Featured in Vogue Arabia’s October issue, UNICA Architects' Director Riccardo Robustini shares the story behind designing the Dubai residence of entrepreneur and art collector Elie Khouri. Tasked with creating a space that could both frame and enhance the vast art collection, the project focused on maximizing wall space and keeping materials and tones intentionally neutral (beige, light brown and white) to let the art breathe.
“The design is the skeleton of the space; art brings it to life,” says Riccardo in the interview by Hafsa Lodi.
The home at Bvlgari Residences showcases works by Rashid Johnson, Joan Semmel, Antony Gormley and Terry Adkins, all carefully placed to ensure each piece tells its own story without visual conflict.
The architectural centerpiece is the staircase in the central double volume of the house, designed to appear as though it’s floating, a feat achieved through meticulous structural planning. Beneath it, playful design details, from striped stools to colourful art books, add warmth and personality to the refined setting.
Taking around two years from design to completion, UNICA Architects' vision results in a home that feels both serene and expressive, a true dialogue between architecture and art.
