< PreviousP H O T O : A A S IY A H J A G A D E E S H (P O R T R A IT ) WE’RE IN AN OPTIMISTIC MOOD AT AD TOWERS. Why? We are buoyed by the brilliant projects that we’ve admired while compiling the inaugural WoW List, which spotlights architectural Works of Wonder across the world. Those buildings selected were done so through a collaborative decision-making process by the global editions of AD, and each place was hotly contested. Happily, there were so many worthy suggestions from the Middle East that a complementary power list has been created heralding the design prowess and optimistic outlook that’s emanating from this region. The fi nal 15 WoW Middle East projects are diverse and innovative, ranging from glass-and-steel mega-towers to humble structures combining traditional vernacular with modern technology. Survey the results in the special section which begins at page 51. There’s plenty more to admire in this issue, including the very personal homes of three style-setting women: In Dubai, fashion designer Haya Jarrar’s Palm Jumeirah residence (p.52) is fresh, contemporary and a little daring – much like the clothes she dreams up for her free-spirited label Romani; across town, lawyer-turned- Instagram-sensation Natalia Shustova has transformed a run-down rental villa into a cool, creative home (p.76) with her limitless imagination, rather than a limitless budget; and lifestyle maven JJ Martin’s Milan apartment (p.60) is awash with vibrant colour combinations and bold patterns that make the heart sing. I wish I had the gusto and fl air to be such a fearless decorator. My favourite space, though, is our cover story, the elegant London home of Lebanese designer Claudia Skaff (p.70). Filled with great art, design and joyful nods to Beirut, it defi nitely has the WoW factor. Enjoy the issue! 10 — ADMIDDLEEAST.COM EDITOR’S LET TER A bold painting by Saudi artist Nasser AlMulhim who is profi led on page 25. Talib Choudhry EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Bright Side AD_43_10_Eds Letter_11940234.indd 1008/02/2022 01:25:43 PMAUTOMATIC TOURBILLON RM 71-02 RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUES DUBAI GRAND ATRIUM, THE DUBAI MALL +971 4 339 8666 ABU DHABI THE GALLERIA - AL MARYAH ISLAND +971 2 672 4440The premier digital destination for design inspiration admiddleeast.com ADMIDDLEEASTADMIDDLEEASTADMIDDLEEASTARCHITECTURAL DIGEST MIDDLE EAST AD_80_New House ad_11197021.indd 8029/03/2020 03:11:03 PMADMIDDLEEAST.COM — 13 RADAR 32 “The last piece of the collection, New Sarpech, is inspired by the turban jewellery that the Maharaja wore” AD_43_13_RADAR_Opener_11943455.indd 1309/02/2022 03:53:39 PMMany of my pieces are inspired by the organic world,” says Tamara Barrage, the Dubai-based, Lebanese artist and designer whose pastel-hued and rather animated 2020 collection, Symbiotic Creatures, cemented her as one of the region’s most exciting new creatives.“They borrow from nature, be it phenomena, aesthetics, textures, or forms.” Personality and a sense of family is not incidental to her work; as Barrage builds a collection, it develops its own unique ecosystem, where the individual pieces appear in joyful conversation with each other. “I try to create things that seem almost alive and feel familiar to the users, while igniting memories and enticing the senses,” she says of her playful objects, which are full of wonder and whimsy. To invite the onlooker to emotional- ly step into the space that her pieces occupy, Barrage intentionally explores work that blurs the lines between art and design, beauty and function. “I get mixed reactions,” she says. “Some see it as joyous, others feel it’s sensual or even repulsive sometimes. My intention is to create pieces that can provoke a range of feelings as well bodily and psychological reactions.” Throughout the pandemic, the artist has immersed herself in her craft, focusing fi rmly on the future: “I am constantly creating small models of pieces I would like to build one day. They lay on my desk, on my Known for playful work that brims with personality, Tamara Barrage explores social constructs through an artist’s lens Character Building tables, in my kitchen and I hope to bring them all to life in their actual scale one day.” In the coming months, Barrage is aiming to meld creativity with social responsibility. To that end, she is revaluating her style to explore a broader range of sustainable materials and making processes. Her latest work, a series of vessels that exalts the spirit of kindness and giving, features imprints of open palms cast in clay. “Having grown up in the Middle East, generosity and sharing of wealth and goods are cornerstones of our culture,” she says. “Representing frozen gestures of giving, these vessels are a celebration of our values and traditions.” tamarabarrage.com – PRATYUSH S ARUP Tamara Barrage with her animated, creature-like objects. 