The Reward For Navigating This Pink Maze in Dubai? Coffee!

Have you ever stood in line at a café, perplexed about what to order? This common conundrum formed the concept for I Really Don’t Know, an interactive maze in Dubai by Kidz, an experiential architecture studio based in Belgrade, Serbia, with the motto: “Let’s create something amazing together and unleash your inner child.”

That it did. The temporary installation, created for the brick-and-mortar I Really Don’t Know coffee shop in Abu Dhabi, UAE, popped-up in the Dubai Design District last January. To reach the order counter, visitors first had to navigate a puzzle of pink partitions labeled with prompts, which forced decisions that determined their journey. “Wanna eat?” directed to a cozy space with seating; “Wanna play?” led to an adventure that began via a slide down into a ball pool.

Along the route, cutouts in the partitions offered glimpses into other areas, as well as out to the waterfront. Each space had a different aesthetic, such as the Hide and Seek zone with obstacles and a swinging bench that oscillated through a gap in the walls. The final stop was the coffee shop proper, where guests who had eventually ordered could sit on ottomans made from expanded clay blocks, topped with cushions attached using construction ties. The 1,300-square-foot project was built in a week over the New Year holiday and offered a playful and art-driven experience for all ages.