Martyn White - UAE

Martyn White - UAE Ten years after the launch of Martyn White London comes the sister website, dedicated to covering art, design, and interiors in the Middle East.

The website aims to showcase the rich beauty and culture that this unique part of the world offers.

21/04/2026

marks a new chapter in Dubai’s evolving café culture; where design, sustainability, and a stronger connection to place come together with quiet confidence.

Located within , the concept by Alia Khalid Abdulghaffar redefines the farm-to-table experience through architecture shaped by landscape, ritual, and thoughtful storytelling.

Designed by British architect , the space unfolds through rhythmic arches, sculpted earthen forms, and a living central tree that anchors the interior. Soft textures and natural tones invite a slower pace, while the curated retail corner adds another layer to the journey.

Part café, part gallery, part contemporary souk, it introduces a calm and grounded design language for the UAE’s next generation of hospitality spaces.

I recently visited to capture the experience on film, with a new reel now live alongside the full editorial feature on the Martyn White UAE website.

Architecture shaped by time.The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is one of the most compelling new additions to Saadiyat...
16/04/2026

Architecture shaped by time.

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is one of the most compelling new additions to Saadiyat Cultural District, designed by Mecanoo as a sculptural response to geology, landscape, and the story of the universe itself.

More than a museum, the project reflects how Abu Dhabi continues to invest in architecture as culture, identity, and global influence.

From layered desert-inspired forms to immersive interiors, this is a building that places narrative at the centre of design.

Our latest article explores why the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi could become one of the UAE’s most significant cultural landmarks.

Read now via the link in bio. More UAE architecture and design coverage coming soon.

Photography courtesy of the Natural History Museum

15/04/2026

At .contemporary in , We Walk on Stories by .alaaed, curated by Lina Mikati, unfolds as a study in memory, place, and emotional geography.

A series of abstracted cartographies drawn from the ongoing Cities series, where maps are stripped of borders and names, leaving only what cannot be measured, longing, loss, belonging. These are not depictions of land, but of experience; not routes, but traces.

Iron, stone, clay, wood, and pigment become carriers of lived terrain, absorbing movement, erosion, and time. Each work feels like a fragment of a place once known or still being searched for.

Here, mapping becomes emotional rather than geographic. We are reminded that we are all, in some way, walking stories.

A new sculptural presence along Jumeirah’s shoreline.Roots by Azza Al Qubaisi anchors Mercato Beach with a quiet clarity...
14/04/2026

A new sculptural presence along Jumeirah’s shoreline.

Roots by Azza Al Qubaisi anchors Mercato Beach with a quiet clarity, drawing from the symbolism of the palm while reflecting Dubai’s evolving cultural landscape. Positioned between sea and skyline, the work becomes both object and frame; a moment to pause within the city’s constant movement.

Part of Dubai’s wider Public Art Strategy, this is a reflection on how art is increasingly woven into the fabric of everyday life.

This remains one of my favourite views in Dubai: one that always seems to put everything into perspective. Standing here...
08/04/2026

This remains one of my favourite views in Dubai: one that always seems to put everything into perspective. Standing here, you feel incredibly small, yet somehow part of something far greater.

I’m so glad I made the decision to visit the city during a time of uncertainty. While you can sense that things feel different, what stands out even more is how much stronger the sense of community becomes. The support feels greater, the warmth feels deeper, and the embrace from those around you feels even bigger.

In moments of challenge, the UAE truly embodies the spirit of keeping calm and carrying on.

01/04/2026

Looking forward to being back in Dubai very soon.

In recent weeks, it’s been incredibly moving to see the sense of community across the city, a reminder of what makes it so unique, even in unprecedented times.

In the meantime, a moment to revisit my time at , a place defined by its calm, considered design and atmosphere.

More to come next week, with some exciting updates from the ground.

Café introduces a deeper chapter of its design story in Mirdif: a warm, material‑led interior by H2R Design that captur...
10/03/2026

Café introduces a deeper chapter of its design story in Mirdif: a warm, material‑led interior by H2R Design that captures the emotional resonance of coffee culture. Terracotta tones, crafted textures, soft geometry, and light that glows like a slow morning pour all come together to form a space that feels grounded, familiar, and quietly expressive.

From the monolithic central counter to the satin‑finished steel and custom glass blocks, every detail is designed to elevate stillness, ritual, and community. A mature evolution of Brew’s identity and a beautiful example of how simplicity, when rigorously crafted, becomes its own form of luxury.

Coverage of the project can be seen via the link in the bio.

Design: 
Photography: .cocks
Project: Brew Café, Mirdif Avenue Mall – Dubai

redefines what a sporting destination can be.A space shaped by architecture, intention, and atmosphere, where minimalis...
06/03/2026

redefines what a sporting destination can be.
A space shaped by architecture, intention, and atmosphere, where minimalism enhances performance and design guides every movement.

From professional indoor courts to wellness suites and the warm rhythm of Baristo, the entire journey reflects Dubai’s commitment to elevated spaces and curated experiences.

This is padel through a design lens.

A crafted environment that feels composed, intelligent, and quietly powerful.

Discover the full story on Martyn White UAE. Link in the bio.

100 Pages of Design, out now! A curated snapshot of the stories, spaces, and ideas shaping today’s design landscape.Have...
05/03/2026

100 Pages of Design, out now!

A curated snapshot of the stories, spaces, and ideas shaping today’s design landscape.

Have you explored the debut issue yet?

From landmark interiors and immersive exhibitions to the makers redefining materiality, this 100‑page launch issue brings together the most resonant moments from across the Martyn White platforms.

A new chapter in design storytelling begins. (Link in the bio)

Inside Dubai’s House of Courtyards, tradition meets the modern desert home.
 reimagines vernacular architecture through ...
04/03/2026

Inside Dubai’s House of Courtyards, tradition meets the modern desert home.

 reimagines vernacular architecture through a lens of quiet luxury; rough stone walls, shaded passages, and layered courtyards that breathe with natural light.

The villa unfolds like a journey.
From a serene Fountain Court anchored by an ancient olive tree to a gourmet kitchen framed by twin courtyards, every space connects back to landscape, heritage, and climate. Raw materials, water, shade, and stillness shape the rhythm of daily life.

This is architecture with a soul; reflective, grounded, and deeply contextual.
A home designed not to impress loudly, but to endure meaningfully.

Explore the full feature on Martyn White UAE.

Photography: Ema Peter, courtesy of Studio VDGA

Sikka Art & Design Festival 2026 unfolded like a living tapestry; a moment where Dubai’s creative community revealed its...
03/03/2026

Sikka Art & Design Festival 2026 unfolded like a living tapestry; a moment where Dubai’s creative community revealed its depth, its memory, and its bold sense of possibility. Set within the courtyards of Al Shindagha, this year’s edition became a conversation between artists, curators, designers, musicians and makers from across the region, shaping a vision of what Dubai’s cultural future could become.

From the introspective calm of the Ceramics House to the speculative worlds inside the Art & Tech House, every corner held a story worth returning to. This recap explores the highlights, the textures, and the spirit that defined Sikka 2026; a chapter in the city’s evolving creative identity.

A look back at a festival built by many hands, many voices, and endless imagination.

Full story now live.

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