Rabih El Hawarni, Founder and General Manager, New Exclusive Decoration Design & Fit-Out L.L.C
Water has a peculiar relationship with architecture. It reveals every imperfection. A single miscalculation in structure, pressure, or material integrity is not hidden for long. It surfaces in fractures, in tension lines, in slow leaks that quietly expose what lies beneath the finish. Yet in the villas of Dubai, there are pools where water appears suspended in the air. Transparent acrylic panels bear their immense weight with flawless precision. Sunlight passes through them, bends, and settles in shifting patterns across the floor—creating the illusion that water itself has become architecture. Beneath the water, it is more than construction; it is craftsmanship that makes such moments possible. It’s an artist’s instinct to see the invisible and give it a form.
For Rabih El Hawarni, Founder and General Manager of New Exclusive Decoration Design & Fit-Out L.L.C., acrylic pools are not simply luxury installations. They are exercises in structural honesty. Every panel, joint, and support system must perform flawlessly under pressure while maintaining the visual simplicity clients expect.
His philosophy is direct: “The true measure of quality is in the integrity of the structure, the precision of the joinery, and the durability of the components that are hidden from view.”
This belief did not emerge from theory. It was shaped through decades of hands-on experience across materials, industries, and construction environments, long before the first acrylic panel was ever installed.
Cleaner to Builder: Tracing His Path Ground Up
Hawarni’s story begins in Beirut, where he worked as a subcontractor on small-scale tile and fit-out projects. There were no grand designs in those early years. There was only the work itself: mixing materials, measuring twice, learning what held and what failed. That hands-on education taught him the fundamentals of craftsmanship, but more importantly, it taught him what happens when the fundamentals are ignored.
When he moved to the UAE in 2006, he carried those lessons with him. The market he entered was exacting. It forced him to elevate his standards, and he expanded into stainless steel work alongside fit-out. Between 2010 and 2015, he ventured into the cleaning industry.
At first glance, that detour might seem unrelated to construction. But for Hawarni, it provided a unique vantage point. Cleaning shows what construction hides. He saw how different materials and finishes performed years after installation. He saw what remained and what had deteriorated. That period reinforced a belief that would become the cornerstone of his philosophy: the true measure of quality is not the moment of completion but the decade that follows.
The Turn to Acrylic
In 2017, Hawarni shifted his focus to acrylic. It was a natural convergence of everything he had learned. Marble had taught him about permanence. Stainless steel had taught him the value of precision. Cleaning had taught him about maintenance. All structural panels are fabricated from cell-cast PMMA, the only grade suitable for load-bearing applications, while every installation is supported by independently certified structural calculations. Acrylic required all of it, plus an understanding of how materials react to the unique climate of the Gulf region. “This foresight allows us to proactively design and engineer our projects to account for factors like thermal expansion, UV degradation, and chemical resistance,” he says.
At New Exclusive Decoration Design & Fit-Out, which he founded in 2021, acrylic swimming pools are the primary focus. But the company’s work extends to custom engineering solutions and high-end architectural features. His technical background, forged over twenty-five years, allows him to personally oversee every project. He is not a manager who delegates from a distance. He is present for the design discussions. He oversees the fabrication. He is on-site during installation.
“I stay close to the details,” he notes, “because that’s where trust is either protected or lost.”
Turning Bold Concepts into Built Reality
One project in particular reveals how he deciphers the invisible logic of a structure, in which microscopic attention to detail transforms bold imagination into a tangible, flawless reality. This involved designing a multi-level, cascading acrylic pool for a private villa. The client wanted the structure to appear as though it were floating within the heart of the residence. Translating that vision into reality required a support system that was both structurally strong and virtually invisible. Oversized acrylic panels had to be maneuvered within a confined space. Every joint had to be leak-proof. Through detailed engineering, constant on-site supervision, and close collaboration with architects and engineers, the installation was completed successfully. “The success of a project is not just in its immediate visual appeal but in its long-term performance and durability,” Hawarni says. “This is why we invest so much time in the planning and engineering phase.”
That investment extends to the details clients never see. A poorly prepared substrate can undermine the most beautiful finish. A weak joint can compromise an entire structure. Hawarni’s supervision is meticulous because he understands that the integrity of what is hidden determines the longevity of what is visible.“I believe that the true measure of quality is in the integrity of the structure, the precision of the joinery, and the durability of the components that are hidden from view.”
The Temper of Leadership: A Craftsman at the Helm
To lead in a domain where precision is paramount is to resist the temptation of distance. Rabih El Hawarni does not command from the comfort of a glass tower; he remains embedded in the rhythms of the work, present where decisions translate into substance. His team understands that the man overseeing their efforts is not a remote administrator issuing directives but someone who has stood where they stand, felt the resistance of materials, and understands the weight of a joint that must hold for decades. This proximity cultivates something that cannot be manufactured—the trust earned through demonstrated competence.
When complications surface, the response is immediate because the authority to decide is already on site. He has learned that the most expensive errors are not the ones made in full view but those that creep in when urgency overrides judgment. “I’ve learned to slow down when needed,” he says, “to be direct when something won’t last, and to take responsibility even when it would be easier not to.”
A Vision etched in Materials
Looking ahead, Hawarni envisions a future in which New Exclusive does not merely participate in the region’s architectural evolution but defines its leading edge. As clients and designers grow bold in their ambitions, the demand for structures that defy conventional expectations will only intensify. At the center of this trajectory lies acrylic—a material that unites transparency with immense strength, withstands the vagaries of climate, and allows solid structures to appear almost weightless. The families who inhabit these spaces will never know the engineering that makes their daily experience possible—the tolerances calculated, the material behaviour anticipated, and the joints sealed for years to come. All acrylic installations are backed by a 10-year leak-proof guarantee—a benchmark that remains rare in the Gulf market.
Yet for all his clarity about where the industry is headed, his feet remain planted in the principles that brought him here. “My goal is to remain at the forefront of this movement,” he affirms, “by continuously investing in new technologies, refining our skills, and never losing sight of the core values of quality and craftsmanship.”
Outside his window, while the cacophony of construction trumpets the city’s relentless innovation to the world, Hawarni secures success in stillness—the stillness of water held perfectly in spaces shaped by him.
“New Exclusive grew from these lessons,” Hawarni reflects, “not from marketing or volume. It grew through consistent delivery and relationships built over time. Every project carries my name, and that keeps the standards personal.”