Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ummahat Islands, Saudi Arabia

Posted in Projects on 29 September, 2024

Starry skies above, coral reefs below and barefoot luxury in between at private island retreat.

With its sweeping shell-inspired architecture and interiors crafted in natural materials, Nujuma is so at home in its setting that it appears to have been washed up by the sea itself. This private island retreat is the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Middle East. Set on Ummahat Island in the tranquil waters of The Red Sea, it is nestled within the Blue Hole cluster of islands where pristine coral reefs thrive beneath the surface. Guests arrive at Nujuma by chartered boat or seaplane.

Foster and Partners designed the resort, which features 63 overwater and beach villas, offering one-to-three-bedroom accommodation, spacious living areas and private pools overlooking the sea. Telescopes are positioned on each villa’s deck so guests can watch the starry night skies.

Perched above the sea and connected by an elevated ring walkway, the overwater villas offer panoramic views and direct access to the water. Nestled on white sand, the beach villas are flooded with natural light. Each villa enjoys the services of a dedicated personal host.

Above: Guests are warmly welcomed at Tabrah, a modern interpretation of a fisherman’s home. Top: Sita is a spacious French-style patisserie and a Levantine restaurant under three woven-wood pavilions. Photographs courtesy of Red Sea Global

Elegant interiors are imbued with calming sea and sand tones, and geometric patterns reminiscent of the region’s design motifs. Arabic artifacts, traditional ceramics, woven Saudi patterned rugs and intricate wall hangings celebrating local craftmanship flow through the canopied areas. Lush landscaping of indigenous plants elegantly frames the pathways between the pavilioned spaces and villas.

One Bedroom Villa – bedroom

Wimberly Interiors designed all guestrooms and villas, and a spa, with a theme of bare-foot luxury. The company worked with the unique sculptural nature of the architecture to create a sense of privacy, luxury and comfort. The curve of the shell-inspired roof created constraints in terms of space planning and integration of services. Close collaboration by all members of the design team helped to optimise the different shell dimensions and maintain the purity of the shell interior. Using BIM was also crucial to ensure seamless interior design integration with all disciplines.

Beach villa

The primary intent with each space was to create a relaxed interior, offering all the modern amenities and comforts in a discreet way. Tucking the bathrooms and services in the focal point of the form, where the structural ribs spring from, was key. This also directs guest views outward across the sea.

To amplify the space of the different guestroom types, the team created a sinuous design of elements that hug the wall. From the open bath behind the bed, the wardrobes culminating with the built-in seating, there is a cocoon of amenities around the free-standing bed that celebrates the open vistas.

Neyrah Spa – royal treatment room

The Neyrah Spa and fitness area are a series of architectural forms sitting beneath rope roofs. The interior is designed to run seamlessly from the exterior, connecting the naturally enhanced landscape. A calm soft palette was selected for the reception area where a copper pool, with a glass drop pendant above, defines the space.

Treatment rooms face out onto the sweeping beach, each with their own changing facilities and outdoor terrace. These are finished with natural materials and details, connecting them to the sense of place and cultural heritage, with carved detailed joinery and reeded finish ceiling details.

Wimberly Interiors designed the spa spaces, where natural materials and details create a calming connection to the exterior landscape

Nujuma’s dining philosophy is inspired by the Arabian tradition of gathering at home to share stories of good fortune, poetry, philosophy and science. Each of the reserve’s five culinary experiences honour the generations of fishermen from the Umluj region whose lives have been deeply intertwined with the area for more than 50 years. Guests are warmly welcomed at Tabrah, a modern interpretation of a fisherman’s home, to share a menu of seafood specialities including, The Luckiest Catch, a communal celebration of the sea’s daily bounty that has nurtured the fisherman’s family through the ages. Jamaa is a relaxed alfresco space serving light dishes to the resort’s outdoor pool and beach lined with plush cabanas that are prepared in an open kitchen and over a wood-fire grill.

As the sun dips below the horizon, Maia is an intimate place for astrology inspired refreshments prepared by mixologists, including Gemini, a citrus mocktail named after the constellation that can be seen from Saudi Arabia’s capital all year. Designed to celebrate the wonders of the night’s sky, the open-air terrace features telescope and star design elements and Nujuma’s astrologer shares insights into the evening’s constellation.

Inspired by vibrant bazaars, all-day dining venue Sita is a spacious French-style patisserie and a Levantine restaurant under three woven-wood pavilions – a design nod to the tradition of leaf weaving. Guests are greeted by the aroma of freshly baked bread exuding from a traditional clay oven, paired with fresh hummus and dishes seasoned from the resort’s vast spice library.