DUBAI HILLS MALL

A boutique of dates and Eastern sweets, where design solves a commercial task.

The space is built as a route: a line of dark marble meets the guest at the entrance and leads along the displays — to the tasting, the gift collections and, finally, the till. Across these 135 metres we designed every step that brings the guest closer to a purchase.

The walls echo the shapes of Arabian dunes — soft waves of textured plaster with warm contour lighting. This image made the boutique recognisable across the whole mall: people come to look at the details — and stay to buy.

The atmosphere is built on half-tones: caramel light, the coolness of marble, the warmth of walnut panels. Dates are laid out in the displays like jewellery — with pistachio, in Belgian chocolate, rare collector's varieties. Cardamom coffee is in the air: guests are greeted with a cup from a brass dallah, as in the finest Eastern homes. It's easy to linger. Leaving without a box is almost impossible.

Eastern hospitality, translated into the language of design.