l'ecole van cleef & arpels comes back to dubai transforming the hai d3 container complex. the studio sought a bridge between the school’s storied crafts and dubai’s history. eschewing any obvious referencing, the design focuses on the material palette that is traditionally associated with the region's pearl diving legacy. oak wood, leather and brass hardware that recalls the tools of the divers to inform the design detail. this conjunction of the past and present is evident in the overall campus design. linen canopies and net structures map the way-finding trails, creating informal zones wherever they overlap while doubling up as shading agents.

client: l'ecole van cleef arpels / completed: 2019 / location: dubai design district, dubai