Elegant and glamorous in every way, the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai is found in one of the most prestigious areas in the city, on the beautiful Jumeirah beachfront. The contemporary California-chic resort designed by Jeffrey Wilkes offers unmatched levels of service and brings a new wave of luxury to the Dubai shoreline. Preciosa was given the mandate by the resort’s investor Wasl and DESIGNWILKES to create a relaxing atmosphere that ties in harmoniously with the resort’s stunning city and ocean views.

In the expansive lobby, Preciosa underlined the warm, inviting interior with an illuminated arboretum of 14 trees that mimic the local desert flora and creates a unique experience for guests. With three different tree sizes, ranging from 5x4 m to 8x9 m, the matte-champagne metal trunks are covered in plate glass. These grow into a sparkling canopy of branches filled with hundreds of hand-made crystal leaves that are further embellished with embedded tiny glass bubbles. Each tree was modelled individually and has its own lighting effect which can be adjusted to create a downward motion, a sparkling forest effect, or even a sense of wind moving through the trees. In addition to this, the tree trunks can also be illuminated allowing for a night scene, a day scene and a “living, breathing forest” effect that can be pre-programmed to occur each hour.

Preciosa also produced four large chandeliers for the Grand Ballroom. Imitating outgrowths of stalactites, each spans over six meters in length and creates a shimmering overhead display. These luminaries also include a dynamic lighting effect through their RGB modules. Another 24 modern crystal pieces were created in a similar style for the complex’s meeting rooms and their foyers.

Discover more about the design and inspiration behind Canopy of Light from Preciosa's Managing Director for the Gulf, Martin Fryzelka.

Interior Designer: DESIGNWILKES, Kuala Lumpur

Photographer: Aleš Vysloužil