When the Wall Becomes a Tactile Narrative
At Durst Art Consultancy, we conceive the wall not as a boundary but as a narrative space. When enriched with textured materials, layered surfaces or hand-painted finishes, the wall becomes an active part of the environment, a visual composition that defines atmosphere with subtlety. Through collaborations with artists exploring scale and surface, each wall treatment becomes a kind of visual poem, a deep presence tailored to the spaces we transform.
Sculpted Iridescence — Studio Tollis for Marsa Al Arab Hotel
For the Marsa Al Arab hotel project in Dubai, we were commissioned to design the hotel’s reception and enlisted Studio Tollis, specialists in spatial design and interior aesthetic conception. Together, we developed a bespoke wall treatment composed of two custom-designed wallpaper modules, creating a continuous, subtly textured surface.
The installation required a team of nine on-site, including two Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, who applied a brown iridescent gradient rising from the bottom to the top of the wall, producing an ascending light effect reminiscent of heated metal or living bronze. Within each module, they also created a delicate cloud-like texture, adding depth and vibration, giving the wall a sculptural quality that shifts with the light.
Hand-Painted Narratives — Atelier de la Torre
As part of our artistic selection, we chose Atelier de la Torre, a bespoke interior design studio specializing in textures and wall materials, to enhance several areas of the Marsa Al Arab hotel.
Under our artistic direction, we created a hand-painted mural featuring a bespoke peacock motif designed specifically for the hotel’s Indian restaurant. This artwork evokes elegant luxury and subtle exoticism while adding a rich graphic presence.
We also produced hand-painted panels for the Pan-Asian restaurant. Depicting herons, these decorative panels serve as visual and sensory transitions: their lightness and grace introduce a serene, almost meditative atmosphere, transforming the space into a harmonious retreat.
Organic Ceramics — Lorène Cavagna for Marsa Al Arab Residences
For the Marsa Al Arab residential project, we enlisted the artist Lorène Cavagna to create custom ceramic pieces designed to perfectly follow the contours of the walls.
Inspired by the organic forms of coral, the artwork was conceived as a natural extension of the architecture, a living element emerging from the surface rather than simply placed upon it. Each ceramic module was hand-crafted by the artist, then installed on-site by our team, piece by piece, precisely following the curvature of the wall to preserve the fluidity and immersive quality of the composition.
Playing with light, shadow, and volume, the piece becomes a sculptural focal point, anchoring the identity of the space at the crossroads of fine art, high-end craftsmanship, and architecture.
Finally, these collaborations clearly demonstrate the ability of fine craftsmanship to enrich luxury hotel spaces. Far more than mere decorative elements, these walls and panels become true vehicles of visual storytelling, capable of transforming a space into an immersive, memorable, and deeply sensory experience.
