ANGER MANAGEMENT

TIME TO GET SMASHED

If work-life frustrations are threatening to get the better of you, grab a hammer and head to Dubai’s The Smash Room W hen tensions at work reach boiling point or life’s stresses become overwhelming, it’s not always easy to find an outlet to unleash your pent-up frustrations. Nipping to the bathroom to perform a downward dog might not be practical and could result in injury and drinking a herbal tea that tastes of unpalatable dishwater is just downright miserable. Fortunately, if you work in Dubai or are visiting for business, there’s a place you can let it all out in an unconventional, but highly satisfying way – by grabbing a hammer and smashing up some old junk to your heart’s content.

Described as “the badass version of a spa day”, The Smash Room, located in Al Quoz – the city’s industrial area with a thriving underground cultural scene – is a physical recreation game in which players destroy and break things in a safe and controlled environment to clear their mind and feel better. You can go alone, with a friend or work colleague, or in a team, with plenty of ‘smashing’ packages available. You can even replicate a room – such as your workplace – should you wish or stage a team-building exercise to literally crush the office politics and stomp out the stress.

WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD

An earth-shattering idea The idea for The Smash Room was inspired by a difficult time in the founder’s life. When traditional, more peaceful mechanisms of coping weren’t cutting it, Hiba Balfaqih took old junk into the backyard and smashed it to bits and it made her feel better. It was a lightbulb moment and in 2018, The Smash Room was launched in collaboration with Hiba’s friend, Ibrahim Abudyak.

With the original concept a ‘big hit’, it’s up for franchise across the GCC, and a second outlet recently opened at Action Park located at Dubai’s Last Exit (Abu Dhabi bound). “Our mission is to make the world a stress-free and zen place, one smashed item at a time,” say the founders.

CRUNCH TIME THE ROOMS The rooms are filled with old furniture and electronics collected from junkyards and public donations, arranged to replicate an office, bedroom or kitchen. All smashed-up junk is recycled.

THE ‘GAME’ Customers are fully decked out in safety goggles and helmets to protect themselves, but such courtesy isn’t extended to the objects in the room. Anything inside the Smash Room is fair game to be smashed, to whatever heavy metal or angry rap soundtrack gets your blood pumping quickest.

THE THERAPY Instead of slamming your phone against the ground, punching a hole in the wall or flipping a table, visit the Smash Room and shatter, break, stomp, tear and yell. This therapy doesn’t involve reflection or soul searching, but an animalistic release.

THE PACKAGES The Quickie: 1 person, 1 room, 10 glass items

Smash n Dash: 1 person, 1 room, 15 glasses, 2 electronics

The Big Bang: 1 person, 1 room, 20 glass items, 2 electronics

Two 2 Tango: 2 people, 1 room, 30 glass items, 2 electronics

The 3 Sum: 3 people, 1 room, 45 glass items, 3 electronics

Events: Team-building, ‘big bash’ parties and themed rooms

PRICES From AED 99 per person

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