LW Design has completed the interior design for REM Space at City of Dreams Macau, interpreting a new luxury accommodation experience through meticulously crafted suites. The project reimagines the space within the existing cylindrical hotel building, creating an immersive stay through the skillful interplay of light, reflection, materials, and circulation, awakening the senses and reshaping how guests perceive space.
The name "REM Space" originates from Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep cycles, the sleep stage where dreams are particularly vivid and lively. The hotel design echoes Macau's unique vitality and rhythm, using the concept of "Veil and Reveal" to unfold a progressive experience filled with anticipation, exploration, and unexpected surprises. Planned around a tightly packed 72-hour journey of fun, gatherings, and relaxation, the hotel presents a diverse experience where sensory stimulation and tranquil healing intertwine, allowing guests to customize their stay.
"REM Space allows us to explore the essence of luxury through experiential learning, rather than simply admiring it," said Pooja Shah-Mulani, Creative Managing Partner of LW Design. "We aimed to create a hotel that awakens the senses from the moment guests arrive, where every space holds unexpected surprises. We carefully considered the fluctuating states of guests during their stay, whether it's lively gatherings, heartwarming conversations, or private relaxation and rejuvenation. We used this as a starting point to create a spatial atmosphere suitable for various experiential scenarios." A Spatial Narrative Beyond Dreams This stay experience unfolds gradually around four spatial chapters: Entry, Suspension, Vivid Narrative, and Circular Deepening. These are not a straightforward interpretation of a dream, nor a scientific experiment, but rather a spatial narrative that guides guests through different energy states and perceptual dimensions. Spatial expansion and contraction, light and shadow, reflections, sound effects, tactile sensations, and anticipation all combine to create a layered emotional experience: from being warmly welcomed upon arrival, to the inspiration that arises upon entering the lobby, to feeling secure and pampered in the suite, and finally to enjoying boundless freedom in the rooftop pool penthouse.
Arrival begins with the spatial contraction. As guests walk through the entrance hall adorned with vividly textured petrified wood, the surrounding sound gradually softens, and the interplay of light and shadow becomes more subtle. Two crimson-colored interior domes allow guests to check in discreetly and calmly; subsequently, the lobby expands dramatically, weaving together bespoke artworks, shadows, and reflections to create an immersive spatial scene.
Patterns on the carpet guide guests forward at a leisurely pace, mirrored ceilings amplify flowing silhouettes, LED entrance installations prompt guests to ascend, and the tactile sensation of the handrails, simulating a heartbeat, conveys a gradually increasing rhythm to the fingertips. Flowing reflections appear and disappear with movement, seamlessly integrating spatial guidance into the experience without relying on additional signage.
While Macau's lights blaze brightly outside the hotel, REM Space subtly guides guests through the space with soft light and reflections, leading them deeper into the experience. The ethereal ambient sounds and gentle static noise in the lobby gradually transition into deep bass and distant whispers along the darker, quieter corridors. When the suites finally appear, guests are able to take control of their own pace of travel.
Design Composing a Contemporary Rhythm of Luxury
All luxury rooms and suites are connected by a design narrative, incorporating animal prints, geometric patterns, richly layered colors, and tactile finishes, without adhering to a single historical style. The concept of "hidden and revealed" permeates every space: design elements move, sometimes appearing, sometimes disappearing, constantly changing form.
Suits are designed for three scenarios: Day, Party, and Recovery. The daytime mode creates a clear, bright, and focused atmosphere; the party mode exudes a more vibrant and lively social atmosphere; and the relaxation mode reduces sensory stimulation to aid in relaxation and recovery.
LED narrative walls, rotating beds, swing sofas, and a rotating large wine cabinet allow the same suite to adapt to different experiential needs. Meanwhile, integrated technology and meticulous service are always centered on serving guests, without overshadowing them.
Rejuvenation is not limited to a single spa treatment, but rather permeates the entire guest's stay. Some room types are specially equipped with infrared saunas and color light therapy facilities, allowing guests to readjust their mind and body at their own pace in a private space.
At REM, relaxation and social interaction are not mutually exclusive: rest is a crucial part of the overall experience, allowing guests to continue their journey in a better state.
