Design Middle East December 2017

I N T E R I O R S A N D A R C H I T E C T U R E F R O M T H E G U L F, L E V A N T A N D B E Y O N D

December

2017

www.design-middleeast.com

Dôme de lumière Louvre Abu Dhabi

Fit-out roundtable Bringing forward the challenges, trends, and tricks of the trade!

Contents DECEMBER 2017

14 26 IN THIS ISSUE‌

14

Cover Story

22

OP-ED

Glorious Louvre Abu Dhabi; the beauty that spellbounds all

Designers Patrik Fredrikson and Ian share their experience at Dubai Design Week

26

Roundtable

32

Project

38

Interview

Exploring the challenging world of fit-out companies

Design tour of Jetex Private Jet Lounge at Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai

Gilbert Tourville, president of Trinity Hammocks, talks the changing trends of hammocks and his award-winning designs

54

Wish List

November 2017

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Contents DECEMBER 2017

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46

40

40

Talking point

Kamal Farah, CEO of Abanos Fit-Out and Joinery, shares his exciting journey of working for Dubai Design District project

42

DĂŠcor review

46

Show report

59

Suppliers focus

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The charming Toro Toro restaurant in Abu Dhabi is full of design inspirations

Jean-Louis Deniot, the guest designer for Baker Furniture, shares the emerging trends in the region

Kostas Kandarakis, marketing manager, Ideal Standard, talks innovative luxury bathrooms

December 2017

REGULARS 5

Editor’s Note

8 Newsmakers 58 Events 60 Pick of The Month www.design-middleeast.com

Festive in the city Get into the festive spirit at La Ville Hotel & Suites in City Walk and enjoy all of the best that the season has to offer. From turkey and goose dinner and takeaway, to festive brunches and New Year celebrations, secure your front row seats to one of the most anticipated firework shows in the city. Experience joyful moments with family and friends at Chival, Graze, Grapeskin and LookUp. For an overview of all festive offers please visit livelaville.com/festive La Ville Hotel & Suites CITY WALK Dubai, Autograph Collection

Al Multaqa Street, P.O. Box. 414433 Dubai / UAE E: laville.dining@autographhotels.com | T : +971.54.309.5948

/lavilledubai

CEO Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net Director Rabih Najm rabih@bncpublishing.net Group publishing director Diarmuid O’Malley dom@bncpublishing.net Group sales director Joaquim D’Costa jo@bncpublishing.net +971 50 440 2706

Business development director Rabih Naderi rabih.naderi@bncpublishing.net +966 50 328 9818

Deputy editor Roma Arora roma@ bncpublishing.net Sales Manager Stephanie Hughes stephanie@bncpublishing.net

Art director Ifteqar Ahmed Syed Marketing executive Mark Anthony Monzon mark@bncpublishing.net Photographers Farooq Salik Hayder Al-Zuhairi

Welcome Sometimes you just do not want things to end, same is my case with the year 2017. We’re almost towards the end of this magnificent year. I completely cherish 2017, for various different reasons, the biggest by far is that I joined a truly spectacular workplace and this amazing design magazine, which is part of my existence now. I was wondering what could be my design resolution in the coming new year—declutter (mind, desk, and my house) and get something as spectacular as this edition’s ‘Pick of The Month’.

Last month was exceptionally busy for us with the grand opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, which makes our cover story for the December issue to an exciting session of roundtable on fitouts, and finally the most eagerly awaited design event in the region —Dubai Design Week, and Downtown Design being one of the biggest highlights of this industry event. The best part about such events is that you meet different people from different cultures who share one common thing, their passion for designs and achieving excellence. It was indeed one memorable event from this year’s design diary. We have featured some of the most amazing designs and the people behind them — the creative minds!

Goodbye, 2017! Now, let’s trust the magic of beginnings.

Think design!

Roma Arora

FOLLOW US ON www.design-middleeast.com /designmideast

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December 2017

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NEWSMAKERS ARACO has obtained approval for all plans for the buildings and the necessary licenses from the relevant authorities in record time

Bee’ah appoints Italian firm to design new HQ interiors Bee’ah, has awarded a major contract to Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, an Italian multidisciplinary design practice, to design the interiors of its new, futuristic headquarters.

The late Zaha Hadid designed the iconic complex, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy sources; a worldrenowned and award-winning architect said in a statement from the Emirati company.

The landmark building will be the first in the UAE to be powered by green renewable energy and is expected to achieve the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, the green building standard’s highest rating. Its ultra-low carbon, minimal water consumption and efficient use of materials during construction, embody sustainable principles, it added.

Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel is a specialist in the fields of architecture, interior and urban design, and renowned for its exceptional work and ranks among the most distinguished designers in the world.

“It is an incredible honour to bring our expertise in interior design principles to such a prestigious project. We have designed many acclaimed projects all over the globe but this project is unique for our company,” said its co-founding principal Antonio Citterio after signing the deal with Salim Al Owais, the chairman of Bee’ah at the group’s office in Milan.

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December 2017

ARACO seals project worth AED75mn Abdul Rahim Architectural Consultants (ARACO), engineering consultant in design and project management company in the UAE, has been named architectural consultant for a project worth AED75mn at Al Barsha Heights in TECOM, Dubai.

The 14-storey building will include 130 units, including 12 studios, 86 one-bedroom apartments, and 32 two-bedroom apartments, with commercial elements and a resident’s health centre, complete with gymnasium, and swimming pool. The tower will also feature two basement

floors of underground parking. Commenting on the project, Bader Abu Shaaban, head of business development, said: “Dubai’s stock of quality and affordable housing is always growing, and we are delighted to contribute to the ongoing development of the emirate though the launch of this project. With a strategic location and panoramic views of the city’s skyline and The Greens neighbourhood, this practical project will no doubt enjoy huge popularity with future residents of Al Barsha Heights.”

www.design-middleeast.com

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai at Future Cities Show 2017

Future Cities Show 2018 to focus on sustainability The second edition of the Future Cities Show, that will take place from April 9-11, 2018, at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE, will set the tone for smart cities through the three pillars – sustainability, innovation, happiness, and showcase the future of urban life. With a theme of achieving sustainability through innovations, the show will showcase the cities of the future by highlighting the latest and the most innovative technologies that will change the future.

As the worldwide smart cities movement gains momentum, Future Cities Show reflects and also presents the transformation of urban societies, infrastructure and environment that currently hosts more than 54% of the 7.5bn people and uses 75% of the power generated.

A recent white paper, Evolution of Smart Cities and Connected Communities, co-sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association and the United Parcel Service (UPS), says, market value of

smart cities is expected to jump from $14.85bn in 2015 to $34.35bn by 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate of over 18%.

The white paper found that a key driver of smart cities growth is the ongoing trend of global urbanisation. “With 70% of the world’s population forecast to live in cities by 2050, the need for sustainable, liveable world cities is essential for a prosperous future,” said the report.

Future Cities Show focusses on education, well-being, knowledge sharing, collaboration among government-private-universities-society, user-driven innovation, livability discussions, sustainable energy solutions, sustainable economic development, and sustainable societal development to drive the wellbeing of all nations.

Future Cities Show will be full of activities that include an exhibition that showcases innovative technologies and sustainable solutions as well as a conference that will

discuss future technologies and how cities will be retrofitted with new sensors, energy saving systems, processes and change management.

