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An ITP Business Publication April Vol. 9 Issue 4

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CONTENTS

www.designmena.com4 APRIL 2013 | Commercial Interior Design

April 2013

10 DESIGN UPDATEA round up of the latest design news in the MENA region including the recent opening of a homey Portuguese restaurant in Bur Dubai, Dorma’s new Dubai showroom, as well as Gerald Taylor’s talk on technology and the workplace

INDUSTRY SPEAKCID asks a wide range of local experts whether regional branded designer products are good for the industry or just an easy way for designers and suppliers to get their name out in the market

DESIGNER Q&ALebanese furniture designer Nada Debs speaks to CID about her furniture collections and how her multi-cultural background has helped blend traditions and styles from Middle Eastern patterns to Western modernity and Japanese minimalism CASE STUDYBringing back the standalone boutique culture of fashion to the industrial surroundings of Al Quoz, The cARTel is a retail space in Al Serkal Avenue, unlike any fashion store in the city with a black and white colour scheme and futuristic touches

CASE STUDYCID explores HBA’s masterful fusion of Mediterranean, Arabian beach and Beaux-Arts influences at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island resort in Abu Dhabi, notable for its soft natural palette of creams, blues and golds and a heady mixture of sumptuous and luxurious materials

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 4

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CONTENTS


52 SHOW REPORT The second year of Dubai’s exciting trade fair Design Days Dubai introduced an even larger presentation of galleries and pieces. CID visited the four-day event to determine the collectible design market in the UAE and spot the unique pieces of creative furniture designers that are hard to find on a regular day in the city

FEATUREThis month’s feature explores the hospitality design sector in the Middle East with a special focus on technological advancement and its effect on hotel spaces and visitors, the eclectic mix of styles as well as leading products that have supplied the many lux-urious hotels across the Middle East from Dubai to Manama

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOWAn in-depth look at the suppliers you should know in the bathroom industry with a section outlining new trend developments for this year’s products and styles. Companies include Delta Faucet, Roca, Geberit, Hansgrohe, Artecasa and TOTO

PRODUCTSThe hippest and sleekest items on the market, ranging from lighting, furniture, to the latest developments in modern bathroom design

OPINIONSylvie Johnson, textile designer and creator of Sylvie Johnson Haute Couture, speaks about the most important elements in interiors today

88

5246

63

71

63

79

Oculus /

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers

Lasvit [las’vit]

– noun

Origin: Czech Republic

Meaning: love and light

– Designer and manufacturer of decorative bespoke light sculptures and glass art installations for the world’s hotels, restaurants, palaces, and

other public areas

– The emotion felt when embracing true beauty and radiance in the same moment

Light — Design — Experience

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COMMENT


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L ast month was certainly a busy one for the region's design industry. The big event was, of course, Design Days Dubai, the subject of our cover story. The 2013 installment was even bet-

ter than last year’s inaugural show, with some absolutely stunning pieces on display.

My personal favourite was an incredible installation called Analog Project by Italian duo Andrea Mancuso and

iconic furniture pieces, but is in fact a computer gener-

CID, show director Cyril Zammit emphasised how Design Days is

clear there is a passionate creative community that is highly active. The creative

ago, signalling that the emirate has a growing appetite for good design.

continue with Cityscape Abu Dhabi in April and Index the following month.

Objects of Desire, now in its third year. This time around we’ve discovered so many innovative pieces created by local designers that we’re spoiled for choice.

in touch with the team at Commercial Interior Design.

Moving on up

OLIVER EPHGRAVE [email protected]

Receive Commercial Interior Designevery month. To subscribe, pleasevisit: www.itp.com/subscriptions

Cover image:

Design Days

Dubai. Photo by

DESIGN UPDATE


PRECIOSA HOSTED A WORKSHOP FOR DUBAI’S DESIGN INDUSTRY TO ILLUSTRATE THE FIRM’S HISTORY OF DECORATIVE LIGHTING IN THE MODERN AGE

Guiding light

controlling light intensity, colour and music synchronisation.

Bejvl explained that the purpose of the presentation was to show the wide range of capabilities in lighting design and to illustrate Preciosa’s concept creations for numerous projects, highlighting the method of creating a philoso-phy prior to the actual creation and design of a certain project.

