In Al Mahra, where Arabian Ranches' traditional villas line landscaped streets, one Dubai villa breaks from the script. Here, Lebanese architect Marie Claire Mrad has reimagined a 2007-built home for Christopher Hani, CEO of Bull Contracting, and his wife Bridie Ellen, stripping away convention to create something both monumental and deeply personal. The brief was clear: a home that functions as a sculpture, where architecture and interior dissolve into one language.
“From the outset, the vision was to create a villa that stands as both sculptural and liveable,” Mrad explains. The result is what she calls new modernism: bold in form yet human in scale, defined by simplicity but made unique through materials that challenge expectations. Brushed stainless steel, lava stone, Patagonia quartzite, charcoal steel: raw, tactile surfaces that age beautifully rather than fade.
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The transformation required removing most interior walls to achieve an uninterrupted spatial flow across the Dubai home's 4,575 square feet. Yet openness doesn't mean exposure. “We wanted the house to feel fluid,” Mrad says, “but we also recognised the need for privacy and retreat.” The family room remains intentionally closed, offering intimacy away from the villa's more ceremonial spaces. Elsewhere, deep blue fabric seating anchors the living area, counterbalancing the rawness of steel and stone. Furniture placement and shifts in materiality define zones without traditional partitions.
Brushed stainless steel columns punctuate the open plan, their reflective surfaces catching light and framing views to the pool terrace beyond. Floor-to-ceiling slimline glass panels, engineered by Bull Contracting to stack completely, dissolve the rear elevation entirely when opened, creating seamless indoor-outdoor flow. “The rear elevation presented a significant challenge due to its uneven surface, requiring a bespoke solution,” Mrad notes. The motorised system was engineered so glass panels align precisely with the villa's central axis, creating the effect of frameless glass floating between interior and terrace.
Move through the entrance and along the main axis toward the living area, and you'll encounter the villa's first revelation: a double-height staircase washed in natural light from a skylight above. “The staircase was conceived as both a sculptural anchor and an element of surprise,” Mrad says. Custom lighting fixtures, delicate elements suspended by cables tied to both ceiling and floor, float in the void like an installation. A textured face sculpture by Cape Town artist Marco Oliver anchors the wall, adding depth to what Mrad describes as "a moment of revelation between architecture and art."
The staircase, clad in dark steel with illuminated brass detailing, marks the transition from public ground floor to private first floor, where the master suite and three additional bedrooms occupy their own peaceful territory. “We placed special emphasis on the master suite: spacious, serene, and carefully detailed to enhance comfort and intimacy,” Mrad explains. “It became not just a bedroom but a private retreat.” The suite includes a walk-in closet finished in dark wood with illuminated brass detailing, a vanity area, and a bathroom where black fixtures stand against pale stone.
If the staircase announces the villa's sculptural intent, the bar fulfils it. This 13-foot Patagonia stone structure, designed in Mrad's Beirut studio and executed by Lebanese artisans, is both a functional anchor and an art piece. The stone was selected for its rare translucency and dramatic veining, ensuring every slab told its own story. “We developed the design in our Beirut studio, oversaw production and assembly, and had the finished piece carefully shipped to Dubai,” Mrad notes.
By night, internal lighting transforms the bar into a luminous jewel, its amber and cream veining glowing against black display shelving that houses the owners' tequila collection. Brushed stainless steel back-bar panels and black stools “tame” the stone's drama with restraint. “The greatest ‘wow’ moment is the Patagonia stone bar, which at night transforms into a glowing jewel, a luminous focal point that elevates the entire atmosphere of the home,” says Mrad. The bar anchors the dining area, where a striking spider chandelier from Mb-Designlab Paris hovers above a dark wood dining table that seats 10.
Working with such raw, bold materials presented both challenge and opportunity. “Brushed stainless steel can easily feel cold if not carefully balanced; lava stone requires precision in detailing to reveal its strength without overwhelming the space; and gunmetal steel demands control to avoid overpowering the overall palette,” Mrad explains. Wall-mounted warm lighting softens steel surfaces. Deep blue fabric brings warmth between stainless elements. Above the black stairs, the skylight paired with suspended lights creates ethereal plays of light.
The kitchen island showcases lava stone's textured surface against seamless dark cabinetry. Throughout, custom lighting designed by Mrad, who began her career with a renowned lighting design company, guides movement and creates moments of delight. “I see lighting as a language: it enhances scenography, frames moments, and creates emotion,” she says. “In Al Mahra Villa, light was designed to guide and surprise.”
Beyond the glass walls, the villa's 3,230 square feet of outdoor space extends the architectural language into the landscape. The pool terrace features custom outdoor furniture and a pergola-shaded barbecue area where entertaining flows naturally from interior to exterior. Dragon and Buddha sculptures from Thailand punctuate the terrace, creating focal points that draw the eye through the glazing.
The Dubai villa's realisation was a dialogue between Mrad's Beirut studio, Bull Contracting's technical precision, and Lebanese artisans' hands-on craft. “Every project with Bull Contracting is a success, but this time, as the villa is the owner's residence, we pushed those limits even further, exploring new technical possibilities, material expressions, and detailing at an even higher level,” Mrad notes. “The Lebanese artisans played a pivotal role, bringing craft and character to the villa. This collaboration was more than a process of making; it was a shared creation that shaped a home where art and architecture come together.”
While entertaining was important to Christopher and Bridie, they also wanted the villa to function as a true family home. “Gathering spaces like the expansive living and dining areas were designed to bring family and friends together, but these were balanced with more intimate zones,” Mrad explains.
What makes this project rewarding, Mrad reflects, is that every detail is customised, from architectural elements to furniture to lighting. “This project pushed us to explore new ideas in materiality, light, and spatial choreography, testing the limits of both design and technical execution.” The greatest creative challenge was balancing boldness with intimacy, creating a home that feels monumental yet deeply personal.
