Project: AURA SKYPOOL
Award: Spas, healthclubs and gyms, Silver, 2022
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Design practice: Kokaistudios
Client: SHG Ventures
With spectacular views across the Dubai skyline, AURA SKYPOOL is the world's highest wrap around infinity pool. Despite its ultra-urban location at the top of the Palm Tower skyscraper on the man-made Jumeirah archipelago, the interior's design takes cues from the natural world. The furnishing features a muted palette of greens, oatmeal and teal alongside woven fabrics. Dedicated lifts transport guests to the building's 50th floor, 210 meters above the ground. Designed as an ‘island in the sky’ it features a rock formation-inspired sculptural wall, reclaimed wood and plentiful plants. An angular travertino plaster centerpiece mimics the look and feel of natural boulders while ceiling drapes evoke beachside cabanas. The scheme spans two floors to include deluxe changing rooms and staff facilities below. The auxiliary facilities are imagined as an atmospheric underwater cave on level 49. At its core is the same angular, rock-like finish of the lounge above; while changing rooms feature sand-blasted blue-green glass doors. An absence of daylight contrasts with the sun-bright atmosphere above, reinforcing the cave motif.
Design highlights
A wooden deck surrounds the central lounge like a shoreline, replete with sun loungers and tables. From here, guests look across the mirror-like infinity pool that circumnavigates the tower to spectacular city and ocean vistas beyond. On two sides, networks of floating platforms jut into the water for an exclusive experience that is reminiscent of a private island.
Photo credit: Juliet Dunne, AURA SKYPOOL Dubai,
- LEAD DESIGNERS: Filippo Gabbiani, Andrea Destefanis
DESIGN DIRECTOR: Ian Yu
PROJECT MANAGER: Yao Yao
DESIGN TEAM: Junyu Chen, Zheng Xu, Wei Tse Hsieh, Yuen-Wei Chen