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Rabah Saied, Founder of Styled Habitat Having recently completed The Rug Company Bungalow in Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE – which pays homage to the cherished mid-century villas on Al Wasl Road that were built in the 1980s – Saied and her team are currently pursuing several projects. These include a new international health and wellness centre envisioned as ‘an Eden of high-tech cosmetics’, F&B projects in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi and a select number of residential renovation projects in Dubai. She also was behind the new Nordic Homeworx showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Saied and her team have additionally completed a new F&B Concept in Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, focused on building a community. “We have a profound appreciation for the exceptional and the extraordinary, we constantly seek projects that push our creative limits, and we revel in the exquisite allure of genuine originality,” she shares. The studio’s design philosophy can be defined by designing in the tension that plays out between restrained, understated elegance, sensual attraction and the warmth of belonging. “Our creative journey begins with understanding context and history. This often drives our design narrative and guides us on how best we can weave this into a space,” Saied notes, adding that working in alignment with the studio values – which are defined by individuality, passion, discretion and intimacy – as empowering.
Rania Hamed, Founder of VSHD Design
Photography by Siddharth Siva
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The designer behind the successful co-living building Upside, the Origami Sushi restaurant in Jumeirah and the brutalist-style Soub, Hamed is currently working on a Bulgari residence in Dubai, UAE and a coffee shop in California, U.S. called Intuition. A dream project for her and her team would be to design a museum. “As museums are repositories of history, art and culture, we would be thrilled to contribute to the preservation and celebration of human creativity and knowledge – which are two aspects our studio is quite fond of,” she shares. The studio has a very distinctive house style and design philosophy that focuses on the presence of form in bold brutal proportions. The studio’s design process is also characterised by meticulous research. “I am drawn to materials that age gracefully and develop a patina over time, such as concrete, timber and stone – authentic materials that tell a story as they interact with their environment, adding depth and character to the space,” Hamed comments. When asked what empowers her and her team, Hamed states, “Myself and my team are empowered by our combined creative vision, strategic planning, skilled execution and our client-focused practices.”
identity.ae
31/01/2025 5:01 PM