Engulfing Domes of Aesop Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

Three intersecting domes form the engulfing ceiling of Aesop Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, designed by the company’s in-house team. The geometries conjure singular and multiplying iterations of the ancient Arabic qubba tomb structures that were, initially, tents made of hides. During the Medieval Period, the qubba took on a more formal architectural expression in highly ornamented dome structures.

Here, poised curvature is juxtaposed against rectilinear form—the positive and negative spaces overhead create the sense of a passageway with moments of shade-cover and sun-exposure. Enveloped in burnt-ochre roughcast stucco, the ceiling hangs low, lending intimacy. Quartz carpet in resonant umber underfoot; brown travertine volumes ground the room and provide access to water. Brushed natural brass shelves line the walls, mediating the distance between the two horizontal realms.

Related: Aesop Paddington by Clare Cousins Architects.

Visitors can explore and select from a complete range of skin, hair and body care products, distinguished by botanical and laboratory-generated ingredients of the highest quality.

Aesop was founded in Melbourne in 1987 and today offers its superlative formulations in signature stores around the world. As the company evolves, meticulously considered design remains paramount to the creation of each space.

Related: Aesop Store in Park Slope, New York by Frida Escobedo.

[Images courtesy of Aesop. Photography by Oculis Project.]