Elegant oasis
Yabu Pushelberg brings its renowned spirit of contemporary design to Kuwait City at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya.
Guided by their interpretation of life in the desert, the design duo Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu of international design firm Yabu Pushelberg have brought their signature hospitality approach to Kuwait City with a beguiling design for the Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya.
“[ The hotel] was designed with the intrepid traveller in mind; [a traveller] who is culturally informed. There is a residential quality to the hotel that invites guests to explore both it and its environments. Although the hotel is distinctly connected to motifs found within the Middle East, we believe the hotel transcends beyond Kuwait, drawing visitors from worldwide,” says Pushelberg. “Through design, we approach the luxury market with the intent to create a sense of invention that allows guests to feel that their experiences are one of a kind,” he continues.
The bold design bathes guests in rich materials and an intriguing interplay of geometries and dynamic colouration.
“We are quite pleased with how the hotel came together as a whole. To us, something that’s compelling is the forceful confidence that’s found within the symmetry of the hotel’s sight lines. We complemented this uniformity with expansive archways that graciously highlight the quality of space found throughout the hotel. To add dynamism, we offset sculptural features to make the spaces more compelling,” he addst.
Visitors will immediately be struck with the vastness of the lobby – a contemporary iteration of the grand entry of an estate. It’s defined by an iconic crystal sculptural installation suspended from the centre of the lobby ceiling, which illuminates walls that are clad in textured limestone, and carved oak panels reminiscent of wood doors.
The furnishings also reflect their considered design. The designers looked to iconic Italian designs from Flexform to outfit important areas of the hotel, including the stunning hall and lounge that display Guscioalto Soft and Feel Good soft armchairs, both designed by Antonio Citterio. They sit amidst curved oak panels and custom-made glass screens laminated with a geometric gold-leaf ‘village-scape’.
The rooms offer a continuation of the design theme: guests follow a short millwork-lined corridor as each room unfolds beyond. Neutral furnishings are complemented by moments of bold colour, and the custom furniture pieces with wood, bronze and dark grey lacquer elements were designed exclusively for the Four Seasons Kuwait. Other bespoke details include hand-laid mini herringbone oak floors topped with a modernised flat-woven rug in the sleeping area.
When asked about their biggest challenge, the answer reflects the designers’ very clear mission to create an aura that was evocative of a broad sense of place.
“Not to default back to the obvious,” says Pushelberg, “but a hotel can take seven to eight years to complete from the ground up. It’s important that through time, design can reflect a sense of place in a way that is well-researched, genuine and not trendy. We often look at the past and think about how we can modernise ‘ traditional luxury’. To do this we have to keep our minds open, engage with the world around us and not rely on trends. We feel this hotel reflects a sense of place that responds to the wants and needs of today’s traveller.”
Technology also played a key role in the duo’s design – and not in the sense of merely having gimmicky contraptions.
“[It] has given us the ability to make old design techniques viable. The hotel is infused with traditional design processes that often take decades to master. [ Yet] these advancements have allowed us to push our design ideas further; a good example of this is the highly-engineered ceiling of the hotel’s ballroom, that’s made of reinforced plaster in a faceted, geometric pattern.
“In the past, the screens used in the lobby would have had to be hand-made, but now we can depend on a machine to achieve the same effect. Technology has speeded-up this process, without losing sight of the precision needed to execute the use of materials properly,” explains Yabu.
But it’s the small details that the designers truly appreciate and uphold, even in their grandest projects. “This sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how often simple qualities can be overlooked. In that vein: making sure there is a place for everything, from personal devices to shoes,” says Pushelberg.
The firm’s future reflects its leaders’ commitment to embracing the global traveller. “We designed the recently launched Arbor, a French-Japanese fusion restaurant overlooking Hong Kong. Two of our hotels will be launching this summer, including the SLS Lux Miami, for which we designed the interior, the hotel’s amenities and the restaurant, Katsuya. Times Square EDITION will also be opening this summer. As excited as we are about these projects, however, we are looking forward to what’s still to come,” concludes Pushelberg.
“We often look at the past and think about how we can modernise traditional luxury.” Glenn Pushelberg