Raffles 1887
A curator’s day… with the furniture master at Raffles The Palm Dubai
ANDREA FORTUNA is custodian of Raffles The Palm Dubai’s extensive collection of Francesco Molon furniture, and a key figure at the palace. With a career spanning over three decades, he is not only an expert carpenter, but also a seasoned operations manager within the carpentry and furniture-making industry. His meticulous approach to craftsmanship and passion for his work have earned him the title of Furniture Master, overseeing a 200 sq m on-site workshop. He describes a typical day
7.45am
I arrive at the hotel and prepare for the day. I usually begin by checking the previous day’s tasks to ensure they have been completed, and reviewing any new job requests.
There are over 70,000 pieces of Francesco Molon furniture at the hotel, mainly of hand-carved solid wood with real silver and gold leaf, including chairs, mirrors and carved wooden clothes hangers. It’s interesting that no two pieces are the same, and there is a tactile sense of everything having been handmade in Italy – the opposite of mass production. Our goal is to ensure that it is all maintained in perfect condition and authentically restored if necessary. At around 9.00am I lead a morning briefing with the team to allocate tasks for the day.
9.30am
I start work on the assigned tasks, prioritising room upkeep ahead of the day’s check-ins. We generally work through to around 2.00pm before taking a lunch break. I work hands-on, alongside a team of three full-time craftsmen, putting to work the skills I have been learning all my life. I was born in Vicenza in Italy, and first learned my trade at my father’s small carpentry workshop. My diploma was in mechanical technology, and after that I joined my family workshop, focusing on maintenance and custom furniture-making – during which time I was able to refine my technical skills and gain valuable experience running a craft business.
2.30pm
After a short lunch break, I continue in the workshop for the next three hours, restoring, repainting and fixing chairs and other pieces that we can handle on-site. Around 80% of our work is the restoration of existing pieces. The heat of the Dubai climate does not impact the furniture too much, but the humidity can cause the wood to swell or shrink, leading to cracks, particularly in the joints of the pieces; it also encourages mould which alters the colour of the gold leaf, turning it green. Maintenance is key to ensure this is avoided, and we also monitor the humidity of the environment.
I tend to handle the gold and silver leaf work myself. In my earlier career, I specialised in creating furniture for prestigious homes and residences, working closely with architects on high-quality bespoke projects. I know the level of detail and excellence for which we are aiming at Raffles The Palm Dubai.
5.30pm
I will do a thorough tour of the rooms, to inspect the furniture and ensure that all the flagged items have been fixed. This can take anything up to an hour and a half. We are also developing a workshop experience for guests so that they can discover more about what we do and see our detailed work up close.
5.30pm
We are part of the hotel’s broader engineering team which includes plumbers, electricians and other maintenance staff. This is a 24/7 operation, of course, and it’s our job to support – even if it means occasionally stepping in after hours. In my leadership role, I view this as part of our responsibilities.
Raffles Curators are to be found – in different guises – in many Raffles destinations, fostering authentic connection between guests and communities through their skills and knowledge.
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