In the ever-evolving landscape of Business Bay, Dubai, Mama Shelter Business Bay Hotel & Branded Apartments takes shape as the brand’s first project in the United Arab Emirates and its first aparthotel worldwide. Designed by MMA Projects, the development positions itself as a true urban destination, blending hospitality, entertainment, and a strong sense of community through a highly distinctive architectural language.
The project is set within a pre-existing structural volume whose overall form could not be altered. Starting from this constraint, MMA Projects focused its research on the façade, transforming it into an expressive and narrative device: an architectural skin conceived like a jewel, capable of reflecting the fluid and unconventional energy of the Mama Shelter brand within Dubai’s skyline.
The façade concept stems from the desire to move beyond the typical static nature of hotel buildings, introducing movement, vibration, and depth. A system of vertical fins creates a dynamic pattern that gradually evolves into a fluid, organic motif at the center. The lines evoke ever-changing natural images – the wind rippling across the ocean’s surface or the soft geometries of sand dunes—visually translating the brand’s playful and bold identity.
The choice of black, deliberately unconventional for Dubai, reinforces the building’s iconic character, setting it apart from the surrounding lighter tones and generating a strong visual impact. At the base, the façade is enriched with faceted, reflective surfaces, conceived like a diamond that captures and multiplies light.
Lighting plays a fundamental role: precisely illuminated fins transform the building after sunset into a pulsating presence – dramatic yet controlled. The system was designed to enhance the façade’s fluid effect without causing light pollution, achieving a carefully balanced relationship between intensity, rhythm, and sustainability.
Beyond its iconic dimension, the façade also responds to functional and environmental criteria. The fin system contributes to shading and energy efficiency, while the selection of durable, low-maintenance materials – glass and steel – addresses the climatic conditions of the desert environment.
The integration of greenery introduces an additional layer of connection between architecture and the urban landscape. Through the use of resilient plant species and green wall systems adapted to the local climate, the façade becomes a link between interior and exterior, softening the rigidity of the context and reinforcing the idea of open and inclusive hospitality.
The interior design project results from a synergy between Mama Shelter’s creative team and MMA Projects, which supports the development of the concept with a strategic contribution on technical, regulatory, and construction aspects. Acting as developer and local partner, the studio translates the brand’s aesthetic vision into feasible solutions compliant with the standards of Emirati hospitality.
A radical and unusual choice for Dubai is the placement of the common areas on the lower levels of the building: restaurants, bars, pools, lounges, and entertainment spaces open directly to the city, creating a kind of elevated public square. This gesture rejects the isolation of exclusive rooftops in favor of an accessible and shared hospitality model, fully aligned with Mama’s philosophy.
At ground level, two separate lobbies – one for the hotel and one for the apartments – ensure differentiated functional paths while maintaining visual and narrative continuity. Common areas flow seamlessly, connecting the lobbies, brasserie, and restaurant into a dynamic, fluid sequence that is also open to passersby.
The first floor hosts offices and reconfigurable meeting rooms, thanks to movable partitions that allow flexible space management. The third floor represents the social heart of the project: four pools with distinct identities, areas dedicated to families and children, restaurants immersed in greenery, and wellness spaces form a suspended urban landscape conceived as a place for gathering and conviviality.
A monumental external staircase connects the third and fourth floors, emphasizing vertical continuity and becoming a scenic and relational element. The fourth level is entirely dedicated to entertainment, featuring show kitchens, lounge bars, live music stages, and more intimate environments such as a secret bar – completing an offering that merges leisure, dining, and social life.
The rooms and apartments on the upper floors offer panoramic views over Dubai. Private spaces also reflect Mama Shelter’s visual language, with vibrant colors, bold textures, and playful furnishings. MMA Projects’ technical contribution was crucial in transforming the brand’s design elements into engineered solutions compliant with Middle Eastern standards, ensuring an effective synthesis of creativity and functionality.
CREDITS
Project: Mama Shelter Business Bay Hotel & Branded Apartments – Bold Identity
Studio: MMA Projects
Location: Dubai, UAE
Year: 2025