Dawood Shezawi, chairman of the organising committee of the Future Cities Show, said: “The testing and introduction of robots, drones and flying cars indicate one thing —the future has arrived. We will see unprecedented changes, disruptions, and challenges as well as innovative solutions emerging that will create a completely new urban environment where technologies will dictate our life, work and activities.”

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NEWSMAKERS

GM architects to revamp Sofitel Winter Palace Hotel in Egypt GM Architects, a Lebanese architecture and design firm specialising in the field of highend tourism been awarded a contract by hospitality group Sofitel for the restoration of the renowned Winter Palace Hotel located in the city of Luxor, Egypt.

Overlooking the river Nile and the Valley of the Kings, the hotel stands to represent the importance of colonial history, archaeological discoveries, and cultural context of the location that was created in the 20th century.

Galal Mahmoud, founder of GM Architects said: "The aim of the project is to completely re-design the exterior landscaping, so as to link the lush hotel gardens, the most beautiful of upper Egypt with the languid and magnificient blue Nile. The new and improved hotel layout will encompass the vibrant colors of Nubia, Egypt, and the French 19th century lifestyle that delights both the indoor and outdoor living spaces.”

Whilst some areas keep to their historical

The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2019

roots and showcase elements of Egyptian history such as ancient maps and historical carpentry and textiles, new contemporary art by local artists will enrich the elegance and grandeur of the renewed Palace.

Large luminous chandeliers will be hung in the renovated 1886 Restaurant and the

Victoria Lounge to create an ambiance of sophistication and class, a signature of Sofitel, explained Mahmoud.

Once completed, all hotel rooms are to receive new interior designs and to be reimagined with inspirations from the Palace’s history and surroundings.

and supplying furniture for various purposes such as for offices, hotels, hotel apartments, staff accommodations and schools to name a few.

Commenting on the acquisition, Mikdad Bhabhrawala, CEO of Western Furniture, said: “This

is an exciting new chapter for Western Furniture and Marlin Furniture that will open up many great opportunities to create extra value for clients.

Combining the deep expertise and skill set of both companies is mutually beneficial to step forward.”

Western Furniture acquires Marlin Furniture’s project division Western Furniture, retailer of upscale home furniture in the UAE, announces its acquisition of Marlin Furniture’s project division, taking over the management of its multimillion dollar projects, including government, hospitality, university, and the corporate ventures.

Western Furniture will continue providing current clients of Marlin Furniture the interior works, furnishing of rooms and workstations,

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December 2017

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John Hamilton

Rooted in nature!

The global furnishings manufacturer Coalesse participated at the Downtown Design (November 14-17, 2017) at Dubai Design District.

Design Middle East spoke to John Hamilton, director of design from Coalesse, about the Dubai design industry, Downtown Design, and the concept of biophilia in workspaces.

What do you think about Dubai as a design market?

Being such a young city, it’s impressive to see the advancements Dubai has already made in establishing itself as the Middle East’s regional hub for design. The city seems poised for continued growth and I would expect it to assert itself as a global design centre in coming years.

How Dubai is different from rest of the world in terms of design and architecture?

I think having so many different nationalities and cultures residing in the region really influence the style you see in terms of design

and architecture. It’s really interesting to see the mix of traditional Arabic design juxtaposed with new, international architecture.

How was your experience at the Downtown Design?

Coalesse is a brand of Steelcase who has been an active participant at Downtown Design for several years now. For me, this was for the first time I came for this event and it’s my first trip to Dubai as well. I’m impressed by the volume and quality of exhibitors. There’s really a nice mix of established and emerging brands and great to see such diversity across the stands.

Explain the concept of biophilia at workplace and its significance?

Essentially, biophilia refers to the use of any visual, material or sensorial elements, which help create a connection with nature. People often assume this means bringing trees, wood and water features inside, and while these elements are certainly an effective, central

part of it, biophilia also extends to less obvious elements such as the texture of a carpet, or the way a moving fan can cause a window blind to rustle like a tree. It’s about tricking our brains to feel like we’re in a natural environment by triggering underlying patterns that we’re programmed to recognise and feel good in. The layering of these elements often means that the occupants cannot articulate what they’re responding to, it becomes as cognitive as the way we respond to light. It isn’t a new concept, but one, which has definitely gained attraction in recent years as the amount of time we spend in the office continues to rise.

December 2017

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LIVE IN THE LARGEST TOWNHOUSES IN DUBAI

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@sobhadubai

COVER STORY

New

wonder How could something be so perfect, flawless, and mesmerising?

Louvre Abu Dhabi is an epitome of art and architecture

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December 2017

of the world!

www.design-middleeast.com

December 2017

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COVER STORY

I Jean Nouvel

t’s indeed a wonder from the modern world of architecture; Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first museum to bear the Louvre name outside France. After 10 years of hard work, Louvre is located on the waterfront of Abu Dhabi’s cultural district on Saadiyat Island.

This iconic masterpiece is designed by architect Jean Nouvel and opened its door to the public on November 11, 2017 Nouvel has designed Louvre Abu Dhabi as a museum city (medina), which combines Arabic inspiration with contemporary design and cutting-edge energy-efficient engineering.

Visitors can walk along promenades overlooking the sea underneath the giant magnificent dome, comprising of 7,850 unique metal stars set in a complex geometric pattern. When sunlight filters through a total of eight layers, it creates a moving enchanting ‘rain of light’.

Nouvel says, “The idea was to create a universal museum in Abu Dhabi. Louvre Abu Dhabi embodies an exceptional programme in the literal sense of the word. Its vocation is now to express what is universal throughout the ages. Its architecture makes it a place of convergence and correlation between the immense sky, the sea-horizon, and the territory of the desert. " He further adds, "Its dome and cupola imprint the space with the consciousness of time and the moment through an evocative light of spirituality that is its own.”

This museum is both calm and complex; a contrast amongst a series of museums that cultivate their differences and their authenticities. This project is based on the major symbol of Arab architecture: the dome in a modern setting.

Museum on the sea

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December 2017

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Statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash, praying

Ai Weiwei, Fountain of Light

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COVER STORY

The dome weighs approximately 7,500 tonnes, the same as Eiffel Tower in Paris

Another fascinating part of Louvre Abu Dhabi is the architecture that combines sky and the sea together in one complex place.

“The possibility of accessing the museum by boat or finding a pontoon to reach it by foot from the shore is equally extraordinary,” shares Nouvel.

The museum's collection spans the history of humanity and explores a universal narrative through artworks and aretefacts from all over the world. Louvre Abu Dhabi features 12 galleries that present 600 works of art, half from its own

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December 2017

The possibility of accessing the museum by boat or finding a pontoon to reach it by foot from the shore is equally extraordinary.

– Jean Nouvel

rich holdings, and half consisting of stellar works visiting from its 13 partner museums in France.

Some highlights include Leonardo da Vinci’s La Belle Ferronniere; Vincent van Gogh’s self-

portrait; a rare ivory saltcellar from the Benin Empire; and many others. The museum will also begin an ongoing programme of special exhibitions in December.

www.design-middleeast.com

Stat

Set of Romanesque Columns and Capitals

Germination by Italian artist, Giuseppe Penone

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OP-ED Patrik Fredrikson (left) and Ian Stallard at Dubai Design Week

The

incredible designer duo!

