Nobu Hotel Riyadh to mark the brand’s Middle East debut
Scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2015, the first Nobu Hotel in the Middle East, and the first luxury boutique hotel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is nearing completion. The hotel will be located in a modern, 23-storey skyscraper on renowned King Fahd Road in the heart of the city’s financial centre, close to major cultural destinations.
The hotel will be distinguished by a contemporary design that blends Nobu’s cutting-edge Japanese style with subtle references to the landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition to the hotel’s 90 guestrooms and 44 suites, Rockwell Group Europe is designing all of the hotel’s public spaces, including a VIP lounge with sweeping views of the city from the sixteenth floor and the hotel’s in-house, 770m2 Nobu restaurant.
“The design of Nobu Hotel Riyadh is a progression of various concepts that Rockwell Group has developed with Nobu in the past, emphasising natural materials and craftsmanship and visually connection different spaces to create a fluid environment and experience,” commented Diego Gronda, Managing and Creative Director of Rockwell Group Europe, who also worked on the design of the flagship Nobu Fifty Seven restaurant in New York.
“We’re building on the distinctive Nobu aesthetic while anchoring the hotel in its specific Saudi context, which was accomplished by weaving together abstract references to Japanese and Saudi cultural and natural elements and setting up these dynamic design dualities.”
Rockwell Group Europe’s approach combines contemporary design and manufacture with Japan’s artisanal traditions, featuring raw materials like wood and stone, warm earth colours and custom lighting features inspired by origami. A porte-cochere made of a double-height rectangular frame, wrapped in natural fibre rope, will mark the hotel’s entrance, creating a sense of warmth and intrigue on arrival. In the vast entrance hall, a sensuous ribbon of stacked horizontal wooden slats will be present, inspired in shape and structure by the binzasara, a traditional Japanese percussion instrument.
This custom wood feature will curve up the wall and along the ceiling and floor of the hotel’s ground floor in one continuous, flowing gesture, guiding guests from the entrance to the reception. It will also arch upward to the all-day dining restaurant on the mezzanine, and along the restaurant’s ceiling. Fibre-optics will tie together the wood slats at both ends, giving a festive light.
Also in the entrance hall, guests will further encounter a large glass disc by Venezuelan artist Manuel Mérida, one of a series of commissioned artworks placed throughout the hotel. The kinetic disc holds sand-like loose grains and rotates slowly, playing with the notion of a sandstorm. Meanwhile, the reception desk will consist of a colossal floating glass case, supported only by a stone column. Special installations inspired by organic sand patterns, shaped by desert winds will be displayed in the vitrine.
The signature Nobu Restaurant on the second floor will be accessed through a wooden pathway, framed by two large Japanese gardens. Rockwell Group Europe has designed a large, sculptural light fixture for the restaurant’s Tea and Juice Bar – finished in natural coconut fibre and evoking a luminous piece of twisted rope. An undulating wooden fish scale structure, manufactured by Brad Oldham International, will envelope the entire space while defining different areas and providing a sense of intimacy. Punctured along the window façade by small triangular openings, the wooden fixture will let in natural light and create a warm environment.
The hotel’s guestrooms and suites are designed as retreats of tranquillity and rejuvenation, a concept that will be underscored by nature-inspired organic shapes and patterns, with pastel colours and accents of gold. Eclectic furniture will mix classic, modern and contemporary shapes, while several live edge pieces with add a touch of Japanese craftsmanship. The sumptuous 230m2 Royal Suite will boast a dining area with a natural root table for six people, as well as a show kitchen where chefs will prepare food to order from the Nobu restaurant.
The latest project reflects the collaborative design vision of Rockwell Group Europe and Dhaliliyah Est., and builds on many years of experience with Nobu Hospitality, a partnership with acclaimed chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert de Niro and film producer Meir Teper.
