Can Radical Hotel Design Seriously Improve the Bottom Line

Main Photo: The Soul Street Restaurant – AFTER

Date: March 2021

Location: Based in Manchester, England they work across Europe and the Middle East – This one in Dubai, UAE

Name: Visual Architects

Who They: Visual Architects, a creative decor, design and experiential event company formed in 2013 and based in Manchester, England….they have fast become one of the most respected event and interior transformation services in the UK and abroad. Creating fresh and original environments with cutting-edge production technology, their approach to decor, lighting and effects have resulted in their projects with brands such as Puma, Adidas, Superdrug, The Hut Group, Creamfields and Parklife Festival, delivering exceptional results for large-scale campaigns. They have developed innovative setting installations for hotel rooms and restaurants that are becoming the new look for companies across Europe and the Middle East.

What Did They Do: The transformation of the brand new Soul Street restaurant at the luxury Five Palm Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai has been considered to be a standout example of how the industry is moving forward, and developing stronger connections than ever with customers.

The restaurant was designed by decor company Visual Architects, with the idea of embodying the heart and soul of the five different cuisine styles offered by the restaurant. The diverse setting creates an experience that tells a story through flavours, sights and sounds to bring travellers in the city together.

The installation included hand painted wall murals, deluxe foliage, life-size blossom tree figures and a refurbished 1950’s American Cadillac. A fusion of street art, calligraphy and pop-art blend seamlessly together into an immersive environment for food connoisseurs. Acclaimed artists from around the world, including Pichiavo from Spain, left their impression with statement artwork with vivid cultural detail. Materials were sourced to give character, depth and a realism that truly brought the space to life, and create a setting that drew heated interest from customers, reviewers and the media.

Within one year of opening, the restaurant had generated widespread media coverage, and had been listed with the ‘20 most beautiful restaurants in Dubai’, a city known for its forward thinking style. It featured in TimeOut Dubai magazine, and was rated within the very top 0.2% of restaurants in the city as the ‘place to be in 2021’. TripAdvisor has ranked the restaurant as the 14th best out of 7,881 within the city. It is little surprise that it has been dubbed as ‘one of the most Instagram-ready spots of the city’ by customers who regularly visit for lavish cuisine and after-work drinks. With photo opportunities within each ‘district’ of the restaurant, the brand’s message was spread further across social media, as customers captured moments across their dining experiences.

Due to the phenomenal success of the restaurant within one year, Soul Street now has plans for expansion of its design, with decor company Visual Architects developing immersive concepts for the premises which integrate some of the latest developments in design innovation and technology. Themes will be updated and installations created to add dimension and generate new interest with its customer base and media outlets.

As hotels, bars, restaurants, beach clubs and gyms look to develop stronger connections with their customers, they are creating experience-led settings that showcase their brand identity and message, to create a lifestyle that visitors can become part of. Any space can be transformed into an environment that defines a brand with a signature style, and provides endless entertainment and possibilities for customers and staff alike. This is the time to be the next visionary in modern experiences.

What Did it Cost: For obvious reasons Visual Architects don’t wish to disclose the budget for this particular project, but we believe their starting price would be a budget for £20,000 upwards.

THPT Comment: Well it certainly stands out from your typical chain hotel eaterie! For more information contact us at THPT

First Seen: Visual Architects Press Release

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