London-based designers Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard talk about their design debut in Dubai, their decade-long partnership with Swarosvki and more

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December 2017

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Finally, we travelled to the UAE capital to check out the newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi. It was an outstanding and amazing experience.

There is a pre-conceived image that Dubai is synonymous to opulence and grandeur, with its tall buildings and glamorous lifestyle, but we don’t think there is anything necessarily wrong with it. Dubai is such a forward-thinking place that supports young people and blazes the trail for innovation, and it will be interesting to see how young designers react to the traditional opulence they are surrounded with.

Ian Stallard shares his thoughts on why he along with Patrik chose to showcase Prologue at Dubai Design Week

P

atrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard of Patrik Fredrikson showcased their installation Prologue at Dubai Design Week to mark 10 years of design collaborations with Swarovski. They pen their thoughts about their partnership with Swarosvki, Prologue, and the Dubai design industry.

Patrik Fredrikson talks about the growing design community of Dubai It was our first time in Dubai and the design community was very welcoming. We met numerous talented local designers who were very keen to explain their work and advance their understanding of design from other cultures around the world.

Dubai Design Week was very lively and vibrant, and everyone we met were extremely enthusiastic.

We especially loved the way people eagerly interacted with our sculpture. What we found most interesting is that although most people across all the cities are interested in taking selfies with the piece, but people in Dubai preferred to take photos of the sculpture itself, or have their photo taken by someone else to capture the entire piece as well as the environment it was set in.

During our short stay, we also headed down to Downtown Design, and the Global Grad Show, which gathered works of students from around the world.

We especially loved the exhibition in the Dubai Design District: “Middle East Design Now,” curated

by Suzanne Trocmé that exhibited 18 designers from the Middle East and North Africa.

Our favourite was the tapestries by Bokja from Lebanon, which incorporated traditional French tapestries with local industrial fabrics complete with sun-bleached shadows. It was an incredible showcase that interestingly referenced the historical sense of colonialism in Lebanon through the French textiles spliced with modern fabrics, all in all, representative of the future of design in the Middle East and bridging the gap of old and new.

We were also inspired by the community of galleries at Al Serkal Avenue. The Concrete Gallery designed by Rem Koolhaas was a major highlight alongside both Green Art Gallery and Leila Heller Gallery. It was great to see a seamless curation that brought together both local and international artists, as well as an inclusive platform for like performance-based art, architecture, restaurants, architecture, and different creative spaces in one area.

We especially loved the way people eagerly interacted with our sculpture.

- Patrik Fredrikson

We are Patrik Fredrikson and Ian Stallard and together make up Fredrikson Stallard. I was born in the United Kingdom and Patrik hails from Sweden. We met at Central Saint Martin’s College in London and began collaborating in 1995. There is not a specific term to describe what we do—we are furniture designers, artists, we do sculptures as well—and it all somehow encompasses product design. We believe in translating our creativity into simple yet emotionally engaging fine artwork and furniture pieces.

We have collaborated with some of the leading names in contemporary design and that includes Swarovski, who we have worked with for 11 years now, and Prologue was showcased in the recent edition of Dubai Design Week to celebrate that milestone.

We were asked by Swarovski to produce a piece for Art Basel Hong Kong in 2014. The Prologue was intended as a public sculpture and we wanted to do something that would be very open to interpretation across a very broad spectrum of people from every kind of cultural background.

Hence by taking something as simple as a largescale circle—with a diameter of four meters that encapsulates 8,000 teardrop-shaped Swarovski crystals in two topaz colours—people are drawn to it, and are in awe of it, bringing up a primeval feeling.

With its majestic circular shape, there is always a cross-cultural reference with a circular shape that symbolises good luck or brings in wealth.

Prologue symbolises new beginnings and its purpose is to travel around the world and that wherever it goes, it responds to its environment.

Dubai is such a young, vibrant city that spurred from a desert, and is very much a symbol for new beginnings, and that is why I think Prologue resonated extremely well with Dubai.

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ROUNDTABLE

Fit to

sustain Design Middle East had an exciting session of fit-out roundtable discussion at Chival Global Social, La Ville Hotel & Suites in Dubai. The agenda was to understand the challenges of the fit-out companies, decoding their business strategies, hits and misses of 2017, and the development plan for the coming new year. Here’s a round up of our roundtable discussion with our esteemed panelists answering every question that matters in the business

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Our esteemed panel

Vishal Motwani

managing director, GDM Interiors

Nagi El Husseini senior associate, Aedas Interiors

Esam Baccush

director-sales & development, A&T Group Interiors

Dimitri Papakonstantinou managing director, Plafond

Ali Malas CEO, S&T Interiors and Contracting

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ROUNDTABLE How was 2017 for you?

Vishal: We’re facing the issue where people do not have money but they want to do the fit-out.

So, for us, 2017 was very slow. We’ve take taken a back foot, we have tried not to take any big orders because the payments are very slow. There is an increase in fit-out business in the market but a lot of projects are on hold. As per the contracts, we get progressively paid, so the final 30-40% of payment is still outstanding; it takes a year or two to get the money out. All the bigger brands are going to the malls and they’re not opening as many outlets as before. There were like 40 new openings every year, now it’s just 10-12 outlets per year.

Nagi: From the past few quarters, the development is slow and stagnated for a while.

Given a diverse culture in this region, people have different taste and design preferences—they want new materials, new designs, and innovation play a major factor in growth in the coming years.

Esam: We faced challenges in terms of the market. The first six months of the year were very quite. The repeat customers sustained our business honestly. The year 2016 was excellent, so a lot of business forecast for 2017 was based on that which unfortunately didn’t go as per the prediction. We were very cautious in cherry picking our projects this year.

Dimitri: There are mega projects on the horizon, which everybody is anticipating like Dubai Creek Harbour, DWC, and Expo 2020—they’re real projects that will happen, but they keep shifting to the next quarter. About three-quarter of our clients are repeat ones and we’re selective in selecting the projects.

We faced challenges in terms of the market. The first six months of the year were very quite. The repeat customers sustained our business honestly.

– Esam Baccush

Ali: The year 2016 was good, the first half of 2017 was slow and there was payment crunch and we have to be selective with our clientele. The second half of 2017 has picked up in terms of signing the projects but eventually, the execution of the projects would not be fruitful until 2018.

Challenging times Vishal: One needs to have big cash flows to sustain in this market. One needs to understand that what market share you need to attain,—you want to do $20mn, $40mn, or $100mn a year of business? As the turnover increases, the profit decreases. The moment you start increasing your turnover, you will start relying on the banks, and the banks costs eat your profits away. A lot of patience is required, we don’t bother our clients for minimum 30 days, and after 30 days we start to discuss the money matters. Because the

moment you start pushing the clients, they go to some other contractors at a ridiculous price.

Nagi: Now, that we know that the mega projects are sometimes put on hold, and takes time to complete. We should also focus on small, medium and refurbishment projects as well. They keep the momentum going and keeps us busy as well.

