Oman Conference Center & Hotel in Muscat. Sultanate of Oman

Inspired by elaborate birdcages, the lobby offers an intimate tea lounge experience

The lobby lounge is conceived as an ornate elliptical birdcage, surrounded by moresque screens

The challenge:

To design an intimate hotel lobby and restaurants adjacent to a large conference center and EXPO with over 20,000 square meters of column free exhibition space, 33 meeting rooms, a 3200 seat auditorium, a 450-seat theater, 2 large ballrooms, 20 additional meeting and conference rooms and a 300 key hotel to represent the Sultanate of Oman. Owned and operated by the Oman Tourism Development Company

Prefunction lobby for a large conference auditorium

The solution:

The hotel lobby tea lounge is conceived as a beautiful birdcage, with overlaid Moresque laser cut metal breeze-soleil screens, creating a sophisticated retreat ambiance which translates Arabian architecture into a contemporary guest arrival experience. The elliptical space is anchored by a grand curved stair choreographing the ascent to a viewing perch and the upper-level restaurants. Elliptical area rugs anchor the seating groups while the stepped elliptical ceiling is accentuated by the cascading crystal light fixture. 

The Expo Convention Center is the landmark of the development, anchored by a large circular auditorium as the center, adorned by a lotus roof.  The prefunction area is conceived as a glamorous Arabic inspired gathering space with backlit metal curved walls, symbolic of a beehive, leading into the fluid concourse. Large rugby-shaped light fixtures add a nod to the Sultanate’s major sports obsession, while guiding the fluidity of the long procession. 

*consultant for WATG’s Henley office