Box, the noodle restaurant uses celadon enamelled volcanic basalt tiles. Nautilus, the speciality fish restaurant, is located at water level in the marina wing, and the mood is defined by this marine setting. The entire space is lined by glowing panels of “ice white” composite, which are pierced, drilled, and part drilled and stained with undulating, flowing aqua coloured lights to evoke the serenity of a moonlit coral reef, and a stupendous chandelier makes oblique reference to the translucent, amorphous form of a jelly fish.

The “water side” wing accommodates the Presidential and Vice-Presidential suites, the fine dining Vine restaurant, the guest room corridors and lift lobbies, the ballroom, the entrance lobby and café and the majlis. Rush is located in the bridge that stretches over the racetrack, linking the hotel’s two towers. Designed to be a spacious light-filled café by day, and a bar by night, Rush has a back-lit resin bar with a chrome orb back bar, a DJ booth overlooking the bar, and two VIP booths. Skylite is located poolside, on the roof of the hotel. Located under the Gridshell, its palette is a combination of dark stained timbers, high gloss aubergine lacquered surfaces and stitched, heavy coach hide.

Inspired design: Skylite restaurant under the gridshell

The dramatic three metre-high bar display is glazed with shots of pinks and purples, a lush contrast in an otherwise monochromatic space. The arrival sequence begins with a dramatic approach, lined with a glowing vine wall on one side and overhead evoking the feeling of walking under vines at night, recreating the drama of a glamorous catwalk runway. The route is lined by a full height wine display, with frosted, textured glass through to the wine tasting room which also features a special dining table for the full vinotheque experience. 

The lobby lounge offers a range of seating areas, depending on the mood or the size of the group. Laser-cut suede curtains enclose soft low seating, a modern interpretation of the Arabian mashrabiya, affording discretion and privacy, while allowing glimpses of flickering movement. Patterned like corals, sea urchins and anemones, they create intricate, decorative shadows onto adjacent surfaces and also define zones within an otherwise free-flowing space.

The main seating zone is defined by a chandelier reminiscent of a circling shoal of sardines. Fabrics used are deep purple and indigo, a palette inspired by squid ink, and the colours are pigments and stains rather than flat dye, to enhance the natural feel. At the furthest end of the space, a streamlined counter of deepest purple is stacked with pastries and Viennoiserie, and the view beyond is stopped by a powerful super-graphic rendered in Italian glass mosaic tiles.

CONFERENCE FACILITIES

The ballroom is designed to accommodate all uses, from conference to banquet to the launch of the new Ferrari. Walls are upholstered in luxurious cream calf leather, running from floor to ceiling. The ceiling is a matrix of glowing points of light, creating one seamless glowing chandelier, across which the light undulates like the tendrils of anemones.

The ceiling can change colour to dramatically adapt the appearance of the room from a serene wedding environment of cream and natural tones to a more glamorous evening occasion of opulent pinks and rich purple hues.

THE DESIGNER: JAMES DILLEY

Dilley joined Jestico + Whiles in 1994, was appointed associate director in 2007, and specialises in design of hotels. He has completed projects throughout Europe and the Middle East, for brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Orco Collection, InterContinental and Vienna International.

Current design projects include the 200-key W London. Recent completed projects include the award-winning Andel’s Hotel Lodz in Poland, and the acclaimed Yas Hotel.

The Altayeb restaurant

HOTEL SPECIALISTS

Jestico + Whiles were responsible for: 7 specialist restaurants (including Angar, Noodle Box, Nautilus, Kazu, Altayeb, Amici and Origins), all guest suites, the lobby lounge, Skylite restaurant and the ballroom.

ABOUT JESTICO + WHILES

Based in London and Prague, the practice incorporates a studio of specialist hotel designers with a diverse project portfolio. Recent projects are sited in India, the Gulf, China and throughout Eastern Europe (Poland, Bratislava, Croatia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Romania).

PROJECT DETAILS

Client: Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi, UAE 
Design architect: Asymptote Architecture, New York, USA
Principals: Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture
Interior Architecture: Jestico + Whiles, London
Operator: Aldar Hotels & Hospitality
Project management: Confluence Project Management, Abu Dhabi, UAE 
Interior CGI visualisation: Occular Production, Singapore; Digital Design, Genova, Italy; Detrois SA, Brussels, Belgium 
Design co-ordination: JMWH Architects Limited, Edinburgh, UK
Spa designer: Richardson Sadeki, New York, USA
Main contractor: Al Futtaim Carillion, Dubai, UAE
Bedrooms / works contractor: DEPA Interiors, Dubai, UAE
Public areas / works contractor: Khansaheb Civil Engineering, Dubai, UAE

OTHER CONSULTANTS

Local Architects: Dewan Architects & Engineers, Abu Dhabi; Tilke & Partners, Dubai
Structural Engineers: Dewan Architects & Engineers, Abu Dhabi; ARUP, New York
Grid-Shell Engineers: Schlaich Bergermann und Partner (SBP), Stuttgart; Waagner-Biro, Vienna
MEP Engineer: Red Engineering Middle East, Dubai
Façade Consultants: Front Inc, New York; TAW & Partner, Hamburg Grid-Shell Building Information Modeling (BIM) Consultant: Gehry Technologies, LA & New York De8 Architetti, Bergamo, Italy
Lighting Consultants: LAPD Lighting Design, Hertfordshire, UK, Bartenbach LichtLabor GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria, Red Engineering Middle East, Dubai, ARUP Lighting, New York
Grid-Shell Lighting Consultant: ARUP Lighting, New York
Link Bridge Engineers: ARUP Bridge, New York; Centraal Staal, Groningen, The Netherlands
Landscape Design: Cracknell Landscape Architects, Abu Dhabi
Photographer: Gerry O’leary www.gerryoleary.com