Dubai-based studio H2R Design has completed the interiors for a new retail destination at the Dubai Mall called Symphony, using musical cues to create a sense of fluidity and harmony within the space.

Spanning over 672m2, Symphony is a luxury, multi-brand boutique offering a variety of new and renowned designer brands. H2R aimed to create a store that allows for a tailored shopping experience.

Using the name of the store as inspiration, the design takes on a variety of cues found in music – and particular, in symphonies, blending forms such as waves to channel a sense of fluid motion and harmony.

“Keeping the concept of a symphony as our inspiration, we envisioned the store to be approachable, refined, feminine and spirited, helping women express their unique individual identities with the perfect dress and accessory for every occasion. The space allows the merchandise to really be showcased while still having a strong architectural identity,” the H2R Design team described.

The store’s brand guidelines needed to be taken into consideration featuring a brief that dictated an airy, light and inviting aesthetic, as well as allowing for expert curation, bespoke customisation, and personalised services. As a result, the design features a series of delicate and intricate elements, keeping to the femininity of the brand, while also using these elements to make spatial decisions such as connecting the store’s two floors.

An illuminated staircase was created to merge the two floors, inspired by the theme of melody and harmony, emphasising the sense of fluidity in the space. The staircase leads shoppers from the ground floor which houses the fashion and accessory boutique, to the second floor where the florist and perfume section is located. This space also naturally flows into the Two café.

Alongside the rails, counters and shelves, the backlit alabaster accessory wall elegantly displays shelves with shoes and bags, as well as exuding a sense of lightness that is kept consistent throughout the design.

“We recreated this harmony architecturally through a melodic use of lighting and materials. With the curvature of the paneling and walls, and the blurring and blending of spaces, the shopper can sense lightness and movement,” the team said.