About the project
This surrealist speakeasy in the heart of Dubai threads together space and time with authenticity. The Secret Room, designed by Toronto-based company Studio Paolo Ferrari, is located in the subterranean depths of the Five Palm Jumeirah Hotel and deftly anchors bacchanalian decadence with an air of noble restraint. To achieve this, the design team employed the concept of duality – that of history (the past), and invention (the future).
“When we started this project, we had a visual of Villa Farnese (a Renaissance-era mansion in Rome), then we spliced it with Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate,” says Ferrari. This inspiration can be seen clearly in the Dalí-esque bronze coloured bar, that presents as an object of discovery for guests. The visually weighty bar is made of fibre glass and was 3-D modelled from the inside out, then milled from custom moulds. Its design is mirrored in the sculpted aesthetic of the host and DJ station. These futuristic elements contrast with the interior architecture, which references pre 20th century style with carved wooden walls, ceiling, and smoked, oak flooring. The artwork was inspired by classic Italian bacchanal paintings, while soft furnishings are reminiscent of the sixties and seventies. Within these elements, Ferrari also referenced the final moments of Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey, set in a Louis XIV era French bedroom.
“That scene has always resonated for me,” he says. “There is an incredible tension between the interior architecture, but at the same time it feels uncomplicated.” A similar effect is achieved in The Secret Room. Kubrick was also referenced in the otherworldly bathroom where guests move through a dimly lit, panelled corridor to an expansive, multi-dimensional space. “The Secret Room is a reminder that a great club pulls on your alter ego,” says Ferrari. “And, it’s all about theatre.”
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