design et al are delighted to announce shortlist success for Brand Creative in the International Design & Architecture Awards 2015. Maybury, a gourmet food emporium consisting of a supermarket, delicatessen, café and cooking school located at the Dubai Marina, will compete for the Retail Space Award.
The brief was to create a unique retail experience where customers could enjoy a market atmosphere, feel comfortable to browse and learn in store, excited by the products around them. Maybury had to stand out and appeal to the discerning international demographic that Dubai attracts, designed to capture attention and keep customers returning.
Maybury’s gourmet shopping area on the ground floor is an eclectic blend of modern contemporary and art deco that engages the visitor. The colour scheme is a sophisticated palette of aubergine, chartreuse, woods, textured marble, copper highlights and sculptural elements. The industrial open ceiling is enhanced by a geometric grid pattern, counterbalanced by mosaic-clad columns, oversize cornice detailing, and bespoke bas-relief food related art pieces. Custom designed wallpapers delineate the different food areas while custom made shelving, barrows and rustic baskets display the products beautifully. The granite floor is inlaid with a bronze leaf motif, while the Tom Dixon copper ball chandeliers combine with hanging hand-carved birds flying towards the forest scene depicted in the wrought iron grand window, capturing your attention from the exterior.
As you climb the elegant staircase with forged metal banister, you take notice of the stunning Carl Warner commissioned foodscape mural. At first glance a forest view, each time you pass, a new food related detail captures your interest as you are led upstairs to the café and demonstration kitchen. On the mezzanine, high gloss contrasts of black and white are softened by sophisticated light grey tones and complemented by oak wood floor with limestone finish. The furniture is sculptural, while the organic shaped lighting adds drama to the space. The Maybury team shares its knowledge of products and techniques with demonstrations in the Food School, fashioned after a high-end home kitchen.
Creating layers that linked the two floors was imperative given the double height space, achieving this gives the whole store a homely feel. Maybury is an inviting environment where customers can both shop quickly with ease or take time to share in the passion and food knowledge that the store prides itself on, and the design’s ultimate consideration for this flexibility allows that. Through the design and layout the ambiance created is that of a favourite neighbourhood deli, where the local community can indulge in their passion for taste, quality and preparation.