Al Nubras, a traditional kandura atelier in Abu Dhabi, has long been rooted in craft - the careful cutting of fabric, the hand-stitched tarbush, the shaping of leather sandal soles as they have been for generations. The brief was simple but demanding: honor what is, while imagining what could be.

The kandura carries memory, identity, ritual. The space had to do the same - from its branding to its design details to its scent. Inside, textures unfold quietly. Walls are finished in hand-applied aluminum, carrying the soft, irregular traces of the artisan’s gesture. Openings between rooms are framed in deep red marble, marking subtle transitions from one space to another. Glossy butter-toned cabinetry sits against darker wood surfaces, creating a balance between softness and depth.

The most personal gesture of the design is the custom door handles. Modeled after the tarbush - the small ornamental cord that closes the neck of every kandura - they were sand-cast in bronze by a Lebanese artisan, each one carrying the imperfections of the human hand. I wanted clients to touch the kandura even before they tried it on. Throughout the atelier, materials continue to tell the story. Tobacco-toned ostrich leather stretches across the central table, a quiet reference to the craft of sandal making. Burnt orange carpet, jute flooring, hand-painted ceramic vessels, and sculptural metal seating introduce warmth and moments of contrast.