Dimitri: The contracts are still very one-sided and biased towards the clients. We generally work according to the FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers, which favours the clients. Unfortunately, this is unreasonable as we should be equal partners in the business. We generally walk away from projects, which would expose us to unnecessary risks. We have been successful in negotiating better advance payments. Another thing is that maintenance of good relationships is very important.

The contracts are still very one-sided and biased towards the clients. We generally work according to the FIDIC, which favours the clients. Unfortunately, this is unreasonable as we should be equal partners in the business.

– Dimitri Papakonstantinou

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I believe lack of awareness and education is the main reason why people are not opting for the green materials. The developers should make the usage of green materials as a part of their business rather than an exception.

– Nagi El Husseini

Esam: Higher volume projects have higher risks.

We need to look for favourable terms for interior contractors, that we have to fight for. The projects, which are less than $10mn, the market still have clients that do pay. Anything-above $20mn, the risks are very high and you need to be patient with the payment. Medium level jobs work well; the jobs with payment cycle of 60-90 days require a lot of investment and time.

Ali: From the past experience of several years, the UAE region is better than other places like Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia in terms of payment and execution of projects. The important factor that works well in favour of the UAE is that how good are you with your banks. If you're getting strong banking facilities, then you would survive irrespective of 60 or 120 days of the payment cycle. Banks have a lot of liquidity in the UAE, though after the crisis in 2008, they’re very cautious and selective. The banks should sustain the clients and their projects that filter down to the small contractors who actually suffer the most. FIDIC has loopholes, which doesn’t cover the small and medium-sized contractors in a proper way.

Sustainable materials Vishal: If you’re dealing with government entities, they are enforcing the green materials and they’re mainly involved in the construction process. Now coming to corporates, they hires interior design consultants to procure green products.

Nagi: In this regard, I believe lack of awareness and education is the main reason why people are not opting for the green materials. The developers should make the usage of green materials as a part of their business rather than an exception.

Esam: Government in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are making all the efforts to enforce green building materials, but it has not filtered down to the private sector unless they are mega projects.

There are a lot of recycled products available in the market, but still there’s hardly any demand.

The laws need to tighten and should put more pressure on the private sector.

Dimitri: The public sector is using a lot of green

materials especially in their commercial spaces and retail but unfortunately nothing great is happening in the private sector.

Ali: We are working on big projects, they are LEED oriented, we have to employ a LEED expert so that all the things including then certification is taken care. These are private and semi-private projects.

Emerging design trends Vishal: For a corporate project, the minimalistic approach works better. I think a lot has to do with the individual and the culture that the person comes from. Different end users have different requirements.

UAE region is better than other places like Morocco, Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia in terms of payment and execution of projects.

– Ali Malas

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ROUNDTABLE Nagi: Preference to personal touches would be given more in the coming year—focus on exciting colours, rich patterns, and textures but in a minimalistic way.

Esam: We see a lot of copy paste design with some good elements. But what I see is emphasis on a lot of local homegrown designs by local international companies that understand the region better, their designs would filter in a better way than those trends coming from abroad. The year 2018 would see new material coming to the market. A lot of designs are repeated almost everywhere like cement floor, reclaimed wood, open ceilings—we need some creative designs in 2018.

Dimitri: We are very fortunate we get exposed to top of designs. Industrial, urban, and rustic look for F&B clients is still popular in the region.

Ali: Personalisation has become a big factor in design elements. In 2018, the new designs would come, the hotels would be more vibrant.

What are your expectations from 2018?

Vishal: In 2017, we have not done very well, so I want to wait and watch what 2018 has in store for us. We are focusing on smaller projects and not large-scale ones, and we’re facing a lot of competition. The more market share I go for, I am exposing myself to more risks. There are nearly 170 employees, so I am just not risking myself, I will be risking the families of 170 people and I don’t want to do that. So, the aim is to wait and watch and grab the right opportunities in 2018.

Left to right: Esam Baccush, Dimitri Papakonstantinou, Ali Malas, Vishal Motwani, Nagi El Husseini

Nagi: Our focus in 2018 would be on hospitality sector, also the residential units and this goes from mid to high-end projects. The interior design industry is one of the leading sectors in the markets; let’s look for different projects. More technology means more space, and more space means fit-outs. We don’t need so many people on receptions, people are doing online check-in and these trends are coming from abroad. So, it’s interesting how technology is making things simple and faster.

Esam: F&B market is still good despite some stagnation with operators here. Locally grown concepts are doing very well here. We are looking for some partnerships.

Dimitri: Everybody is concerned about Expo 2020, I am very curious to know that what will happen after Expo 2020? Though I am very hopeful that Dubai will always find a way to reinvent itself and when Expo 2020 gets over, there must be some other landmark event that would come up in the region. with big cash flows and opportunities for all.

Ali: We are targeting big projects that bring in big cash flows in the coming year, so picking the right project for us is very important. The more we get closer to Expo 2020; we do not have the luxury of time anymore. The projects have to be finished especially if they are targeted to open before Expo 2020.

The more market share I go for, I am exposing myself to more risks. There are nearly 170 employees, so I am just not risking myself, I will be risking the families of 170 people and I don’t want to do that.

– Vishal Motwani

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9 - 11 April 2018

Dubai World Trade Centre

Achieving Sustainability through Innovation: Showcasing the Cities of the Future

Smart Cities Report

Sessions & Panel Discussions

MoU Signing Stand

Launch Revolutionary Products

Sustainability Tour

Company & City Presentations

Global Reception

Future Cities Show is a global platform for local & international corporations to showcase, discuss and network about smart cities supporting overall sustainability, innovation & happiness. It focuses on education, wellbeing, knowledge sharing, collaboration among government-private-universities-society, user-driven innovation, livability discussions, sustainable energy solutions, sustainable economic development and sustainable societal development to drive the well-being of all nations.

Please contact for more information: Future Cities Show 2018

#FCS2018

+971 4 39 23232

info@futurecitiesshow.com

www.futurecitiesshow.com

PROJECT

luxury!

Lounging in

When nature collaborates with innovation, something marvellous is guaranteed

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his is one VIP lounge that is setting some major design goals! Bluehaus Group and Bluehaus Engineering have recently completed the Jetex Private Jet Lounge at Al Maktoum Airport in the Dubai World Central area of Dubai, UAE and the designs are breathtaking. The major highlight is the design camaraderie between plush interiors in relaxed environment based on biophilic design concept. Design Middle East took a tour of this amazing lounge with Dragana Cemalovic Ndedu, associate at Bluehaus Group.

Dragana Cemalovic Ndedu

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PROJECT

The dĂŠcor is inspired by mixture of biophilic design and almost monumental organic freestanding structures to create something unique

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The selection of furniture echoes pebble forms found in nature with colours that simulate natural stone finish

The overall tranquil environment is achieved through dim lighting and use of natural wood that embraces lounge areas December 2017

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PROJECT The pods are envisioned as the place where the client will stop briefly, gather the thoughts and get excited about upcoming journey while waiting to board on to the plane

The soft padded curved shaped walls welcome guests with a generous hospitality touch

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INTERVIEW Duality hammock

Hanging out in style!

Describe your professional journey so far?