He also mentioned that Preciosa believes strongly in nurturing

young designers and training them at an early stage. Looking at projects by young talent in the region, Bejvl said: “I have seen a few examples and I think that in-novation is not missing at all here which is a positive sign. [Young designers] know how to present their work and thoughts.”

Standing in the dimly lit upper

through slides, explaining how

tional lighting is no longer the only design focus for Preciosa.

“Decorative lighting is not only about the classical anymore. It now combines contemporary design,” he commented.

Leading the presentation was Preciosa’s chief designer, Jaroslav Bejvl, who explained how the com-pany’s designs are now integrating contemporary elements and mod-ern technologies through the use of lighting systems, interactivity,

UAE: The world appears to be advancing at breakneck speed and the design world is now trying to catch up. Bearing this in mind,

hosted a workshop on March 5,

shop, inviting Dubai’s design crowd to discover the changing concepts of lighting design.

decorative lighting, managing director Ondrej Soska said tradi-

DESIGN UPDATE

www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design | APRIL 2013 11

Preciosa’s long history of classical design. He explained that when the company started out with very classical chandeliers, the focus was mainly on retail but with the rise of commissioned projects, the

-cial design and with that came the adaptation to modern technology, which in turn created new ideas and concepts.

“We had to learn everything from the beginning,” he said. “How to communicate ideas to a new type of customer, how to cre-ate concepts that are based on a philosophy and learning to respect the requirements of the client. We had to start thinking of space as an architectural object and not as

He added: “The environment in which we are working is shaping us,” he said. “And working with a lot of young people, there is always a continuum of new ideas. It is a logical step for us when we want to develop further with the advancement in technology.”

One of the innovative designs that stood out was the Flamentum, a chandelier designed by Bejvl himself. The piece appears to create illusionary images through spots of light; however, Bejvl explained that the impression is created through a creative lighting solution. “The chandelier has a frame but you don’t see it because you are concentrating on

pearls which are made in different lengths that create the overall shape,” Bejvl explained.

He went on to say that the con-cept for the Flamentum is based on lightness. Due to the movement of the crystal, different shapes can be created, with the light enabling many versions. “When it’s properly installed and you have it on eye level, it starts to communicate with you and the surrounding space,” he added.

Moving onto the topic of lighting design in the Middle East, where Preciosa has worked on a large number of projects, Bejvl commented: “When it comes to modern design, demand in the Middle East is similar to everywhere else in the world but

when it comes to classical design,

He added: “For many years we have been perceived as a classical chandelier manufacturer and the more unusual projects were done for the Middle East, mixed with the classical Arabic style.”

Speaking of lighting trends, Bejvl stated that minimalism and

market, and the combination of decorative lighting with technical architectural lighting is a form that is becoming very popular.

“It’s good to have innovative and unique ideas,” he said.

“But at the same time, if you

should know how to be humble,” Bejvl concluded.

DESIGN UPDATE


INDIGO LIVING UNVEILS ITS FIRST 2013 COLLEC-TION INSPIRED BY THE CATWALK AND THE VIBRANT COLOURS OF SPRING

Living it up

UAE:-

-

-

-

-

-

-

NORDIC FURNITURE BRAND ISKU PLANTS ROOTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The Finnish Line

ings and co-ordination with other

It is challenging to create a mid-dle ground where school furniture

to have a long lifetime, work in

-

students and e-learning software

issues, Isku creates pilot project

-

of learning and how to use the

Isku is one of the companies involved in the Future Learning Finland programme, a project

Spreading its reach, in the UAE Isku provided desks and chairs for

-

projects, ranging from pre-schools

-

it can assume shapes traditional

side detail where two planes over-

-

-

hot seller, Isku regards achieve-

-

from other manufacturers in that it designs and produces 95% of

wants to keep it in Finland rather

interior architects in Finland, Isku offers full interior design services in conjunction to furniture offer-

-

UAE: In Finland, it is said that

vanguard of functionalism and

-

DESIGN UPDATE


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Kempinski Hotel, Manama, Bahrain

gral magnet, was a collaboration with the Aalto University’s School of Art, Design and Architecture.

