Rooted in Andalucía. Shaped by Dubai.
Marea brings together two places that have shaped our perspective: Andalucía, with its material richness, craftsmanship and warmth; and Dubai, with its diversity, ambition and evolving retail culture.
Our name means “tide” in Spanish. It reflects our interest in movement: how people flow through spaces, how brands evolve and how design responds to changing ways of living and shopping.
An atelier approach to retail.
We believe the strongest retail environments emerge from understanding the business, the brand and the people who use them.
We listen closely, question assumptions and work collaboratively to develop a clear direction. From the overall customer journey to a fixture, finish or sign, each decision contributes to a coherent experience.
Contemporary simplicity and Mediterranean warmth inform our identity. Each project takes its own direction, shaped by the client’s brand, customers and commercial priorities.
Carlos Navarro
Founder & Managing Director
Carlos Navarro is an architect and retail designer with over 20 years of experience, including 8 years at Eddea Arquitectura y Urbanismo and 12 years at Majid Al Futtaim.
Originally from Andalucía and based in Dubai, he brings a perspective shaped by architectural practice, regional knowledge and extensive experience within a major retail organisation.
His work connects store concepts, space planning, customer journeys, visual merchandising and in-store communication, alongside the development of design standards for consistent implementation.
Working closely with commercial teams, operators, consultants and suppliers has given Carlos a practical understanding of how design moves from an initial ambition to a functioning store.
He founded Marea to offer clients a personal, collaborative approach that combines creative thinking with commercial understanding and attention to detail.
Carlos also spent seven years in retail design and delivery at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, aligning tenant proposals with landlord requirements and supporting timely delivery. This gives him a perspective from both sides of the retail relationship.
Get in touch to explore relevant examples of Carlos’s work
Design that works at every scale.
We consider how a space expresses the brand, how customers navigate it, how products are presented and how teams operate it.
This allows us to balance creative ambition with investment priorities, operational requirements and the potential to apply a concept across multiple locations.