Studio RAP has designed and produced two large-scale ceramic walls for the entrance lobby of Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, a new luxury hotel in Dubai. Positioned on either side of the entry, the walls define and frame the approach into the building, creating a calm yet expressive moment of arrival.
Titled Blue Voyage, the project draws inspiration from the nearby Gulf. The curved forms recall the movement of waves, while the surface patterns become increasingly intricate up close, revealing flowing lines and layered ridges that respond to light and shadow throughout the day. Large, specially designed corner tiles wrap the pattern seamlessly around the edges, enhancing the sculptural quality and spatial clarity of the installation.
Each wall measures six metres high and nine metres long. In total, Studio RAP designed and 3D-printed around 900 unique ceramic tiles, each one generated parametrically and produced in-house at the studio’s facility in Rotterdam. This approach enabled full control over form, fit, and material quality throughout the entire process.
Blue Voyage is among the largest 3D-printed ceramic architectural installations in the world. It embodies Studio RAP’s ongoing pursuit of uniting computational design with craftsmanship, using advanced fabrication techniques to bring expressive, durable, and site-specific elements into contemporary architecture.
Project Details
Project Name: Blue Voyage
Location: Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai (UAE)
Designer: Studio RAP
Architect (main building): Killa Design
3D Ceramic Printing: Studio RAP
Firing and Glazing: Royal Tichelaar
Photographer: Studio RAP / Riccardo De Vecchi
