To update Switch Abu Dhabi in Al Bateen—one of the more exclusive areas packed with upscale shops—interior designer Karim Rashid thought he could attract more attention with curves than color. Rashid, an Egyptian-born designer known for his eye-popping futuristic designs for luxury brands Christofle, Veuve Clicquot, and Alessi, and restaurants Kurve and Morimoto, has a reputation for coaxing upmarket looks from a carefully edited list of monochrome building materials. And on the heels of its first Switch Restaurant and Lounge, owners the Independent Food Company wanted their second spot to bring the area a distinctly non-traditional experience.

To deliver a one-of-a-kind design, Rashid decided to break up its boxy, one-story volume, which viewed from the outside blends in with neighboring buildings the same height.