dpa Dubai were the appointed Lighting Consultants for the Saadiyat Beach Club the first beach club on the island of Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi. The Beach Club was designed to celebrate fine living, culture, well-being and health in a uniquely Arabian way.

LWD Architects created a contemporary and elegant building that aligns more with European styles than the traditional Arabic structures often found in the UAE. The Club offers its members and day guests access to world-class internal and external facilities such as a spa, gym and exterior pool with 8 pool cabanas, making it one of the select premium brand communities in the region. Le Deck is the Beach Club’s signature fine dining restaurant offering à la carte lunches and evening meals in a relaxed setting. The Sea Lounge is a permanent outdoor venue with DJ facilities, an open lounge deck, and a connection to an impressive lawn that can be used to host events.

dpa worked closely with LWD Interiors to create lighting schemes that enhance the soft colour tones and textures of the interior spaces. Special attention was made to control the lighting between interior and exterior spaces so as to provide guests with excellent sea view vistas from interior spaces and subtly illuminate the landscape and gardens. We were also aware of the lighting in transitional zones, namely the main reception area, which for 6 months of the year will be semi-enclosed, allowing ease of movement from the interior to the exterior, thus the lighting should not be too contrasting, but ambient and sympathetic to the guest’s experience.

The exterior lighting to the front of the building seeks to emphasise the structural elements of the architecture and cut-off luminaires mounted on low-lighting columns to minimise light pollution. The beachside lighting focuses on the main central swimming pool and the cabana area, with discreet wall-recessed luminaires providing pathway lighting for nighttime orientation. Particular sensitivity was shown to placing light sources close to the beach due to the migratory habits of the indigenous marine life.

Client:  TDIC
Interior Designer & Architect: LW Design Group
Photography:  LW Design Group