Penthouse, Dubai Marina

A luxury penthouse overlooking Dubai Marina, designed by By Shakir from initial concept through procurement and final dressing. The commission focused on creating warmth within a high-rise contemporary shell: natural materials, considered lighting and furniture that invites you to sit rather than simply look.

The Brief

The penthouse offered panoramic views across the marina and the Dubai skyline. The architecture was contemporary: clean lines, large windows, polished surfaces. The client wanted the interior to counterbalance that coolness with warmth. A home for living, not a property for photographs.

The Approach

The material palette was deliberately warm against the building's cool structural finishes. Travertine replaced polished marble in the living areas. Timber panelling introduced texture to walls that would otherwise read as flat and institutional. Soft furnishings in linen and wool created the tactile richness the architecture alone could not provide.

Lighting was designed in layers. During the day, the marina views carry the room. At dusk, warm recessed lighting and table lamps bring the space inward, shifting the focus from the skyline to the home itself. The same room serves two moods without rearranging a single object.

Furniture was selected to complement the views rather than compete. Low-profile seating preserves sightlines to the water. Dining chairs face the sunset. Every placement decision was tested in 3D before a single item was ordered.

The Detail

This project was managed entirely from the Netherlands. Shakir travelled to Dubai for three key stages: the initial site visit, the material approval meeting and the final dressing. All procurement, supplier coordination and delivery scheduling was handled remotely between those visits, with regular video updates throughout.