It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: Red Sea Global - Project Partners: Oppenheim Architecture, WSP, Khatib and Alami
Desert Rock Hotel - Red Sea
Project Info
Set in a hidden valley and nestled between the mountains, Desert Rock - part of the Red Sea regional development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - allows guests to immerse themselves in nature on a whole new level, while offering unparalleled luxury. With the architecture fully integrated into the mountainside, preserving its striking silhouette, guests can choose from various accommodation types, each unique in its interaction with the natural setting. Most remarkable is that each unit offers unobstructed views to the horizon, allowing every guest to absorb the dramatic desert landscape.
Working with the language of the site’s geology, !melk designed a cohesive visitor experience consisting of journeys and a variety of spaces that instigate wider site exploration, adventure, and discovery, introducing guests to all of the cultural, archeological, and geological dimensions of this awe-inspiring place. A bespoke pavement strategy as well as a native planting palette subtly integrated into the design, along with landscape architectural interventions reinforce a singular identity for this place.
A key feature of the site is the Southern Wadi, and in anticipation of future conditions, !melk investigated and developed a seasonal strategy for wadi management. In sheer contrast to the wadi are the spaces located within crevices and caves, or on shaded slopes. Inspired by ancient vernacular and building techniques that utilized the cooler microclimates and minimizing solar gain, a variety of discrete spaces are dispersed across the natural site.
Desert Rock defines the new frontier for sustainability and sustainable tourism on every level - across planning, design, and operation. All materiality selections are sourced directly from the site, so that construction impact is minimal. The project is poised to serve as a benchmark for hospitality development in the region, undoubtedly delivering an internationally recognized destination.
Set in a hidden valley and nestled between the mountains, Desert Rock - part of the Red Sea regional development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - allows guests to immerse themselves in nature on a whole new level, while offering unparalleled luxury. With the architecture fully integrated into the mountainside, preserving its striking silhouette, guests can choose from various accommodation types, each unique in its interaction with the natural setting. Most remarkable is that each unit offers unobstructed views to the horizon, allowing every guest to absorb the dramatic desert landscape.
Working with the language of the site’s geology, !melk designed a cohesive visitor experience consisting of journeys and a variety of spaces that instigate wider site exploration, adventure, and discovery, introducing guests to all of the cultural, archeological, and geological dimensions of this awe-inspiring place. A bespoke pavement strategy as well as a native planting palette subtly integrated into the design, along with landscape architectural interventions reinforce a singular identity for this place.
A key feature of the site is the Southern Wadi, and in anticipation of future conditions, !melk investigated and developed a seasonal strategy for wadi management. In sheer contrast to the wadi are the spaces located within crevices and caves, or on shaded slopes. Inspired by ancient vernacular and building techniques that utilized the cooler microclimates and minimizing solar gain, a variety of discrete spaces are dispersed across the natural site.
Desert Rock defines the new frontier for sustainability and sustainable tourism on every level - across planning, design, and operation. All materiality selections are sourced directly from the site, so that construction impact is minimal. The project is poised to serve as a benchmark for hospitality development in the region, undoubtedly delivering an internationally recognized destination.