Case Study: Nobu Doha

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Project: Nobu Doha
Client: Nobu
Designer: Rockwell Group
Location: Qatar

THE PROJECT

Created by New York design firm Rockwell Group, the Nobu Doha is a brand new 26,000ft² restaurant planned for the waterfront of the Qatari capital. The freestanding, three-storey building includes private and public dining for over 100 guests as well as a bar and rooftop terrace capable of holding a further 125 people. The restaurant, due for completion in late 2011, will be the second Nobu in the Middle East, after the Japanese chef opened an outlet in Dubai.

THE SITE

The restaurant will anchor the northern end of Doha’s grand Corniche and will be set on a peninsula on Doha bay that forms part of the Four Seasons Hotel. Overlooking Doha’s harbour, the rooftop terrace provides excellent views of downtown Doha and the Corniche.

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FEATURED COMMENT Fantastic project and i would like to know when it's going to be launched?   1 Comments Read more comments »

THE CONCEPT

Shawn Sullivan, principal designer on the project, said that the design for the Nobu Doha was intrinsically linked to the sea, and the role that it plays in Qatari life. “The façade resembles a coiled shell, with elliptical ribbons of river stone that, when lit at night, create a magnificent waterside façade,” he said. Sullivan added that the perimeter of the building will be surrounded by a reflecting pool that accentuates the building’s close relationship with water.

The interior of the building has been a major focus for the designers. It draws its inspiration from the sea, using shells as cladding in the main dining room while the curved walls of the private dining room will feature hand-painted murals of koi fish and natural abstractions by Japanese artist Hideki Kimura.

From a distance, Sullivan explained, the restaurant appears to be floating, an effect achieved by cladding the ground floor in glass. “As people approach and see the building from a distance, it will appear to float above the glass entry lobby and pools surrounding it,” he said. “It is a complex structural system, which goes along with all the co-ordination issues involved in creating a building surrounded by the sea on all sides.”

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