Issue 01

Abu Dhabi
A Study in Light & Material

A city read through its surfaces: white marble that holds the noon glare, mother-of-pearl set into columns, a dome of steel and aluminium stars that lets sunlight fall in fragments. This first folio moves through four chapters — interiors, restaurants, cafés and landmarks — looking closely at what places are made of, and how light moves across them.

Louvre Abu Dhabi under its patterned metal dome, with white cubic buildings standing in turquoise water and two kayakers paddling a green kayak and a blue kayak.
©Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi · Source: DCT Abu Dhabi MediaHub

Chapter

Interiors · forthcoming

Forthcoming

Entry to come — selected by the editor

Chapter

Restaurants

Natural clay
Concrete
Travertine
Acid-washed steel

Modern Emirati · Al Hosn

Erth

One MICHELIN Star

Carved wood
Backlit blue glass
Stainless steel
Embroidered textile

Cantonese · Emirates Palace

Hakkasan

One MICHELIN Star

Chalk white
Coastal blue
Dove grey
Lemon yellow

Italian · Emirates Palace

Talea by Antonio Guida

One MICHELIN Star

Soft salmon
Pomegranate red
Warm amber light
Leaf green

Lebanese–Armenian · Al Maryah Island

Almayass

Bib Gourmand

Vine green
Blossom pink
Sea blue
Beach sand

Lebanese · Saadiyat Island

Beirut Sur Mer

Bib Gourmand

Chapter

Cafés

Carved gypsum
Dark timber
Mosaic
Floral wallpaper

Café & bakery · Al Bateen

Chapter

Travertine
Plaster
Solid wood
Midnight-blue marble
Terracotta

Bakery · Jubail Island

Knead Bakery & Patisserie, ADREA

Gallery white
Pressed-petal pink
Matcha
Gulf blue

Japanese patisserie · Saadiyat Island

Anko

Brushed steel
Rich wood
Ceramic

Café & concept store · Qareyat Al Hidd

What Not Café

Natural clay plaster
Mycelium panel
FSC timber
Recycled plastic

Community café · Al Raha Gardens

Seed & Bloom

Chapter

Landmarks

Louvre Abu Dhabi under its patterned metal dome, with white cubic buildings standing in turquoise water and two kayakers paddling a green kayak and a blue kayak.

Landmark · Saadiyat Island

Louvre Abu Dhabi

The main entrance of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the evening, with carved white marble walls, a warmly lit central arch and flanking arches, white domes against a pale sky, and the patterned courtyard reflecting the lights.

Landmark · Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Qasr Al Watan in the evening, the palace and its colonnades lit in warm gold against a deep blue sky, with a wide, reflective courtyard in the foreground.

Landmark · Abu Dhabi

Qasr Al Watan