First Award | Housing (Upto 5 Floors) (Built)
Firm Name: Soma Archtects
Participant Name: Lito Karatsoli-Chanikian
Country : United States
One at Palm will rise at the entrance to Palm Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s artificial archipelagos. It consists of 90 exclusive residences, ranging from 270 to 2,000 sqm. The project proposes a new standard of living through its unique design based on the culture in which it is set. The project takes full advantage of the panoramic views of the Palm to the North and the Dubai Marina to the South, while simultaneously providing a sense of arrival and iconography for the entrance to both the project and the entire island.
The residences are arranged methodically, through an extensive process of adjacency and view studies, in order to achieve unobstructed, plunging views while maintaining the privacy of each residence. Unlike any other offer in the region, One at Palm gives each unit its own private garden terrace as well as views both across the Palm to the North and across the Marina to the South. This is not only an unprecedented interior and exterior environment, but creates quite literally a transparent building.
In order to achieve this innovative layout, all disciplines were involved at an early stage in the project. A team of culturally diverse and globally renowned designers were pulled together to ensure a cohesive luxurious living environment for every single resident. The team consisted of US-based architects and lighting designers, Japanese interior designers, Lebanese landscape architects, and Dubai-based developers. The design of the building is centered on residences which are pushed and pulled across each level to create private outdoor space for each and every residence, proportional to the size of the unit. Although balconies are utilized, the design methodology allows for the creation of several true open terraces, while maintaining unobstructed, plunging views for the majority of the residents.
The structure, though a simple column and concrete slab structure at its core, uses an innovative system of post-tensioned beams to push the limits of cantilevering. The residents directly benefit from this innovative structural system as it offers not only the private outdoor spaces and cantilevered enclosed living spaces, but consistent ceiling heights throughout all the units as well. No luxury was spared when it came to the design and the amenities offered to the residents. State of the art world class amenities are available to the residents such as a private jetty, beach club, outdoor garden, pool, and cigar lounge.
Outdoor private spaces are uncommon in the region because they are rarely usable and rarely private enough for the culture in which they are set. One at Palm will create a new paradigm of what luxury means in the region. The collaboration between the architect, landscape architect, interior designer and engineer has resulted in beautiful, private outdoor terraces that can be used year-round comfortably. In the desert- there is no greater luxury.
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