AISHTI FOUNDATION IN THE WORKS

Lebanon’s luxury retailer Aishti is set to launch the company’s largest project to date with a cost of USD 100 million. Built on 28,000 sqm on Jal el Dib’s seafront and designed by British architect David Adjaye, the Aishti Foundation will feature recreational and retail space that includes shops restaurants, and a pool. Aishti Foundation will house over 4,500 pieces of modern art, managed by Cecilia Alemani of High Line Art in New York. The space is slated for an October opening and will be directed by Massimiliano Gioni, artistic director of the New York Museum. Coming back from London Hotels & Travel Conference, Wondereight has announced that it will be granting AED 500,000 worth of branding services to locally developed boutique hotels, in its goal to support the 200 upcoming hotels that will open before the Expo 2020 in Dubai.

“Whenever we have the chance to create new brands, we dive in, head first!” says Walid Nasrala, co-founder of W8.

“Dubai is setting expectations high, and although its hotel and hospitality sectors excel in services and amenities, branding and brand experience still has a way to go. And this is where we come in," explains Boudy Nasrala, managing partner of W8.

Wondereight has opened its new Dubai offices in Q4 2014 to plan to better serve the UAE and GCC clients. This endeavor paves the way for more interesting and enriching collaborations, by becoming more accessible and delivering more comprehensive, on-the-ground solutions.