THE FIFTH

program: Retail location: Al Khawaneej The Walk, Dubai, UAE status: Built year: 2021

The Fifth is a brand new lifestyle department store. The retailer’s product line includes perfumes, accessories, footwear, and beauty products. An array of branches has been designed by SOSA, with the first one completed in Al Khawaneej Walk.

The store has two types of shopfronts. An indoor entrance through the mall and an outdoor entrance overlooking a lake. Gender as a topic was an essential aspect in shaping the design. In this store, there are three parts and sequences starting with the feminine section, followed by the unisex section, and finally the masculine section. Similarly, finishes and materials are gradually transformed from bright woods and white fittings to darker tones and heavier materials at the end, such as black marble. Various wall surfaces have been accented with green to keep boredom at bay. A translucent polycarbonate sheet fills in between some of the partitions and separator studs in order to maximize views of the outdoor lake.