Mercurio Design Lab: Winner of World Design Awards 2024. Built on one of the islands in the manmade archipelago of Al Marjan, Sunshine Bay is a residential development standing 13 storeys tall that features a sailboat-themed design with balconies that seem to ripple like the sails of a catamaran. It is situated upon the United Arab Emirates’ north-western Ras Al Khaimah coastline, which faces the Persian Gulf.

Sunshine Bay is located in Treasure Island, Al Marjan’s central islet, a strategic area that is surrounded by a diverse mix of properties, such as Wynn Al Marjan Island—soon to be Dubai’s first casino. Additionally, Sunshine Bay is sited less than an hour away from two airports, including Dubai International Airport, cementing the property’s key characteristic as a globally connected destination.

Envisioned to become a bustling lifestyle enclave, Sunshine Bay combines a seaside view with MDL’s trademark dynamism, creating a contemporary architecture complemented by greenery and water features as well as all of the amenities needed to nurture a vibrant community.

Daubed in shades of silver and white, Sunshine Bay suggests the shape of a yacht, with a podium structure at its base resembling the skids of a catamaran and a tower that comes with a façade of curving balconies that zig and zag, much like an unfurled sail. Wooden roofs and floors adorn these balconies, calling back to the wooden decks of its seabound inspiration.

Sunshine Bay’s architecture is strongly informed by its layout: When viewed from above, each apartment is oriented at a 45-degree angle, which in turn created a zig-zagging pattern on its façade. This design choice arose as a clever workaround to the project’s somewhat limited lot size, as the complex sits as an elongated lot sandwiched between two other large buildings. As such, if it were to utilise a standard, rectangular design, only its most rearward sections would have a view of the Persian Gulf.

However, the residential units’ slanted forms created another problem: If left as they were, the structure would look awkward—even harsh—with sharply angled balconies. Thus, MDL opted to “soften” their appearance. Sharp edges gave way to gentle curves, culminating in Sunshine Bay’s signature undulating façade.

As for its interiors, Sunshine Bay’s ground floor houses a lobby and a café lounge as well as numerous facilities—such as a children’s playroom with a function room, a smart working area, and a large gym with various health facilities—with the posterior area being almost exclusively occupied by a large swimming pool that opens up to a view of the adjacent waters. The lobby, on the other hand, opens up to an atrium whose green-clad landscaping extends upwards across all of Sunshine Bay’s levels, which—coupled with an open, spacious design that eschews claustrophobic corridors—assists in the vertical distribution of oxygenated, moistened air, contributing to a more pleasant interior climate, thereby reducing the building’s energy consumption and protecting its inhabitants from very hot weather.

Above this lobby is an external canopy-like structure with wooden flooring, once again mirroring the wooden decks of a yacht. The canopy is streamlined in its appearance—much like a boat’s hull—with gently curving edges and a more straight-line form that extends from the front driveway to the seawards rear section.

Conversely, the main tower atop the lobby contains all of the property’s 240 apartment units, with 20 units occupying each of the 12 floors above. Every unit has its own large, curving balcony—easily the most prominent feature of the lifestyle-focused project.

The rooftop level of Sunshine Bay encompasses a small garden and walkway that offer panoramic views of the Persian Gulf and the surrounding archipelago, in addition to some mechanical and electrical spaces. This area is sheltered by a trellised roof structure that follows the curving, sea-inspired form of the balconies. The trellises fulfil a twofold purpose, ensuring both sun and shade in equal measure as well as reducing the structure’s cooling and heating demands.

The development’s exterior landscaped area, found at its ground floor, comprise a diverse selection of amenities, such as a playground, a fitness zone, a skate park, and even a minigolf segment.

Additionally, the design of Sunshine Bay hosts multiple green areas, owing to MDL’s proclivity for biophilic designs, with multiple gardens beautifying its interior and exterior, enhancing the development’s internal microclimate and creating a healthier and more sustainable environment for its inhabitants. Moreover, innovative water features are placed throughout the complex, providing an eco-friendly solution to Dubai’s occasionally sweltering weather and adding to the property’s refreshing, tranquil ambience.

Furthermore, this biophilic approach aids Sunshine Bay towards meeting various sustainability standards, such as Dubai’s key Estidama design initiative, with MDL aiming to obtain the maximum score in both the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Estidama building certifications.

Serving as a vibrant oasis in a wondrous manmade archipelago, Sunshine Bay offers luxurious amenities such as pools and gardens as well as world-class living spaces, encapsulating a property whose residents will be more than proud to call home.

Project Details:-
Firm
Mercurio Design Lab

Architect
Massimo Mercurio

Project Name
Sunshine Bay

Project Category
Residential Concept

Team
Massimo Mercurio and Kimberly Liu

Project Location
Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates

Country
Italy

Photography ©Credit
Mercurio Design Lab. All rights reserved.

Mercurio Design Lab S.r.l. (MDL) stands as a fusion of diverse disciplines, driven by the creative energies of its employees and spearheaded by the Futurist vision of its CEO—Massimo Mercurio. With a background that unifies the artistic with the functional, MDL emerged as a distinct entity from its predecessor, AMA Group, aiming to push the boundaries of creativity with each “experiment”—hence its name. Since its inception, MDL has crafted many award-winning designs across multiple sectors—such as hospitality, commercial, sports, and residential—with each project being considered an artistic masterpiece, often set as a landmark of its location.

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