The ancient Nabataean inspiration behind Six Senses Southern Dunes resort in Saudi Arabia

“Our concept was inspired by Nabataean traders crossing the desert,” says Inge Moore, co-founder of London-based design firm Muza Lab, when asked about her most recent project, the Six Senses Southern Dunes in Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea resort. .

“These traders would follow the incense routes, and then they would set up camp, and that’s what we wanted the station to look like.”

This is the latest high-end project from Muza Lab, which Moore co-founded in 2016 alongside Nathan Hutchins. Seeking to bring a cerebral touch to interiors, shaped by extensive research and clever layering, the duo have built a reputation for excellence.

Whether it’s the One&Only Aesthesis Hotel in Athens or the Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru’s only luxury sleeper train, all Muza Lab projects are skillful and nuanced discussions of local cultures and traditions, introduced with sensitivity in resolutely modern spaces.

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea is the most recent example of his work and draws inspiration from the long-vanished Nabataean civilization, known for the cave tombs built at AlUla and Petra and their role in the silk trade.

“It’s really important that it’s authentic,” Moore says. “We believe in reading books and finding real things that other people have never used before.”

After being offered the project at the height of the pandemic, when all travel was halted due to closures, Moore and Hutchins had to find another way to get a feel for the unique and pristine desert environment where The hotel is now located.

“We were not treated to the usual nice site visit to launch the project. We must have been seduced by the beauty of the desert over a phone call,” says Hutchins.

Located a 45-minute drive inland, the new hotel sits amid the rolling sand dunes of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea region, which covers more than 28,000 square kilometers. Comprising more than 90 pristine islands, with dormant volcanoes, untouched beaches, mountain canyons and desert dunes, the region is also home to the fourth largest reef ecosystem in the world.

To complement the hotel structure designed and built by architectural firm Foster + Partners, Moore and Hutchins conducted careful research to inform their design choices. But it wasn’t just about old books.

“We watched all the films about these traders, about Bertram Thomas (the first Westerner to cross the Rub’ al Khali or the Empty Quarter) and about Lawrence of Arabia, and we put it all together,” says Moore.

The couple then contacted Turquoise Mountain, an organization that helps protect at-risk heritage sites, to find Saudi artisans who could bring the project to life.

“Some of the textiles used are very traditional and could be 200 years old due to their design and weaving techniques,” says Hutchins. “Others are much more contemporary, but recognizable from the region. There are also different carving techniques and patterns. The entire face of the minibar is sculpted in a very contemporary version of a traditional motif from the region.

Using an array of sculpture techniques, handmade ceramics, textile patterns and surfaces, as well as different wood tones, the interiors reflect the changing tones of the exterior environment.

Working in a muted palette of soft neutral tones, as if bleached by the sun, it is interspersed with touches of red or green that would be familiar to these early traders. “It’s a mix, and that eclectic mix is ​​what brings it all together,” Hutchins says.

The lightweight fabric canopies draped over the beds, for example, are bordered with the geometric pattern of al sadu – an ancient style of Bedouin weaving that was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2011.

Other surfaces are traced with the elongated diamonds of traditional Saudi sculpture, like the woven floor rugs, hand-carved wall panels, and lush stack of tone-on-tone cushions.

Each of the 36 hotel rooms and 40 villas has been designed to reflect the unique history and heritage of Saudi Arabia, but in a fresh and incredibly cool way. “When you travel to a more remote location, you need to arrive somewhere memorable and special, and the design needs to reinforce that,” says Hutchins.

“We want everything to be connected. Coming back to the first inspiration of the traders, they not only sold things but also transported items that they found in different parts of the region and took them on their journey. It was always this eclectic mix.

The project was not without its difficulties, particularly due to its remoteness. “There was no infrastructure, so a lot of the construction was installing the solar farm and the infrastructure to support the station. It wasn’t just about harnessing electricity from the grid,” says Hutchins.

There have also been some unexpected benefits. The entrance to the complex is an oasis now shaded by giant “petals” hanging from a rope.

“We were there a few weeks ago and I was surprised to see how much animal life there is. The oasis has its own microclimate and is home to thousands of birds and butterflies. This really attracted wildlife to come and stay. It’s spectacular,” Hutchins says.

Overall, the project experience was exciting and inspiring, Hutchins notes. “In the region at the moment, there is this spark, this vision, this great dream of carrying out extraordinary projects. For us to be a part of it is very exciting.

Six Senses is the first of around 50 hotels in this region, and Hutchins is impressed by the level of environmental awareness behind the project. The entire site, including all staff accommodation, will be powered by solar energy, while all vehicles on site will be electric.

“Six Senses Southern Dunes is a dark sky project, so no light pollutes the sky at night. You feel like you’re in the most amazing stargazing location in the world, because it hasn’t been spoiled by normal development parameters. This is done thoughtfully.

Updated: June 17, 2024, 7:06 a.m.