Vista had Keane set the scene with a relaxed interior scheme.
A rooftop location with a great view across some of Dubai's most exciting developments was the starting point for the Vista restaurant and bar.
Sitting atop the Express by Holiday Inn, on the border of Dubai's Knowledge Village and Internet City, Vista patrons can keep up with the progress on the Palm Jumeirah, spot the comings and going on the Burj al Arab's helipad and survey the Umm Suqueim scene.
Although Vista is on top of the hotel, it has its own entrance via an independent lift lobby and reception area. It also has its own distinct identity.
Paramount in the design brief was the ability of the venue to make as much as it could out of the local business and social community.
With a mix of commercial and residential developments surrounding the area, there was an opportunity for the venue to fulfil different roles by day and by night. Keane were brought in to develop the concept.
"We came up with something that provided a bit of a social hub as part of the offer, but also made the most of the view they've got," said Samantha Smith, a design manager at Keane.
"Really, the only constraint was that they wanted to be able to offer lunch and dinner, other than that they gave it over to me to create," she said.
"What we came back with is not a hotel bar/restaurant, it just happens to be on top of a hotel. We wanted to get into the casual dining market, because there are already so many fine dining options."
"It's something a bit more casual than the kind of hotel scene that the hospitality industry has grown out of. We wanted the place to be confident, but not overly fickle, we wanted it to feel as though it had just evolved into this space."
"Good-looking, casual, relaxed chill-out spaces, which also offer a good dinner, is a nice market to look into and develop in Dubai."
The first thing that Smith noticed when she entered the shell was the fabulous view. From there, her approach to tackling the space was one aimed at keeping the design natural and complementing the view, something she felt was a little bit different.
"What we've got here is going against the grain of most development in Dubai, which is all very man made," she said.
"Once that was decided on as a kind of starting point, it grew from there."
The 'quiet and organic' approach to the design works to create the casual and relaxed atmosphere that was the target of the concept. It caters to the local crowds too, whether it's a 45-minute lunch during the day, a three-course meal in the evening, or just a few drinks and appetizers.
"We wanted people to be able to use the space the way they wanted to, whether for a quick business meeting or relaxed evening," said Smith.
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