Gilbert Tourville, president of Trinity Hammocks, talks about how they’re reinventing the concept of social relaxation and the award-winning designs

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I’m a former merchant marine captain and entrepreneur and I have spent 20 years operating a number of innovative and highly successful café-restaurant concepts in Quebec prior to founding Trinity. In 2011, based on a desire to truly innovate the social experience of outdoor relaxation, I embarked on a journey to create something spectacular in the world of outdoor furniture—hammocks that are a sign of luxury, comfort, and designs.

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Gilbert Tourville

Unity ''Phifertex'' hammock

What kind of growth have you seen in the demand for your products?

Our company is performing better year after year since its conception. Every year, demand is doubling for our unique outdoor furniture concepts. It’s good to see that our products are quickly becoming standards for hospitality and residential projects worldwide.

Who are the your products?

Can you give a brief overview of your company?

This company was born in 2012 out of a desire to turn ''hammocking'' from a solitary activity to a social one. The trend of outdoor activities is on the rise and it was the perfect timing to introduce our unique outdoor furniture concepts to the world.

What is the USP of your products?

Our unique selling proposition is “we put your mind to rest”. The focus is on infusing both classic and modern design elements into the finest marine-grade materials for maximum comfort.

end

users

of

We are catering to hotels, spas, housing projects, and private residences. We work mostly with architects, designers, contractors, and landscapers in the hospitality and real estate domains.

Which is your bestselling hammock design?

Our bestseller is Infinity triple hammock system, which won the Innovation Award at the Las Vegas Expo in 2013. Infinity is a luxury freestanding triple hammock system, featuring three hammocks in a freestanding structure with a suspended marine grade teak table. Trinity hammocks are now available in four different models-Infinity, Eternity, Duality, and Unity.

What are your new offerings?

Duality and Unity are the new models, which embrace the elements of high quality, innovative design, and unparalleled relaxation. Both the styles were appreciated and awarded with the European Product Design Award 2017. Duality combines the relaxation of both a hanging chair and a hammock experience and is supported by a stainless steel structure and marine-grade teak seating. It also features Sunbrella fabric mattress and matching fabric pillows, all stuffed with Urecel quick dry foam to repel extreme weather conditions. On the other hand, Unity is a stand-alone model in Trinity collection. On the foundations of a stainless steel design, Unity’s hammock bed is available in either quilted Sunbrella fabric or Phifertex breathable mesh, and is secured by durable Gore thenara UV resistant thread.

What is your development strategy for 2018?

We’re expanding our distribution channels worldwide as well as designing new models to add to our existing collection. I’m always open to new partnership offers, to extend distribution of my products to new territories.

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TALKING POINT

Master of his trade

Kamal Farah

Kamal Farah, CEO of Abanos interior fit-out and joinery, talks about the success of their Dubai Design District project

Tell us something about Abanos?

What is the company philosophy?

Abanos was established in 1985, so clearly we have come a long way. The company has expanded steadily since its early days, now operating throughout the UAE, GCC, and worldwide and employing over 1,000 dedicated people. It’s one of the largest and most reliable holistic interior fit-out and joinery companies in the UAE, with a track record of delivering high-quality and tailormade projects; all fabricated at its state-of-the-art production facilities.

Abanos undertakes interior fit-out projects from concept to completion, offering professional services to architects, designers, building contractors, and all other clients to produce standard and custom-made joinery components, supported by cutting-edge manufacturing facilities. The vision of the team is to maintain a leading position as a fit-out and joinery contracting company through engaging a holistic and sustainable approach to all its projects.

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Describe Abanos’ role in the Dubai Design District (d3) project.

The story of d3 begins from 2013 when the UAE’s Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum, unveiled his vision to create a purpose-built design district capable of nurturing local talent and providing a home for the region’s creative thinkers. The interior fit-out and joinery contract for this project was understandably of significant interest to a large number of companies in the region, of which

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Abanos was excited to pitch for, and thrilled to be awarded in December 2014. With the eyes of the region focused on d3, the interior fit-out and joinery works needed to be of exceptionally high quality, a task that presented Abanos with an abundance of unique challenges and opportunities.

What kind of business strategy did you adopt for the d3 project?

This remarkable project had a short time frame for completion —Abanos began the project in December 2014 and completed the works in September 2015. This time frame covered all 111,483sqm of the Business Bay located project.

Despite a number of obstacles to overcome, the team successfully delivered on time. Part of the reason for Abanos’ success in this regard is the company’s experience, size and resources, including its 12,000sqm manufacturing facility in Dubai Investment Park, with state-of-the-art machinery for wood cutting, molding, carving, veneering, laminating and painting, capable of meeting the ambitious requirements of clients across a diverse range of sectors.

How did Abanos overcome designbased challenges while working on d3?

One of the most unique design challenges the Abanos team faced on the d3 project came from the organic seating required for the main public area in the core building. These initial designs were aesthetically beautiful – however, they were presented to the Abanos team as a concept sketch – without clear dimensions or 3D modelling. To overcome this challenge the team decided to approach the large-scale seating in the same way an artist would approach a sculpture. The team began fabricating the structure based on the sketches and held frequent meetings with the consultants to review and update the live progress – modifying the furniture millimetre by millimetre, in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

The reputation and quality of the d3 project in Dubai has elevated the reputation of Abanos as a recognised leader in the interior fit-out and joinery sector

One of the most unique design challenges the Abanos team faced on the d3 project came from the organic seating required for the main public area in the core building.

What are the standout features of Abanos in this market space?

Abanos has a manufacturing and warehousing facilities of 21,000sqm coupled with an investment in modern machinery; the company has the capacity to handle various large projects simultaneously and is capable of meeting international standards of quality and lead times. As a result of the company’s skills and resources, the d3 project was accomplished to the satisfaction of the client and has become a symbol of the creativity.

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DÉCOR REVIEW

Latino vibes!

The

Explore the world of Latin American cuisine at delightful Toro Toro in Abu Dhabi

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ward-winning chef Richard Sandoval partnered with Perfetti Hospitality to bring the iconic restaurant Toro Toro to the capital. The gorgeous restaurant is highly inspired by the traditional and contemporary designs— the warm Latin-inspired orange and red tones are enhanced by quirky design elements including handmade mosaic frames from Peru, Mexican handmade carpets, and hand painted skulls.

There are a lot of interesting paintings adorning the walls of Toro Toro celebrating the Latin spirit.

One cannot miss the main door of this restaurant; a family owned company in Peru supplied this handmade and beautiful piece. The traditional looking door with intricate hand carving work took three months to complete.

Another item sourced from South America are the handmade mirrors from Peru. These mirrors can be found all over the venue but mainly in the luxury bathrooms. The vibrant and colourful environment is even more enhanced by the beautiful chandeliers made in Italy that are suspended across several areas of the restaurant.

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DÉCOR REVIEW

Décor are the highlight of this restaurant; the handcrafted tables from Peru with beautiful colourful patterns is no less than a piece of art.

What makes them even more special is the fact that they are not made of one single piece of wood but of hundreds of tiny small wooden mosaics, hand painted and put together by traditional artisans from Peru.

One cannot ignore the colourful trademark skulls that are displayed all over the venue.

Sourced from Mexico, USA, and South Africa, each was given a unique paint job by Brazilian artists who worked on each for two weeks to ensure consistency, originality and uniqueness.

