Boasting spectacular views across the Dubai skyline, this space is the world's highest 360° infinity pool. Despite its ultra urban location at the top of the Palm Tower skyscraper on the man-made Jumeirah archipelago, the interior’s design takes cues from the natural world. That includes a rock formation-inspired sculptural wall, reclaimed wood, and plentiful plants. From the outset, the project sets an exclusive tone thanks to dedicated elevators transporting guests to the building's 50th floor, 210 meters above the ground. Its doors open onto an urban oasis, imagined as ‘an island in the sky’. At its heart is an angular travertino plaster centerpiece, appearing as natural boulders: a geometric finish transforms the tower’s central core from a space-limiting challenge, to a signature focal point. This 3D object forms the backdrop of a central bar, and the counter which is made of reclaimed wood recalling flotsam washed up on the shore. Surrounding concrete floor tiles have been carefully selected for their tactile quality: experienced barefoot, they are reminiscent of walking on sand. In keeping with the lounge’s island theme, ceiling drapes evoke beachside cabanas while window curtains act as a useful sunscreen in Dubai’s unforgiving heat. Both inject movement into the design as the fabric sways in a welcome breeze from fully openable glass partitions that wrap around the space. In a city so reliant on air-conditioning this natural ventilation sets the project apart and ensures guest comfort. Throughout, plants and small trees reinforce the venue’s outdoor, beach-like atmosphere, and complement furnishing’s muted palette of greens, oatmeal, and teal. Surrounding the central lounge like a shoreline is a wooden deck, replete with sun loungers and tables. From here, guests look across the mirror-like infinity pool that circumnavigates the tower to spectacular city and ocean vistas beyond. On two sides, networks of floating platforms jut into the water for an altogether more exclusive experience that is reminiscent of a private island. If its 50th-floor pool and lounge are conceptualized as an island in the sky, its auxiliary facilities are imagined as an atmospheric underwater cave. Located on level 49, functions include changing rooms, staff areas, and a retail kiosk. Physically connected by a brass-clad staircase inlaid with LED lighting, the floors are thematically linked through color, material, and form. At its core is the same angular, rock-like finish of the lounge above; while changing rooms feature sand-blasted blue-green glass doors. An absence of daylight contrasts with the sun-bright atmosphere above, reinforcing the cave motif. In creating this project, the designers' remit was to frame and contextualize the location’s breathtaking views. It achieves this through a design dialogue between outdoor and indoor; manmade islands versus imagined ones; above water and below.
Aura Skypool
Kokaistudios
Bronze

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Chasing Wang
Founder and Assistant Professor
at Nong Studio and D&I Tongji University
7
7
6.5
6
6.63

Alexandra Cuber
Director
at Fogarty Finger Architecture
7.5
7
7
6.5
7

Frank la Rivière
Principal Architect/Designer
at Frank la Rivière Architects
6.5
7
6.5
5
6.25

Nicolas Demers-Stoddart
Partner
at Provencher_Roy
6.29
6.18
6.29
5
5.94

Ruud de Bruin
Creative Director
at Ace & Tate
5.74
6.04
6.14
6.12
6.01

Michael Schwab
Founder and Sustainability Designer
at In Pretty Good Shape
To be honest, such projects have to...
7
7
7
1
5.5

Larry Traxler
SVP - Global Head of Design
at Hilton Hotels
6.5
7
6
5
6.13

Victoria Stiles
Retail Design Manager
at Mirvac
The infinity pool that wraps the bu...
6
7
5
5
5.75

Asell Yusupova
Strategy Director
at UXUS
6.5
6
6.5
5
6

Sanjit Manku
Associate Partner
at Studio Jouin Manku
6.5
6
6
5.5
6

Jocelyne Sacre
Design Strategist
at Consultant
Love the idea of the infinity pool...
7
7
6.5
5
6.38

Drew Gilbert
Design Manager
at OBMI
6.5
7
7
5
6.38

Xie Peihe
Founder & Chief Designer
at AD Architecture
6
6
7
6.5
6.38

Katharina Fischer
Creative Consultant
at Katharina Fischer Design and Speaking Spaces
7
6
4
1
4.5
Designer
Client
SHG Ventures
Floor area
1516 ㎡
Completion
2021
Finishes