Wedyan: a major new architectural project in Dubai, designed by Kengo Kuma

An organic architecture

Wedyan, meaning "valleys," reflects the local heritage and surrounding landscapes. Its facade evokes the movement of water and sand through a subtle interplay of layers and textures, inspired by the desert.

For Kengo Kuma: "In this project, our goal is to bring softness to the design and create a peaceful atmosphere through the cascading shadows reflected on the facade, terraces, and leisure areas."

Every detail of the facades, balconies, and terraces incorporates ancient Japanese techniques, adapted to a contemporary style: "It's a dialogue between Japanese aesthetics and the spirit of Dubai," explains Kengo Kuma. Wedyan is defined by seven key concepts, inspired by Japanese onomatopoeia and the relationship between form, function, and perception.

GIZA GIZA

ぎざぎざ

Hardness / Pleats

The organic layers of balconies create a unique signature in the skyline, where solidity blends with the delicacy of folds and curves.

SUKE SUKE

Sukesuke

Horizontal / Flat

The horizontal planes and the overlapping of spaces create fluid balcony lines, integrating the outside landscape into the interior.

GURU GURU

Round and round

Fluid / Tornado

The swirling balconies give the building an organic rhythm, vibrant and changing according to the light and the point of view.

FUWA FUWA

fluffy

Elasticity / Membrane

The edges and lines of the balconies create a layered rhythm on the facade, offering privacy and high-end comfort.

ZURE ZURE

ずれずれ

Displacement/Flexible

The screens filter light, air and sound, creating a subtle interplay of shadow and light inspired by the Japanese concept of Komorebi (“light through leaves”).

SARA SARA

さらさら

Fluid / Soft

Interiors and exteriors blend together, as with the outdoor pavilion which evokes traditional Japanese houses, where sliding panels modulate spaces and light.

ZARA ZARA

ざらざら

Rough / Perception

The textured panels offer a granular relief, creating a volume that is both massive and organic, like a sculpted hill.

An integrated and sustainable experience

The project was designed with over 30 experts to optimize every aspect of a pleasant lifestyle. The landscaping, carried out with Gustafson Porter + Bowman, integrates vegetation and water features at each level, creating veritable hanging gardens, with a plant palette chosen for its aesthetics and resilience.

Each apartment features exceptional furnishings and design, in keeping with this Japanese philosophy:

Yakisugi Suspension

Inspired by yakisugi, an ancient Japanese technique of charring wood to protect it, the light fixture designed for Wedyan embodies sustainability and the beauty of imperfection. Reinterpreting this tradition through the combination of charred wood and hand-blown glass, each piece becomes unique. Echoing the architectural language of the residence, this light fixture symbolizes the encounter between craftsmanship and innovation, connecting the monumental scale of the project to the intimacy of everyday life.

Time & Style Furniture

For Kengo Kuma, architecture and furniture form a unified whole. His collaboration with Time & Style extends the experience of spaces through pieces that are both handcrafted and accessible. Furniture and architecture engage in a dialogue to create harmonious spaces, from the monumental to the intimate.

Kigumi Joinery

Inspired by Kigumi, the Japanese art of woodworking without nails, the wine cellar reflects Kengo Kuma's philosophy: lightness, transparency, and a profound dialogue with nature. Conceived as an extension of the tower's design, it reinterprets an ancestral tradition in a contemporary language, where every detail celebrates craftsmanship.

Kengo Kuma, a visionary architect with a unique creative eye

Kengo Kuma, known for his cultural achievements such as the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo or the Folk Art Museum of the China Academy of Art, is globally recognized for his approach that allows architecture and nature to engage in dialogue.

In France, he designed exceptional and renowned projects such as the FRAC (Regional Contemporary Art Fund) in Marseille; the Cité des Arts in Besançon; the Exhibition Park in Strasbourg; the Albert Kahn Museum in Boulogne-Billancourt; the Antoni Clavé Archives in the 14th arrondissement of Paris; and the Saint-Denis Pleyel station, awarded the Prix de Versailles, supported by UNESCO, as one of the "most beautiful stations in the world".