Arabian knights influence interiors of Abu Dhabi riding school by David/Nicolas
Hand-carved reliefs and marquetry details elevate the custom joinery inside this equestrian academy in Abu Dhabi, where French-Lebanese duo David/Nicolas has designed a library and saddle workshop.
Set across 65,000 square metres on Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts (ADREA) is billed as the world's first school of classical horsemanship outside of Europe, complete with 60 stables, a veterinary clinic and a climate-controlled arena.
David/Nicolas was tasked with designing two separate spaces for the school – a saddle workshop and an equestrian library holding more than 14,000 books and manuscripts.
ADREA's curriculum blends the European haute école tradition with the Arabic knightly discipline of furusiyya, which dates back to the Middle Ages and emphasises principles of horsemanship, chivalry and the mutual dependence between man and horse.
This rich Islamic equestrian tradition and its associated craftsmanship drove David/Nicolas's interior scheme, combining heritage elements with a contemporary architectural language.
"What inspired us most about Furusiyya was its technical and aesthetic dimension," the duo told Dezeen. "The armour, horse equipment and construction details revealed a strong geometric language where function and beauty coexist."
"These geometries directly informed the patterns and compositions developed for the marquetry, translating technical rigour into crafted architectural surfaces."
The library is organised around a central reading room framed in custom shelving, where deep-red carpet and ambient lighting create a quiet, intimate atmosphere.
Decorative marquetry crafted from oak and mahogany was used to embellish the shelves with striking geometric patterns.
They mirror motifs found in Middle Eastern and Emirati architecture, and utilised the skills of craftsmen the studio had previously worked with on projects such as its refurbishment of a 1920s apartment in Milan.
"The process combined machine precision with extensive handwork, with all marquetry assembled by hand," David/Nicolas said. "Engraved areas were introduced to create relief, contrast and a greater sense of depth across the surfaces."
The reading room is surrounded by curved steel bookshelves that form a continuous circulation route around the space to encourage "movement, interaction and exchange".
The saddle workshop is also arranged as a room within a room, with storage organised around a central space dedicated to teaching artisanal saddle-making skills.
Here, storage was "conceived as something to be exhibited rather than hidden", the designers explained, with saddles, tools and leather elements displayed on both sides.
A modular system of moveable pegs allows for flexible reorganisation of the displays, while carved details echo the decorative surfaces of the library, creating a sense of cohesion between the two areas.
The workshop space is floored with red vinyl and a practical, hard-wearing sisal carpet. Illuminated ceiling panels generate even lighting throughout the space to assist with the intricate craftsmanship.
"Across both spaces, proportion, materiality, and craftsmanship guide the experience, offering a contemporary interpretation of Emirati equestrian heritage that is rooted, precise, and forward-looking," David/Nicolas said.
Raffoul and Moussallem, who both come from Beirut, met while studying architecture at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in 2006 and founded their studio together in 2011.
Previous projects from the duo include a limited-edition furniture collection inspired by the night sky, crafted from travertine stone and palm wood.
The photography is by Ziga Mihelcic.
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