Since Saudi Arabia kicked off an ambitious economic diversification programme in 2016, the conurbation of Dammam, Al Khobar and Dhahran, one if the country’s most populous areas, has seen an accelerated transformation. Needless to say, this is a prosperous and buzzing area, and it’s one where modern lifestyle manifests in many forms, and arguably most in the flourishing retail and hospitality scene. Ambiance is a popular family restaurant in the leafy seaside Al Yarmook area of Al Khobar, and as of late, it has seen a full revamp to keep abreast with the evolving sensibilities of its savvy patrons. The new setting is modern and understated, but has additionally been given a strikingly evocative focal point that combines both artisanal craft and nifty hi-tech.
A collaborative effort of Marwah AlOmari, founder of local design practice Commonplace Studio, and Russian architects and designers Eduard Eremchuk and Katya Pitiskaya, it comprises of a cluster of imposing monoliths in Ambiance‘s light-flooded atrium space. Interestingly, the monoliths – mind you, there’s a single cube as well – are eclectic volumes as they’re not only covered in both specially designed fabric and shiny metal, but also feature LED screens showing a rotation of evocative footage. The design of the suspended installation is inspired by the sense of endless wandering in art galleries, losing all perception of time and place, and experiencing a different reality. A total of 15 LED screens are featured, presenting commissioned photographs and videos that fully tie in with the nature-infused iconography of Ambiance‘s new branding guidelines.
Ambiance
King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road (Al Yarmook)
34423 Al-Khobar
Telephone: +966 53 5910007
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
