Gold standard
Architect Manuel Clavel Rojo reveals the inspiration behind the interiors of miX by Alain Ducasse - Dubai's premiere restaurant by the iconic French chef.
Manuel Clavel Rojo reveals the inspiration behind the interiors of miX by Alain Ducasse – the chef’s first restaurant in Dubai
Guests at the chef’s table of Alain Ducasse’s first Dubai restaurant, miX by Alain Ducasse, will be in for a surprise: their culinary journey will take place within a gargantuan, golden Fabergé egg. Representing the mystery and secrets locked inside its centre, it sits inside the dome of the Emerald Palace Kempinski, spanning an impressive three floors and providing unparalleled views of the sea and the Palm Jumeirah.
Chef Ducasse, renowned for his 21 Michelin stars, worked closely with Spanish architect Manuel Clavel Rojo of Clavel Arquitectos to create this nuanced dining experience.
“Dubai is a bold and shocking experiment that happens to be a very attractive destination, built from scratch. We designed this restaurant to be aligned with these principles, and to represent the idea that Dubai is the best place in the world to experience radical luxury in an unconventional way,” says Clavel Rojo.
But those who are familiar with the work of the award-winning architect know that this mesmerising design isn’t the first time he’s exceeded expectations. It’s aligned with his other powerful, imaginative visions.
“[My design philosophy is] to design exciting spaces so radical that most people think it’s impossible to actually create them. Our client thought it would be impossible to make a seven-storey Fabergé egg, but at the same time they were so excited and were convinced that was the right thing to do. This kind of bold effort brings equivalent feelings of reward and success,” he says.
Designed in three distinct zones, the 400-cover space takes inspiration from a galactic scene. Conceived as a contemporary interpretation of Islamic mocárabes, a flowing ceiling of transparent acrylic tubes sweeps across this 500-square metre dining room in a single fluid gesture. The experiences begin on the lower floor – which was designed for younger crowds and more affordable experiences – and end at the top of the seventh floor, where guests can sit inside the Chef’s table inside the egg.
“Fabergé eggs are some of the most intriguing and inspiring jewels ever constructed. From 1887, only 69 eggs were created. Three of them were lost at the beginning of the century. One of these lost eggs was bought a few years ago by one man in a second-hand market for US$10,000. A few years later, he discovered the egg was worth $30 million. This is the egg we reproduced inside miX. We wanted to represent a beautiful idea of luxury that would be understood by different cultures, but that would also represent good luck,” he continues.
"We designed this restaurant... to represent the idea that Dubai is the best place in the world to experience radical luxury." MANUEL CLAVEL ROJO
“Considering we were designing a restaurant for the chef with the most Michelin stars in the world, and located in the Palm Jumeirah – one of the most exclusive and iconic locations ever – [it’s predictable that] the expectations were very high. We were asked to create the best and most luxurious restaurant in the world, and to consider how luxury is a priceless experience rather than just an expensive thing,” says Clavel Rojo.
His dynamic stance has yielded top results, including: The 2018 Building of the Year Award (Miami); the 2018 Most Innovative Facility of the Year (NPA Vegas) Award; the 2018 Art Lighting Installation of the Year (London) Award; and the Public Choice Award at the Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, Shenzhen (Hong Kong) 2012.
Clavel Rojo is also quick to note the influence of his other projects. “Our project for Louis Vuitton in the Miami Design District opened a few months ago. It follows our rule of creating surreal buildings that create a deep impact and inspire their visitors. Many people thought it was impossible to build [this design] due to the hurricane regulations, but our team dealt with all these issues and the project is now on the tourism route of the city,” he says with pride.
He also cites “Crossed House, another radical project that happens to be a very comfortable home built in a very cost-efficient way”, and he recalls a client in Madrid for whom he built sunset parking. As crazy as it sounded, “He trusted us and now he is making double revenues. Innovation brings success to any kind of company,” says the architect.
Being a visionary also means having to accommodate larger-than-life challenges. For miX, “Budget and timing were very precisely defined and we were working in a hotel under construction, so all the logistics were very difficult. Elements came from 25 different countries. The egg itself was built in Spain, shipped in containers and installed on site. Thankfully, I have a very talented team that makes all these dreams happen.”
His future is as illustrious as his design. “We are designing a casino in Spain, with restaurants and open areas that will be as radical as miX but in a Mediterranean way. Stay tuned!”