Latin flavors

The exotic menu is dominated by small plates of steak tartare, grilled octopus, ceviche and the like. Traditional churrasco is served a la carte alongside a wide selection of savoury side dishes to complement these grills. The most famous cocktails include Nikkei inspired Cachaça, Pisco, Tequila, a vast collection of fine wines and even Peruvian Gin.

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SHOW REPORT

Designs Galore!

Dubai Design Week (November 13-18, 2017) successfully concluded last month at Dubai Design District. Apart from impressive exhibitions, one of the major highlights of this design bash was Downtown Design (November 14-17, 2017) that brought over 150 brands from 25 countries under one roof. Here's the round up from this mega design event which attracted over 60,000 visitors.

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SHOW REPORT

Baker!

Bring on the

Jean-Louis Deniot, the guest designer for Baker Furniture, talks about the new store in Dubai, design industry, and emerging trends in the region

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he new Iconic Home showroom opens its doors at Dubai Design District (d3) during the Dubai Design Week in November. Exclusively offering furnishings and textiles by Baker, a leading designer and manufacturer of fine home furnishings, and its sister brands Milling Road and McGuire. Design Middle East talks to the Paris- based designer Jean-Louis Deniot, who is the guest designer for Baker and his collection is part of the Dubai showroom.

What made Baker showroom in Dubai?

open

their

Dubai is such an exciting market, everything from designs, to interiors, and architecture is mesmerising. This showroom at Dubai Design District provides a vibrant global platform for Baker’s and the sister brands, affording a tremendous opportunity for designers in the UAE to inspire and create cohesive interiors. The region is now a fast emerging global design centre that inspires designers internationally.

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SHOW REPORT

Jean-Louis Deniot

This showroom looks marvellous, could you share more details it?

The new space is designed by Baker’s chief creative officer Tristan Butterfield, and Patricia Hayes, manager of creative global services at Baker in collaboration with London architect Harvey Langston-Jones RIBA, whose previous work includes the re-branding design of Baker showrooms, including New York. The lobby is characterised by dark chocolate molded wall panels, and a checkered marble floor. Beyond the lobby, the design team utilised a restrained palette of gray and natural, and stained oak timber veneer. The spaces open up to a series of contemporary jewel-like rooms defined by different patterned timber walls, constructed in rhythmic, repeated forms to create a sense of movement and progression within the spaces. Baker has now a new offering of textiles, including wallpaper, fabrics and trim, is displayed with its lighting collection in the meeting area.

Tell us something about your recent collection for Baker?

Like chameleons are famous for their quick colour-changing abilities, I’ve made this collection in a way that it suits all—Russians,

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Middle Easterns, Americans, etc. Just choose your own finishes like what we’ve done here, and it works beautifully.

What are the emerging design trends in the region?

Clients in the Middle East are looking for something fancy but in sleeker shapes, the Baker line here is contemporary but classical.

The whole idea is that if you cannot buy the whole set, you can select a few key pieces from the store and mix and match with the décor of your room.

What is the USP of Baker?

Baker has specific lines for each designer that works with them. With me, I tried to take the DNA from the Baker, making it my own and making it sure that my lines are mixing well with the other lines. They use really high-quality material, so if one buys a chair from them, they can keep it forever, just change the upholstery and get going.

Which is your favourite piece in this showroom?

The Iron Eye Floor lamp, which is also available

as a table lamp, because of the simple yet striking geometry. The gold finish is just perfect—it’s not too bright, and not in your face, and just adds the right amount of glamour to this incredible piece.

Who are you targeting in this design market space?

I hope every designer, every developer would make it just their own. I am not imposing our products on anyone, I want people to give it a fair chance, and it their own interpretation and use it the way they want. The designs are supposed to be practical for everyone and not dictatorial. The pieces should really blend into their own concept!

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The

perfect arrangement FLOS collaborated with Studio SVENM to showcase an installation called Arrangements by designer Michael Anastassiades at Dubai Design Week

C

onceived as pure geometric lights drawing multiple combinations of elegant jewel-like chandeliers, Arrangements is a stunning lighting system, which looks like a piece of art. This installation was one of the highlights at the recently concluded Dubai Design Week (November 1318, 2017). Design Middle East spoke to the artist and designer, Michael Anastassiades, about the installation and his future plans.

What is the design highlight of the installation—Arrangements?

I have always been fascinated with the parallel that exists between lighting and jewellery, and

Arrangements is based on this concept only. It’s a modular system of geometric light elements that could be combined in different ways, creating multiple compositions into individual chandeliers. Each unit simply attaches onto the previous one as if resting, balancing perfectly as part of a glowing chain.

Michael Anastassiades

What made you showcase at Dubai Design Week?

How was your experience at Dubai Design Week?

We decided to choose Dubai as the first city after Milan and New York where the project was first featured in April/May this year because there’s an incredible audience for design here. Dubai is indeed a blank canvas with so many creative opportunities.

I was able to just capture the beginning of it but from what I saw there is a very interesting programme ahead. It features design on both a local and an international level. This takes place in a few locations around the city with participation from a great selection of design practices.

Are you working on any other project in the region?

Arrangements look like a piece of jewellery that hangs from a chain worn round the neck , and a light designed to hang from the ceiling

I’d definitely like to come back as I only managed to get a taste of things during the two days I was here. I already had conversations on potential collaborations and projects and I was even asked to participate in the future editions of Dubai Design week. I very much look forward to it.

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SHOW REPORT

Luxury with local

design spin S

aluting the spirit of emerging designers, Design Ras Al Khor (DRAK), returned this year with their ‘Industry To Luxury’ theme during the Dubai Design Week. The four main design projects by upcoming and emerging local and regional based designers, including Aya Al Bitar, Omar Nakkash, Ammar Al Attar, and Farah Nasri were showcased at the event. Design Middle East spoke to this young brigade of designers about their participation and future plans.

to one space. This is my first time to participate in DRAK, it was a well put together show. It’s one of the very few times that I participated with other designers, so this gave me a chance to widen my horizon.

Brief of the design project

Ammar Al Attar Thoughts on participating with DRAK… DRAK is an interesting platform, which brings creative from different categories of creativity

Aya Al Bitar Thoughts on participating with DRAK… I truly enjoyed working on this project with them as their concept focussed strongly on research and concept development; which is very much overlooked in today's design world; most things have become very commercial. DRAK, on the other hand, has a deep and strong perspective on Design that pushed me to look deeper into the Essence of my design and develop it thoroughly.

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The main idea of my project was the old houses ornaments that were used in the Gulf coast from UAE to Kuwait. I’m a photographer so my work was mostly photography, and in this project, I used new technique in printing. I used alternative photography printing technique to print the photos, scans and archival images that I collected to showcase my idea.

Future plans I’m planning to work more on this project honestly because I see a lot of potential in it, also I might showcase in various other places in Dubai. I’m also showing some other works next month in Sharjah Islamic Art festival.

Brief of the design project The concept behind my piece targets the idea of spinning tops; an item that was once used by the wealthy. The first spinning top was found in Iraq in the tomb in King Tut. Most famous paintings show young wealthy children playing with them as toys. Spinning tops eventually became a mainstream object that was massproduced and retails available to everyone.

My idea was to bring back what was once a valuable item by using a luxurious high-end material corian.

Future plans I would also like to develop this piece in specific a little bit more and hopefully create a collection of them.

