XO Atelier have been shortlisted for Restaurant – Middle East & Africas Award in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2021.

The Grey Cafe and Restaurant is an elegant, light-filled space that invites both introspection and interaction. It was conceived as a contemporary cafe and is housed on the ground floor of a leading regional investment company. The space was to serve not just their executives and guests but exclusive local clientele. As such, the cafe and lounge had to reflect the context of the building as well as lend itself to informal social exchange. XO Atelier was chosen for the project after a series of successful collaborations with the operators and for their award-winning approach to design.

The objective was to create a destination that would strike a chord with the city’s tastemakers, who are typically eager to patronise stylish new neighbourhood venues with a distinctive visual identity. The space had to be elegant and luxurious, reflecting the contemporary taste of the city’s high net worth residents. Modern, clean and geometric are hallmarks of XO Atelier’s design and this was very much the remit of the brief: to play with light and dark, art and sculpture, textures and transitions. A sophisticated mood and intuitive flow is established from the entrance, through to the various seating options. Integrating high-end furniture and lighting solutions, bespoke furniture and artwork, and XO Atelier’s characteristic attention to detail products the necessary refinement and exclusivity for The Grey’s culinary expertise.

With all XO’s concepts, lighting elevates the experience. Vera and her team worked in close cooperation with NEMO, utilising their production and design expertise in every area, from architectural to decorative, contributing to the flow of the space with their linear pendant lamps anchoring the bar, and their tube 3 illuminating the restaurant. The delicate wall lights designed by the iconic Charlotte Perriand are a flourishing addition. The monochromatic palette was expressed across a range of contrasting materials, playing with textures and tones to create an interplay of light and shadow. The contrasting palette was chosen to express the transition from day to night. The seamless experience of The Grey allows guests to focus on the cuisine and on each other, with every detail meticulously considered and coordinated for a harmonious atmosphere.

Creativity is continually referenced: An art installation that functions as seating, sculptural and modular furniture pieces, handcrafted pieces from artisanal workshops in the UAE and Asia. Punctuating a vast main wall and contextualised by a subtle monochrome gradation is a powerful art piece, a rippling metal orb designed by XO Atelier and entitled ‘Dune’. These piece of unique craftsmanship catches the eye, refracting light like water waves during the day and shimmering like the moon on the water at night. A similar reflective metal is used on the ceiling of the corridor, reflecting the light as the sun’s refractions off the Arabian Sea. Reflection is a key motif throughout the scheme, referencing The Grey’s locality and serving to throw light back into the interior.

XO Atelier

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