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One&Only Resorts The Link

Insight

Dubai’s newest architectural landmark and lifestyle destination required an elevated story to match.

Within the world’s longest cantilevered building lies The Link, the rarefied experiential and culinary offering of One&Only One Za’aabel, the first urban resort by One&Only Resorts. 

Suspended between two dual towers and billed as the world’s only horizontal skyscraper, The Link is the latest addition to Dubai’s capricious skyline. Bringing together a portfolio of eight signature fine dining concepts from Michelin-lauded chefs, the world’s longest infinity pool club and captivating entertainment spaces in a single futuristic destination, The Link is set to lead the culinary and mixology worlds.

A landmark lifestyle destination, One&Only Resorts sought to establish The Link as the unrivalled, future-perfect place to be.

Two modern skyscrapers stand tall against a clear blue sky, with one building featuring a large horizontal structure connecting the towers at a high level. Sunlight reflects off the glass façades.
A dramatic, upward view of modern skyscrapers with glass and steel facades, intersected by dark architectural lines, against a cloudy sky. Geometric shapes and reflections dominate the urban scene.
A man in a black turtleneck and trousers stands between tall modern glass buildings, looking confidently into the distance, with blue light streaks crossing in the foreground.

Idea

A Bridge to the Future.

AKQA transformed The Link into a daring world of futuristic savoir-faire, where ephemeral experiences seamlessly flow from day to night. The Link becomes a symbolic bridge, connecting a new generation of global tastemakers to the world’s most celebrated culinary stars.

From a perspective-shifting film, fashion-forward editorial photo shoots and a meticulously crafted brand identity, AKQA established The Link’s values of urban futurism, sophistication and intrepid culinary exploration, crafting an identity and platform where audiences can rise to a destination of indulgence.

The best place on earth is above it.

To bring the world of The Link to life, a cinematic film invites visitors upwards, where they can taste the future of fine dining. Each frame is a moving portrait, starring a cast of otherworldly faces against a backdrop drenched in rich, prismatic colours. The camera gracefully glides from one vignette to the next, blurring the lines between fashion, art, cuisine and emotion.

A woman in a shimmering gown stands in front of a city skyline at sunset, with the text “THE LINK” and “One&Only One Za’abeel” above her. The slogan reads, Never before seen view of an iconic skyline.

The synergy was showcased on digital out-of-home, social media, display and print. In the form of a sophisticated fashion editorial that sets a bold vision for gourmet experiences. Contemporary visuals and avant-garde poeticisms converge to create artful, thought-provoking materials.

A symbol of cosmopolitan art de vivre.

The antecedent marque for The Link is an abstraction of its iconic form as a tessellating cantilever. AKQA elevated the marque with refined typography that mirrored the exact dimensions. A storyline crafted for the new lockup, reimagining it as the proverbial link to a future-perfect world and an invitation to soar above Dubai’s city centre.

Elegantly defying gravity.

Embodying an adroit weightlessness, every aspect of the branding was carefully crafted to evoke a sense of effortless levitation. From tessellating patterns to shimmering colourways drawn from an orbit’s edge and language that invoked visions of futuristic glamour, the result is a refined urban universe.

A woman in a shiny, metallic jumpsuit poses confidently with one arm raised against a futuristic, colorful background with reflective surfaces and glowing lights.
A woman in a sparkling outfit performs on stage at the One&Only One Za’abeel Dubai event, as a large crowd takes photos and videos with their phones. The image is in black and white.

Impact

Emotion and craft elevate an architectural marvel to a rising sensation.

Where the city looks up in awe, The Link now rises above Dubai, not just as a record-setter but as its most captivating restaurant and bar destination. 

With AKQA establishing the creative vision, designing the new brand and visual language and producing a fully integrated 360-degree campaign, the stage has been set for The Link and One&Only Resorts to revolutionise urban luxury hospitality with cutting-edge culinary and entertainment experiences.

A man in a dark suit stands in moody lighting, looking to the side with a serious expression. Red and blue light streaks blur across the image, creating a dynamic, futuristic atmosphere. His reflection appears beside him.
A tablet resting on a dark fabric surface displays a collage of modern architectural images and a person in a white suit posing dramatically next to a large mirrored installation.
  • The Hollywood ReporterInside Dubai’s new One&Only Resort, launched with performances by Jennifer Lopez and Mark Ronson ↘
  • DezeenWorld’s longest cantilever opens at One Za’abeel in Dubai ↘
  • CNNThe Link: Dubai’s horizontal tower breaks the mold ↘

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