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Dubai’s newest firm, Mishascape, unveils its signature project and, in the process, introduces new mythology
Created for a competition that called for a ‘Tall Emblem Structure’ in Dubai’s Za’abeel Park, Dubai Quill aims to be an emblematic symbol that represents the aspirations of the city of Dubai, its leaders and its inhabitants.
Designed by Misha Stefan-Stavrides, founder of Mishascape, one of Dubai’s newest architecture studios, Dubai Quill responds to the sociocultural demographic of the city while, at the same time, offering recreational, scientific and cultural space within the overall plan.
While at first glance, Dubai Quill may resemble something more science fiction than sand dunes and cityscapes, Stefan-Stavrides actually designed his structure around an Arabian folk tale he wrote.
In fact, despite its space-station-like first impression, according to his original design brief, Dubai Quill is completely organic and totally contextual.
“The building’s curve, earthbound by gravity, captures the graceful tension between earth and sky, balanced between present and future. The architecture uses a soft geometry to define nature’s poetry of motion, written in a single line,” explains Stefan-Stavrides.
“As seen in the curvaceous architecture of mosques and tents…the flowing robes of local dress…the organic flux of Arabic calligraphy…or the soft swirls of sand dunes. The Quill’s form captures the essences of the visual iconography surrounding us in the UAE,” he adds.
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Why a feather?
While the Arabian connection makes sense after a bit of explanation, it certainly isn’t immediately intuitive. So, it stands to reason that the architect might have chosen a more obvious or straightforward design to illustrate his vision. But, according to Stefan-Stavrides, that wasn’t an option.
“The starting point for the design was the feather, but that wasn’t the design itself. The Quill isn’t an enormous, over-scaled feather. It’s much more refined than that,” explains Stefan-Stavrides. “A lot of buildings [in the Middle East] end where they begin—at the starting point. Architecture should go through a series of permutations, developing the diagram, in order to reach maturity. If not, the result is pastiche, or worse, a design that is predictable and lacking in subtlety.”
In order to achieve that subtlety, he purposely stayed away from the common, sometimes pastiche, symbolism of UAE architecture and sought to highlight something just as prevalent, but something that remains slightly unnoticed.
“I must have heard ‘inspired by the palm leaf’ a hundred times to introduce a new scheme…. I’m always looking for overlooked metaphors which are just as relevant to the region,” said Stefan-Stavrides. “The UAE has a rich legacy associated with birds. Falconry, flamingos at Dubai Creek, peacocks at the royal palaces and even the dove graphics used for the logo for Dubai’s Parks & Horticultural Department. It therefore seemed apt and timely to introduce the symbol of the feather to develop the aesthetic.”
The rose/feather interaction
The rose, Stefan-Stavrides explains, is much like the feather in this part of the world—very prominent, yet very overlooked. “Alongside the reference of the feather, the rose is a particularly interesting and appropriate flower to the region and one that very few parks have, even though they do well in this climate when shaded from direct sunlight.”
He continues: “Both Attar of Rose, a steam extracted oil used in the creation of perfumes, and Rose Water, which is used for cooking, are widely used locally and throughout the Middle East…. [Moreover] a Roman custom, borrowed from ancient Arabs, was to place roses outside a place where confidential discussions and meetings were taking place.”
The Rose Garden is elliptical. Cut roses are set into vases built into the curved edge wall in a grid formation and can be purchased from the kiosk at the narrow far end. Curved, ramped, timber pathways lead the visitor to walk around the rose bushes growing in the soil.
The observer may view the horticulture from lower and higher levels, finally being tempted at the kiosk to purchase a bouquet or rose products, all under the shade of the splayed fronds above, which overlap the open void and beckon potential visitors.
Areas
Sky Café (+44)
• Main area 125 m²
• Lower level area 60m²
Library (+4)
• Finite area 215 m²
• Escalator lobby area 60 m²
Rose Garden (+1)
• Open area 725 m²
• Lobby area 195 m²
Auditorium (-2)
• Main area 690 m²
• Foyer / waiting / reception area 340 m²
• Lobby area / restrooms 280 m²
Car park (-5)
• Escalator lobby area 170 m²
Total Built up area
• 2135 m²
Total Usable area
• 2860m²
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