Project Info
Project Name: Bab Al Shams Desert Resort
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Client/Operator: Kerzner International – Rare Finds Collection
Interior & Architecture Design: LW Design Group
There are places where nature alone sets the stage, and design must find the courage to listen. The desert is one such place—a landscape both vast and intimate, unforgiving yet poetic. In Dubai, amid rolling dunes and endless skies, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort has long been a retreat for those seeking to escape the city’s relentless energy. When LW Design was tasked with reimagining this iconic resort, they weren’t just asked to renovate; they were asked to honor a legend and breathe new life into a place that embodies the spirit of the desert itself.
From Iconic Site to Immersive Story
Bab Al Shams—literally translated as “Gateway to the Sun”—was already beloved when it first opened two decades ago. For many locals and travelers, it was synonymous with desert experiences: camel treks, falconry displays, evenings under a starlit sky. When the resort was brought under Kerzner International’s Rare Finds collection, LW Design faced a delicate challenge: how to modernize an icon without erasing its soul.
The design team began not with sketches, but with a story. They imagined a legendary figure—a “Lost Princess”—whose presence would infuse the resort with mystery and romance. This narrative became a guiding light, influencing everything from architectural details to the placement of art and furniture. Through this lens, every courtyard, doorway, and decorative motif became part of a living story, transforming the resort into a journey rather than just a destination.
Architecture that blends seamlessly with the desert landscape
Designing with the Desert
The desert dictated every decision. Its colors and textures informed the palette: sun-baked ochres, muted sands, deep palm greens, and the soft glow of dawn and dusk. These hues flow through guest rooms and public spaces, creating a seamless transition between the interior and the infinite outdoors.
Light became an essential design material. Traditional mashrabiya screens filter sunlight into intricate patterns, while carefully considered skylights allow the desert sun to play across walls and floors. At night, subtle pools of light create intimacy, echoing the flicker of lanterns once used by desert travelers.
Materials were chosen not just for luxury but for authenticity. Solid teak doors, hand-carved screens, vintage trunks, and repurposed artifacts were preserved or reimagined, adding layers of history to the modern setting. In this way, LW Design celebrated the past without slipping into nostalgia. The resort feels lived-in and storied, rather than staged.
A dramatic, timeless gateway to a world of desert tranquility
A Gateway to Timeless Experiences
Upon arrival, guests are welcomed through a dramatic threshold—a massive carved doorway that frames the desert beyond. This arrival sequence is more than theatrical; it establishes a sense of transition, inviting guests to leave behind the city and enter a slower, more reflective world.
The public spaces unfold like a series of discoveries: shaded courtyards, hidden alcoves, and lush gardens that defy the arid surroundings. Water features and indigenous plantings soften the starkness of the desert, while meandering pathways encourage exploration. Each restaurant offers a unique setting, from rooftop terraces perfect for sunset views to intimate dining rooms rich with handcrafted detail. Here, dining becomes another layer of storytelling, where flavor and design intertwine.
Dining with a view, designed to tell a story through the landscape
Sustainability Through Preservation
In an era where luxury often equates to excess, LW Design took a different path. Much of the original resort was preserved and upcycled—from furniture to architectural features—reducing waste and maintaining a tangible link to Bab Al Shams’ origins. By working with what was already there, the designers achieved sustainability not through overt technology, but through respect for materials and memory.
This approach also deepened the resort’s authenticity. When a guest runs their hand over a centuries-old wooden door or sits beneath a palm-frond canopy, they’re not just experiencing design—they’re touching history.
A private oasis where modern design and nature meet
Lessons in Designing for the Desert
Bab Al Shams is more than a resort. It’s a blueprint for how designers can work with challenging environments and profound cultural narratives. It teaches us that place matters—that architecture should respond to its surroundings rather than impose itself on them. It reminds us that luxury is not always about newness, but about meaning, story, and connection.
Most of all, it shows the power of restraint. In the desert, grandeur comes not from scale or spectacle, but from harmony - the way a courtyard catches a breeze, the way a shadow falls across a sun-warmed wall, the way a space feels both ancient and new.
Preserved heritage meets contemporary comfort in a stunning courtyard
As the sun sets over the dunes, Bab Al Shams glows like a mirage. For LW Design, it represents a triumph of vision: a resort that doesn’t just sit in the desert, but belongs to it. A sanctuary where design, culture, and landscape merge into a single, unforgettable experience.
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