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Farah Nasri Thoughts on participating with DRAK… DRAK was a collaborative effort. It makes you feel like you are a part of an artistic community or family. It’s great to be able to bounce ideas with like-minded people and this allowed me to think more openly and maybe even differently than the way I usually work. I was particularly impressed

by DRAK's mindset of being inspired from within, instead of looking out; we looked at the context of Ras Al Khor and reinterpreted luxury today.

Brief of the design project I worked on drawing parallels between Ras Al Khor's lagoon and ancient Egypt’s Nile, the wild birds, water, and wild plants of Ras Al Khor were abstracted into a lettering system, similar to that

Omar Nakkash Thoughts on participating with DRAK...

It was a pleasure participating in DRAK, the theme of this edition was a powerful and challenging one. It’s interesting to understand the different design process of other designers and see how the different interpretations of the same theme.

Brief of the design project Byōbu, is a Japanese screen that directly translates

of ancient Egypt’s hieroglyphs which served as protective jewellery for the wearer. I was fascinated by the idea that jewellery was once not made just for aesthetic or material value (luxury), but for its symbolic meaning and healing powers. I created the ‘Truth Talisman’ that is a raw brass brooch granting its wearer the ability to see truth.

I also made ‘Life Talisman’ that is a pair of raw brass and steel earrings granting a long life to their wearer, and ‘Strength Talisman’ is a pair of raw brass earrings granting strength to their wearer.

Future plans I would like to continue with the Talismans I have started creating through DRAK, creating jewellery of symbolic meaning for its wearer. I’m interested in delving further into this kind of mystery.

into ‘wind wall’. The original purpose of the screen was to block drafts in traditional open layout in Japanese homes. As the popularity of byōbu rose, samurai lords displayed screens in their homes as symbols of wealth and power. As a result, byōbu began to be made using striking gold leaf backgrounds and more colorful painting techniques. My definition of luxury revolves heavily around the concept of privacy. This intangible luxury is translated into a screen that plays on the paradox of luxurious materials and industrial materials, since I used gold leaf on one side (luxury)

and the frame is made out of congregated steel tubes (industrial).

Future plans I am an interior designer by trade, so I will continue to focus on my residential and commercial projects, and will further my interest and research into product design.

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SHOW REPORT

Innovative workspaces Bene’s PIXEL made its Middle East debut at the Downtown Design

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orkspace innovation grabbed its share of limelight at the recently concluded Downtown Design, which took place from November 14-17, 2017, at Dubai Design District.

Bene, the global specialist in the design and furnishing of offices, unveiled their PIXEL concept at the event featuring latest innovations and flexible workspaces. Design Middle East chats with Juergen Loeschenkohl, Bene’s director UK and Ireland, MEA and India, Far East, and Australia, about their latest collection and biophilia in workspaces.

What the new collection PIXEL is all about?

The PIXEL is the latest in our growing line of innovative workspace solutions. It’s a simple but highly adaptable box that can be combined to serve as a storage container, bookcase, tiered seating, table or chair. It’s really perfect for workshops and studios, and complements almost every office space, however, utilitarian or luxurious it may be.

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Describe the concept of Biophilia in workspace?

Biophillia is the idea that humans possess a deeprooted need to connect with others and their natural environment. The theory is an integral part of modern sustainable design, particularly in supporting people’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. This is a very important objective within contemporary work environments.

How was your experience Downtown Design?

at

This was our first time participating at Downtown Design, and the experience has been a highly positive one. In addition to showcasing our latest innovations, we’ve been able to engage with various audiences on a far more intimate level than expected.

What are your expectations from this event?

Our participation at Downtown Design is an early celebration of our new showroom’s opening

Juergen Loeschenkohl

in the Dubai Design District on December 12, 2017. Although we have been in the UAE for 14 years, this event gave us an opportunity to come together with the city’s design community, share our new ideas, and hopefully make a positive difference to work environments across the country and wider region.

What are your plans for 2018 for this region?

The Middle East is a big priority for Bene, and our decision to use Dubai as a hub for serving the region is highly strategic. The opening of our new showroom is a further step in our expansion plans, allowing us to benefit from the growing culture of innovation within Dubai’s design scene.

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All eyes on you!

Serip Organic Lighting, a Portuguese lighting brand, won hearts of design enthusiasts as they showcased their creations in truly nature-inspired organic shapes at the Downtown Design

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WISH LIST

Steal the limelight!

These martini cluster lights

by Viso are fun and funky.

Availability: Contact sales manager, Dima Al Khoury on +971505583063

Mirror effect Rattan mirror by Kelly Hoppen MBE is a charming addition to your wall.

Availability: www.kellyhoppen.com

Create some drama Design that brings glow and glamour to your living space

Pride and spike Light up your living area with this neutron pendant light by Timothy Oulton.

Availability: Marina Home, Mall of The Emirates

Admire the beauty The use of local oxides and gold components gives the mapa centerpiece unique effects.

Availability: Natuzzi, Sheikh Zayed Road, between 2nd and 3rd Interchange, Dubai

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Designs that inspire From sofa, to table, and pendant light, each of these design pieces are unique and fabulous.

Availability: Nakkash Gallery, Dubai Design District

Creative calligraphy Iconic furniture pieces by designers Nadine Kanso and Fadi Sarieddine from their collection 'Khawatir'.

Availability: Concept Store, Dubai Design District.

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WISH LIST

Class apart Florea bar cabinet by Arte Veneziana is an epitome of luxury and desire.

Availability: Contact Luana Zillio on +971567480610

Magic of class Macrame coffee table by Fiam comprises of handinterwoven spun glass base and has a striking design appeal.

Availability: Aati, Za’abeel Road, Dubai

Pretty in pink This royal looking pink arm chair takes design to another level.

Availability: Kare, Oud Metha Road, Dubai

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Inspired by gardens This awe-inspiring decorative chandelier is what dreams are made of.

Availability: Preciosa, Dubai Design District

Simple is beautiful This wooden stool with intricate carving is the perfect addition to a classical setting.

Availability: Across all the IDdesign showrooms in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

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EVENTS

THE MONTH AHEAD

Trade fair dates for your diary…

EVENT IN FOCUS Heimtextil 2018 9-12 January 2018 Frankfurt, Germany

Heimtextil is an annual international trade fair for home and contract textiles, setting standards for the year for the textile industry, seeing a solid presence of exhibitors and visitors from all five continents and high demand from trade areas of interior design, design, and architecture. Organised by Messe Frankfurt, Heimtextil offers a wide range of home textiles of bath, bed, and table textiles to product offerings for windows, upholstery, floors, walls, and sun protection. In particular, the new collections of decorative and upholstery fabrics, bathroom textiles, and wallcoverings come across great interest which results in very good fair contacts and a pleasing order business for the exhibitors.

Top Drawer Spring/Summer 14-16 January 2018 London, United Kingdom

Top Drawer is a leading retail trade event for creative lifestyle buyers, showcasing a curated edit of 1500 brands to top international retailers. The event will encompass sectors like home, gift, fashion, greetings and stationery, children’s products, wellbeing, crafts, and food emporium. Top Drawer provides unique access to this season’s hottest new design-led products giving buyers the ultimate choice for a successful season. It combines the most stylish gift brands from the UK and Europe with high-end buyers.

