Ula Beach Club, Dubai

Ula means Sea Jewel and the client wanted to create a boho, chic Mediterranean lounge, restaurant and occasional entertainment space. Broadway Interiors generated one homogenous space seamlessly transiting between day and night, allowing mixed and flexible use throughout. Their concept uses rigid form and floaty organic elements combined with a natural colour palate and elements commonly found in a warmer Mediterranean climate.

Ula is an escape, a step away from the frantic pace of Dubai life. The organic, earthy and grounded beachside dining destination is all-encompassing, bringing the ultimate karma and relaxation of the holiday vibe, from day to night. It used materials that were both tactile and provided the warmer tones, as well as reflective to allow the light to penetrate deep into the interior space in line with their design. They chose cut and hand finished natural timbers, mangrove branches and poles in their original form from within the local market as well as driftwood and bamboo for bar fronts and to decorate columns.

Various off-white terrazzo flooring techniques were utilised in many different areas and functions and natural concrete plaster finishes keep the neutral theme. With such a large space to shade they utilised the existing shading structures, placing substantial Olive trees inside as features and increasing their reach by adding fisherman’s heavy gauge thick rope, woven and scalloped into frames to create an organic and floating shading structure, contrasted against the imperfect, rigid mangrove poles, also sandwiched between the frames, creating a quirky dappled light and shading wash across the floor and furniture beneath.

Handcrafted Indonesian lighting made from bamboo, teak wood and dried grasses was generously spaced throughout, using an eclectic mix of different size and pendant shaped lighting, adding interest. Macramia wall adornments, screens and accessories such as lush pampas grass and planting finish the Mediterranean vibe.