How Nomad Garden Was Designed to Disappear Into the Dubai Desert

Set deep within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Nomad Garden is a new outdoor dining destination designed by Egyptian architect Mostafa Salem that blends architecture, landscape, and tradition into a carefully calibrated desert experience. Commissioned by Emirates and operated by JW Marriott, the concept operates only during the winter months, when the desert becomes a space for gathering, warmth, and reflection.

The project was designed through Salem's UAE-based studio, Coconut. Rather than introducing dominant architectural forms, Nomad Garden is woven into its natural surroundings, and carefully positioned between existing trees. The layout offers multiple dining configurations, including sunken seating areas arranged around fire pits, floor seating, and classic table settings, allowing guests to experience the desert from different perspectives.

“Working in a conservation area changes the way you design,” explains Salem, who was recently featured on CairoScene's 2025 Impact List for his urban conservation work in Downtown Cairo. “Plant selection, material choices, and even lighting intensity had to respect the ecosystem. This approach shouldn’t be limited to protected sites—this is how architecture should respond in any location.” He adds that Coconut’s design philosophy is rooted in context, expressed here through privacy, craftsmanship, and a sense of belonging within the landscape.

Craftsmanship plays a central role throughout the space. All furniture and rugs are handmade by artisans, with materials chosen for their texture, durability, and connection to regional craft traditions. Nothing is mass-produced or purely decorative. "From the beginning, nature was the main hero. Our responsibility was to work with it, not compete with it, and let it remain the strongest presence.”

At the heart of Nomad Garden is Zarb, the traditional Bedouin method of slow-cooking meat underground, which shapes both the spatial organization and emotional core of the experience. As evening falls, daily programming includes fire performances, traditional dancers, and Tanoura, with gazelles and other wildlife occasionally visible at the edges of the site.

Access to Nomad Garden is available exclusively through the Emirates website, with the destination also featured across the airline’s inflight platforms