Kobi Karp has been at the forefront of resort and residential architecture for over 20 years. He speaks to The Wealth Collection about designing high-profile projects in the global spotlight.
 Kobi Karp's practice, Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design (KKAID), has a clientele encompassing some of the biggest hotel groups and development companies in the world including Hyatt, Hilton, Starwood and Merco Group. KKAID's impressive pedigree is matched by its innovation in architecture and beyond in offering a diverse range of services relating to buildings, from planning through design, construction, and management. So far KKAID has participated in the completion of more than $10 billion in commercial, residential and mixed-use properties.
TWC: What inspires your designs?
KK: Our inspiration comes from the local culture. We are currently working in Sochi in Russia, where they are holding the 2014 Winter Olympics. Here we are drawing on different inspirations. In Sochi, the local history of the architecture is so rich that there was a lot of inspiration for our future designs.
TWC: How have you incorporated innovative design in your projects?
KK: The Dubai Promenade was a unique opportunity to combine the marina towers with the beach towers. We connected them visually and physically by creating a park over the roadway between the two. This created an opportunity for the vehicles to have a unique experience. In the park we put pools and fountains with a glass bottom over the tunnel. As the sun reflects you drive beneath a body of water, and at night, it gets lit up. Driving becomes a great experience.
TWC: You have worked on a lot of residential and resort projects. What links them together?
KK: The link is the lifestyle. Whoever you are, you want to come to your resort, to your hotel and have a great lifestyle experience indoors and outdoors. We treat our residential projects very much as we treat our resort ones. We are building 4,000 residential units for Etihad Airlines, who want to provide residences for their pilots and executives. So we are creating a community that has everything from cinemas to interactive rooms. We are coming up with lifestyle destinations for both residences and hotels.
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 TWC: Do you think Dubai and the UAE is becoming a playground for architects?
KK: We are requested and required to push the envelope. For Etihad, in order to have people want to come and work in the Gulf, we provide things that are not available in the rest of the world. We as architects and designers have to come up with unique ideas.
TWC: You work with a lot of private clients. How do you satisfy their wishes?
KK: Fisher Island is a high-end luxury project outside downtown Miami. It's a private island with its own golf course and resort. What we did was take an older existing concept and develop it. We provided higher ceilings and private elevators. We pulled in all the sheer walls so we can combine space and tailor it for individuals. Our motive is simple: keep it simple and sexy.
TWC: Your practice is also involved with interior design. Do you feel this is architecture in miniature?
KK: I think architecture has always been thought of as interiors, exteriors and landscapes. You look at the Romans and the Greeks and their buildings encompassed all. Buildings are like us. You must look beautiful inside and out.
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