14 — ADMIDDLEEAST.COM NA ME TO K NOW PH OTOS : B E NJ AM IN MALI C K AD_043_14_Radar_Tamara Barrage_11711913.indd 1409/02/2022 09:29:01 AMST YLE CULTURE NEWNESS GQ MIDDLEEAST.C O M Untitled-2 101/11/2020 14:33:29ADMIDDLEEAST.COM — 17 WISH LIST IN THE AIR A collaboration with OJAS, Byredo claims its new Olfactive Stéréophonique is the most eff ective room diff user ever made. byredoo.com CLUB CLASS With splendid terraces, a retro- fabulous nightclub, and this chic cigar lounge, The Arts Club Dubai’s swish new fi fth fl oor is the place to be seen in the city. theartsclub.ae Delightful fripperies to indulge in (and a smoking hot room to admire) Frill Seeking BOX OF DELIGHTS The latest drop from Gucci Vault includes a trove of exquisitely reconditioned vintage objects. vault.gucci.com Making Strides Salvatore Ferragamo’s pre-fall collection has caught our eye thanks to the street-smart tailoring and sassy bags. ferragamo.com s BLING RING Roman jewellery house Le Sybille’s new Boule collection includes this showstopping turquoise and micro-mosaic ring. lesibille.com Soft Landing Naples-based Gambian designer Paboy Bojang stitches all his jolly frilled cushions himself. incasabypaboy.com AD_43_17_Radar_Wishlist_11943732.indd 1709/02/2022 09:45:55 AM1. Ok ta (197 3) 2 . Idom Stri (19 6 3 ) 3. H a t le g ( fo n d b la n c) ( 19 72 ) 4 . A lo o k f ro m t h e S S 2 2 P a c o R a b a n e c o lle c ti o n 5 . Ta lia n o II I ( 19 9 0 -2 0 17 ) 6 . G o rd e s B le u n o II IV , (197 0- 200 9 ) 7. T h e S e lf ri d g e s e x h ib it io n 8 . Te r F 2 n oE .F .V . II ( 19 6 9 -2 0 10 ) A ll a rt w o rk s b y V ic to r Va s a rl e y. P h o to : F a b ri c e L e p e lt ie r; © F o n d a ti o n Va s a re ly ; J a s o n A ld e n (e x h ib it io n ) DESIGN HERO Perfect Illusion If there ever was an iconic artist whose work was destined to be transformed into NTFs, it was Victor Vasarely; the Hungarian-French talent’s perception- shifting compositions appeared to move, decades before digital art and fi lters were a thing. Now, London department store Selfridges has brought the grandfather of op art’s work into the metaverse with a new exhibition which blurs the lines between the real and virtual worlds. Universe features 55 rarely seen works by the artist alongside specially commissioned digital art by London-based platform Substance and around 1800 NFTS, which can be bought at a cash register. Also on display are the fi rst 12 dresses ever created by Paco Rabanne, as well as Julien Dossena’s psychedelic Spring 2022 collecti on for the label, inspired by Vasarely’s work. selfridges.com/vasarely - P.S. 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 4 AD_043_18_Radar_Collab VV_11941692.indd 1808/02/2022 12:53:38 PMJEWELLERY Multi-disciplinary designer Nadine Kanso’s creations for Bil Arabi – the jewellery line she launched in 2006, turning Arabic calligraphy into wearable art – invariably imbue surface beauty with meaning. Her latest collection, which debuted at Dubai’s Bayt Damas concept store, comprises striking oversized rings, bracelets and pendants that supercharge the Bil Arabi aesthetic in yellow gold and precious stones. Arabic script runs around the outer contour of rings, framing vibrant colour combinations such as pale blue larimar and rich ruby red or deep purple amethyst and striped green malachite. Elsewhere, the same gold lettering becomes heart-shaped caged pendants. Bil Arabi’s aim is to celebrate Arabic heritage (the name translates as ‘In Arabic’), and these colourful new jewels are heirlooms in the making. Bilarabi.ae – T.C. To the Letter AD_43_19_Radar_Jewellery Kanso_11929582.indd 1908/02/2022 01:27:06 PMNext >