Boutique Design - October 2016 - 12

EDITED BY MAT THEW HALL

DUBAI HOTEL TO SPROUT AN ARTIFICIAL RAIN FOREST

boutiquedesign.com OCTOBER 2016

the one housing the 280 serviced apartments will be illuminated by moving
lights inspired by the orbital rings of atomic particles.
* The focal point of the complex's arrival experience will be a circular
ceiling bearing large-scale, D projections of a variety of underwater- and rain
forest-inspired scenes.
* Both towers will oﬀer th ﬂoor sky lobbies that will house cantilevered,
zero-edge pools surrounded by an expansive deck and a bar.
The Rosemont development will be part of Hilton Worldwide's Curio A Collection by Hilton soft brand. "Since launching Curio in 2014, we have
received an influx of interest from owners in the Middle East seeking to
create a unique hotel experience underpinned by the reassurance of Hilton,"
says Dianna Vaughan, Curio's global head. "The Rosemont Hotel and Residences is a perfect match for our collection, and we are delighted to count
Dubai as a destination for our rapidly growing global set of distinctive hotels."

COUR TE S Y OF Z A S ARCHITEC TS DUBAI

Most travelers to Dubai are there on business. Since such visitors typically
participate in indoor meetings, the desert city's scorching daytime temperatures-which can top 120 degrees-are not a major hindrance. But in a highprofile attempt to make this bustling metropolis more appealing to groups
of family travelers, Royal Intl. is building a two-tower luxury hotel/residence
complex featuring an entertainment podium at its base that will house a trampoline park, a bowling alley, a laser-tag complex-and a man-made rain forest.
The $550 million project-known as the Rosemont Hotels and Residences-is slated for completion in 2018.
"Few developments in Dubai offer year-round outdoor spaces that are
a draw, especially during the harsh summer temperatures," says D.J. Armin,
principal at locally based ZAS Architects Dubai, the complex's designer. "One
of this project's core amenity features-a 75,000-sq.-ft. outdoor rain forest
with lush vegetation and advanced artificial rain systems-will create a oneof-a-kind entertainment experience not found elsewhere in the region."
The partially faux forest will be located on the top level of the entertainment podium connecting the two towers. "We'll use a technologically
advanced sensor-activated rain system that will simulate the sensation of
being surrounded by rainfall without having visitors actually getting wet,"
explains Armin. "Volumes of stored, recycled water will be used to create a
high humidity level within the space, while a series of sensors will control
where the rain will fall when people are detected within it." Other features
within the rain forest will include a splash pool, waterfalls and streams; a
prehistoric, Jurassic-era-inspired marsh; play zones; and a café.
Beyond those attractions, ZAS has incorporated several other eyecatching elements into the design of the Rosemont complex, including:
* The exteriors of its two adjoining, -story buildings will have distinct
personalities. The tower housing the 448-key luxury hotel will be emblazoned
with a spiraling, dynamic lighting designed to evoke a flowing river, while

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Boutique Design - October 2016

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