Dubai and Emirates ‒ four elegant eco-friendly villas

Dubai is the 'city of glass' in the United Arab Emirates, if we look to author Paul Auster's expression. Yet, differently from the metropolis in his New York Trilogy, where constant construction took the city to become a mishmash of blurred places, even Dubai's new skyscrapers ‒ which still now seem to shoot up from the ground to pierce the sky, soaring ever higher ‒ comply with precise rules in line with contemporary architecture, where the mantra is eco-sustainability in all its various forms.

Architects and designers in Dubai ‒ and the Emirates in general ‒ are also coaxed on by its vibrant real-estate market to express their creativity, driving forward with technological innovation brought too by zero-impact materials and edifices. Many overseas residents have been drawn, especially during and following the pandemic, by the charm of its sandy coast. It is here that THE PLAN has discovered four eco-friendly villas, designed by the MEMAR Architecture studio of Dubai.

 

Villa Fadi ‒ as majestic as a palace

A two-storey modern villa marked by enticing design, located on Al Mamzar Front in Dubai. Immediately striking is Villa Fadi's concentrated aesthetic appeal, which is created also through technological and energy efficiency. The owners' core request during design was to create a relaxing and wholesome context, where natural colours and light could reign. The response from the MEMAR studio is a building in an unusual form, with a large double-height entrance hall to give the impression of staying in a palace. The glass walls enclosing the villa and its many sliding windows accentuate this feeling, so that the outside seems like a natural extension of the inside. It is in fact tricky to work out where the constant and relaxing sound of water comes from until the eye catches the ground-floor waterfall flowing into the cantilever swimming pool.

Finished in porcelain stoneware tiles, the interiors feature a sort of 'bridge' on the upper storey, to connect the various parts of the home in a surprisingly creative way. The designers opted for wood in some of the settings, to bring chromatic warmth and to make them more comfortable. The first-floor master suite varies from the other rooms in its array of grey tones (emphasised by a rug in the same colour) and includes an exclusive-use bathroom. The overall scheme for the home is completed with a unique selection of tropical plants, instilling a timeless air.

 

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La Mer Villa ‒ unique and stylish

White paint and a touch of wood: an elegant and unique combination to define La Mer Villa, a home standing by the Dubai beach of the same name. So as to ensure its occupants' privacy, the side of the house exposed to public view is made of masonry, while the other three are entirely glass. This allows light to naturally penetrate the interiors, where tones are mainly pale or white, to underscore the freshness and clarity of the spaces. Thanks to the huge transparent sliding doors, the settings double in size, expanding the usable area of the home. Besides glass ‒ the star of the design ‒ the architects have also introduced brass details on the main elevation, since brass is such a hard-wearing material able to withstand the elements for hundreds of years. Also interesting is the use of aluminium stairs connecting the first-floor bedroom with the outside. 

 

Sultan Villa ‒ wellness and peace

Located in Sharjah, Al Syuh, in the Arab Emirates, Sultan Villa is a two-level house where the lowest storey opens onto a garden through large windows. The designers opted for glass again for the first-floor panoramic veranda, which in their design concept is not only practical but also has a symbolic presence: it embraces the light of the early morning and late afternoon, endowing the interiors with an aura of wellness and peace. In this case too, the choice of near-white tones brings even greater clarity and freshness to the home ‒ sensations that are certainly appreciated during the hotter months.

 

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Eminence Villa ‒ simple but intriguing

Another situated in Dubai, Eminence Villa is a home that makes the texture and colour alternation between wood and white walls its signature feature. The rhythm created ‒ especially on the public-facing façade ‒ brings a simple but intriguing identity to the edifice: upon entry from this side, at the front, there is a parking area plus an appealing waterfall into an artificial pond. The constant relaxing sounds of the water conceal the traffic noise coming from outside. In contrast, the back of the villa extends towards the landscape, with glass walls drawing the extraordinary natural light into the interiors. The long rectangular pool and relaxation area ‒ seeming more like an open-air living room ‒ add a twist of playfulness to the building: the seating is perfect for calmly enjoying the views.

Instead, the interiors stand out for their minimal design: open-space settings, neutral colours, simple forms and no unnecessary adornment. A simplicity that makes Eminence Villa extremely elegant. A curious feature is the oval staircase comprising a wooden structure with marble treads, picking up on the flooring in the same material.

 

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