Material Contrast and Craftsmanship
REM uses a tactile material system to establish a genuine textural tone for its responsive technology-integrated spatial environment. Petrified wood, formed from organic matter over countless years, imbues the space with a weighty and enduring quality.
Meanwhile, mineral plaster, marble, handcrafted glass, velvet, handwoven carpets, and metallic silver finishes balance the ethereal and dreamlike feel created by LED lighting, mirrors, and dynamic effects.
Crimson is the emotional thread running throughout the space: its rich color and sensual tension, shifting with the light, appearing almost black in shadow, yet radiating a captivating, cinematic glow when accentuated by silver surfaces, stone, and reflections.
Visual, tactile, auditory, temperature, water flow, and dynamic elements are all orchestrated to guide guests through a journey between refinement and roughness, artificiality and nature, light and shadow. "REM Fantasy Space" is not designed for distant viewing, but rather to invite guests to immerse themselves in an immersive experience.
Geometric shapes, opulent ambiance, crimson glass, and metallic finishes subtly evoke a Neo-Art Deco style in the materials of REM Space, but its design intent is not to revive any historical trend. Its classical foundation is reflected in the craftsmanship of marble, velvet, handcrafted glass, and woven carpets, while responsive lighting, infinite mirrors, dynamic furniture, and integrated technology showcase its avant-garde contemporary edge.
This deliberate interweaving of styles ensures that REM Space avoids both indulging in nostalgia and succumbing to a cold, detached futurism. Bespoke design elements further enhance this sensory tension, including hand-woven elevator carpets, commissioned artworks, a circular rotating bed, and sculptural bars, swings, hourglasses, and chandeliers crafted by Lindsey Adelman from dark crystal glass and bronze chains.
The Lair: Private Luxury, A World of Its Own
The Lair, a 1,200-square-meter rooftop pool villa, takes this fluid and ever-changing experience to a new level.
A private arrival passage connects the gaming area, DJ booth, indoor basketball court with crystal hoops, tea wall for tranquil tea tasting, spa and bath facilities, and a rotating bed. A cantilevered transparent swimming pool leads the experience to the Cotai Strip, seamlessly linking the interior space with Macau's vibrant energy.
The design doesn't simply pile on stunning features, but rather seamlessly transitions between intense sensory experiences and moments of tranquil respite. As Pooja stated, "Luxury is not about how much a space can hold, but about how many distinct experiences it can accommodate, and whether the rhythm can flow and shift naturally." Privacy balances practical needs with a spirit of exploration. The "hidden and revealed" design philosophy doesn't conceal essential functions, but rather controls the timing of the space and experience's unveiling. A rotating minibar comes into view, wall installations activate, reflections subtly shift, and doors open to connect to new scenes.
At the gaming area entrance, two-way mirrored glass allows guests to observe the outside world while remaining unseen. The flow of movement throughout the space is intuitive and easy to follow; however, the hotel doesn't reveal its entirety at first glance: guests don't need to worry about figuring out how to use their rooms, but simply anticipate the unexpected experiences they might offer.
Revitalizing a Landmark Building
"REM" gives this existing cylindrical hotel a completely new look while preserving the original building, envelope, and core. The curved facade, rigid structural beams, complex electromechanical system coordination requirements, and relatively low ceiling heights all presented significant design challenges.
LW Design didn't deliberately conceal these existing conditions, but rather embraced them, transforming them into distinctive design features: circular circulation, curved woodwork, and round beds follow the building's geometric form. Dark, reflective ceilings break the visual boundaries of a fixed ceiling, reflecting the city's neon lights and countless city lights into the suites at night. Ultimately, the project reinterprets the building's existing form from a contemporary perspective through renovation rather than demolition and reconstruction.
The design also focuses on long-term use. Marble, petrified wood, handcrafted glass, and exquisite furniture form a durable material foundation, while lighting, technology, and digital content are sustainably updated. Preserving the existing building structure also helps reduce hidden carbon emissions and maintain the project's long-term value.
Pooja stated, "For us, narrative-driven design is not a story that guests need to read or hear. It exists within the experience itself. From the moment you cross the first threshold, light, sound, movement, and materials awaken the senses, and each spatial transition presents a different energy. Guests are no longer merely viewers of the design, but become a part of it."