IMM 2018

15-21 January 2018 Cologne, Germany IMM Cologne is an annual event, with each odd year hosting Living Kitchens and even year getting Living Interiors, as two concurrent shows. The 2018 edition will showcase Living Interiors. Living Interiors showcases products like bathrooms, ceramics, flooring, wall coverings, and lighting. The event will be attended by designers, office fitters, furniture consultants, furniture trade, retailers, department stores and mail-order companies, amongst others. At IMM Cologne, visitors will find a unique variety of interior design ideas for every room, every style, and every requirement, from the basics, all the way to designer items and luxury furnishings.

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Maison & Object

19-23 January 2018 Paris, France The biannual French trade fair presents household goods and decorations, where visitors can learn the detailed and comprehensive information on the latest trends and products in the industry. Since September 2016, the three trend consultants of the Maison & Objet Observatory have taken turns designing the Inspirations Forum to bring the edition’s concept to life, sharing their own personal vision of the collective work carried out all year round. In January 2018, it is Agence NellyRodi’s turn to design the inspirations space and the bookshop-café on the concept ‘Showroom’.

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SUPPLIERS FOCUS

The

ideal bathrooms How has 2017 been for you?

I am pleased to say that 2017 has been an eventful and successful year for us. Being involved with some of the most prestigious projects in the Gulf has helped to reinforce our market presence and brand loyalty with our customer base. Our Design Bathroom Centre had a very successful first year of operation, where many professionals as well as end consumers had the opportunity to explore our portfolio. 2017 is notable for our launches, like Connect Air, a multi-product collection by Robin Levien that embodies the minimalistic trend for sleek and slim line interiors; Ceraflex, our range of mixers that features Firmaflow ceramic disc cartridge, our latest extra robust and resistant cartridge. Our revolutionary AquaBlade flushing technology had a great year, winning different prestigious awards.

What are the latest bathroom trends?

Bathrooms today have evolved from washrooms to more elaborate showpieces with high technical and aesthetic standards. The space should be

Kostas Kandarakis, marketing manager from Ideal Standard talks the bathroom trends, new innovative products, and his experience at Downtown Design

functional, cost effective and at the same time welcoming and engaging for its users. Featuring natural beauty, taking aspects of nature and transforming them into functional shapes is a major trend. Introducing advanced technology in the bathroom has become increasingly important.

What are the products you are launching in 2018?

Beginning of the year, we are launching Ipalyss vessel range featuring Ideal Standard’s latest innovation in ultra-thin ceramic material, Diamatec. Expanding the very successful Idealrain family shower accessories, at Downtown Design we presented the new Idealrain Evo and Evo jet shower kits and handsprays. Idealrain Evo handsprays have 3 spray patterns, rain, fine rain and massage, while Evo Jet takes it one step further with rain, drop-jet and intense massage modes.

How was your experience Downtown Design?

at

Our decision to participate in Dubai’s Downtown

Kostas Kandarakis

Design was a strategic one. The event provided us with the opportunity to interact with architects, contractors, engineers and other professionals.

They are showing particular interest in our pioneering designs and technology innovations on display and their relevance to specifications of the MENA region for hygiene, water and energy saving. I believe that through our participation we have created the right impressions and aroused necessary interest. The show provided a practical networking opportunity and we expect positive feedback and genuine business enquiries in the coming months.

Contact: T: +971 4 804 2400 E: KKandarakis@idealstandard.com W: www.idealstandardgulf.com

PICK OF THE MONTH

Gold and beautiful This one is masterpiece for sure! The mannequin floor lamp is designed by the Italian home dĂŠcor, Goshhh!!!. Every item created by the designers, Lydia and Luca has been inspired by antique elements from around the world. O concept store feature two pieces from the mannequin floor lamp collection - Filthy Rich and I'm A Star. Each of the mannequin floor lamps weighs 15kg and is 185cm in height, approximately. The designers have personally hand painted and decorated this piece of quirky pop art. Goshhh!!! creates one-of-a-kind exciting up-cycled, bespoke furniture and home accessories.

Price: AED 12,800 Availability: O concept store, Shop No. 2, Beach Hotel Apartment, Al Hudaibah Road, Dubai

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January 9 – 12, 2018

MAD ABOUT

TEXTILES EXPERIENCE THE ENTIRE WORLD OF HOME AND CONTRACT TEXTILES.

Around 3,000 exhibitors, 69,000 trade visitors and the whole trade fair team all share the same passion at Heimtextil in Frankfurt! Discover the latest trends in colours, patterns and materials. Be inspired and fascinated at the world’s largest trade fair for home and contract textiles.

TICKETS NOW AT ADVANCE SALE PRICES: heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com mary.ann.romano@uae.messefrankfurt.com | Tel. +971 4 389 45 00

CERAFLEX

®

The smart choice for reliable fittings

Hot Water Limiter

Easy Fix

With its simple, clear-cut, yet modern lines, Ceraflex® is designed to complement any bathroom or kitchen, although the big difference is what‘s inside. At the heart of Ceraflex® is our brand new ceramic cartridge, Firmaflow®. Our best cartridge ever, it delivers substantial cost savings because it saves water and lasts almost twice as long as the industry standard, giving you 10 to 15 years of regular daily use.

QATAR: MOHAMMED YOUSUF KAFOOD & SONS Doha +974 4 463 7777 www.kafood.com IRAQ: AL TAIBOON GROUP Baghdad +964 7 901 364026 www.altaiboon.com

KUWAIT: ALSHAYA ENTERPRISES™ Kuwait +965 2 224 2299 www.alshayaenterprises.com LEBANON: ETS. ABDULRAHIM DIAB S.A.L. Beirut-Unesco +961 0 186 8146/7 Beirut-Jdeideh +961 0 125 4294/5/6 www.abdulrahimdiab.com SALAMEH CERAMICA Beirut +961 1 852 285 / +961 1 851 385 www.salamehceramica.com

SAUDI: AL-GHAMDI CO. FOR SANITARY WARES Riyadh +966 11 4646279 Jeddah +966 12 6696263 Dammam +966 13 8340248 www.amghamdi.com BAHRAIN: MARMARA TRADING Co. Bahrain +973 1773 7735 www.marmaratrading.com

OMAN: MAIN DISTRIBUTOR BAHWAN BUILDING MATERIALS LLC Muscat +968 2 465 0000 www.suhailbahwangroup.com DISTRIBUTOR ALSHAYA ENTERPRISES™ Muscat +968 2 461 9681/3 www.alshayaenterprises.com

IDEAL STANDARD GULF FZCO Jebel Ali, Dubai, P.O. Box 261559, United Arab Emirates, Tel. +971 4 804 2400, www.idealstandardgulf.com IDEAL STANDARD DESIGN BATHROOM CENTRE Flash Star Sanitary Ware Trading LLC, Jabal Ali Bldg., Al Quoz 3, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai, P.O. Box 38430, United Arab Emirates, Tel. +971 4 309 6000

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UAE: SULTACO Dubai +971 4 338 5929 Abu Dhabi +971 2 633 4425 Al Ain +971 3 763 1609 Sharjah +971 6 575 9878 www.sultaco.com JORDAN: AL MUNA Co. Amman +962 6 554 8851 www.al-munaco.com