Olin noted that Isku and the University work together on at least two projects a year. Oc-casionally, a project idea is taken into production. While looking for new solutions for school environ-ments, one of the students came up with the idea for Mukula. It was an immediate hit.

Later, Isku furthered the idea to add a educational value for younger students; they made the stools in geometric shapes – tri-angles, circles, and squares.

Mukula and Kaava both re-ceived honorary mentions in the international design competition 2012 Fennia Prize.

for dense areas. An 11m2 area

yields four work spaces. With ca-bling hidden inside partition wall voids and a horizontally sliding desk surface, Stone has a clean, simple aesthetic. Furthermore, the desk height is adjustable elec-tronically and acoustic provisions are included within the partition walls and cabinets.

Although public furnishings are Isku’s core business, it also designs and manufactures residential products and a sleek kitchen line called Kokopuu.

With its collaborative spirit and interest in international dis-semination of design, it was only natural that Isku plant roots in the Middle East. With locations primarily concentrated in Finland, Sweden, Russia and the Baltics, Isku celebrates a new location in Dubai and has future plans to open a Saudi Arabian venue.

DESIGN UPDATE


Geberit concealed cisterns

Safely hidden behind the wall, with a Geberit concealed cistern only the actuator plate is visible. Geberit‘s in

formance and with a wide range of design solutions give you the aesthetic freedom to create the bathroom you have always wanted.

Hidden

vation

DESIGN UPDATE


STEELCASE OFFERS INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE ON HOW TECHNOLOGY INFLUENCES OFFICE DESIGN

Tech talk

Available with an HD videocon-ferencing option, external team members can view and interact with content and each other simul-taneously, as if they were in the same room at the same time.

In fact, a videoconferencing session was held during the event with German-based Christian Neubauer, Steelcase’s product manager MEMEA category leader

for integrated technologies. The experience was comfortable and seamless. media:scape’s design took into consideration more inclusive and natural sightlines in comparison to older videoconfer-encing models.

media:scape is available in ad-

formation, a wheeled mobile cart, and a table-top version. Designed

and control is the new status

choose where and how they work.”

hasn’t developed without hiccups. Transient workers and virtual teams need the right tools and space to effectively connect.

An integrated furniture range by Steelcase, media:scape is designed with media solutions to foster collaboration and connec-tion. media:scape is comprised of tables with co-ordinated media housings, and a distinctive interac-tive ‘puck’ to connect a laptop. Whiteboards can be part of the system too.

Compared with the old axial conference table model where the VGA cable holder held power over the media and the meeting, media:scape table shapes are or-ganic to promote equality instead of hierarchy. The puck allows all team members to share. One puck serves one laptop, so multiple pucks can be accommodated.

UAE: Steelcase’s Dubai showroom at Design House was the venue of ‘Technology Tuesday’, an interac-tive dialogue on technology and design among architecture and interior design representatives in the local community.

A Steelcase initiative supported

on March 12, 2013, addressed the topic of how technology is the single greatest force driving the changes in the way we work, live

Technology Tuesday’s forum fo-cused on two germane workplace issues: real estate optimisation and enhancing collaboration. It noted the bygone ways of station-ary, dedicated cubicles and im-mobile data supports.

Back then, technology “embed-ded in that environment rather than bringing it to the environ-ment”, noted Christopher Buck, Steelcase managing director Middle East.

Changes in technology have given rise to smaller work spaces

monitors, or even no computers as many employees work with a laptop. With an increased mobile workforce, many companies have

parking spots that can accommo-date multiple mobile employees at phased intervals. Hot desking minimises work spaces as well as area requirements.

Space gained by condensing workspaces is being integrated

form of new shared spaces, or in-between spaces. Creating a setting ripe for team collaboration invites creativity and innovation. These areas are also where employees prefer to work.

Steelcase attested: “Choice

DESIGN UPDATE


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DESIGN UPDATE


NOWY STYL’S ERANGE OFFICE FURNITURE IS INSPIRED BY MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY

All in the details

UAE: The expression ‘design is in the details’ is an appropriate way

-lution’s executive furniture system manufactured in Poland.

-orated with London design studio Platform to create a system that

modern and discreet.-

tion draws from modern-day technology itself — ergonomic

Phillips. The ‘e’ in eRange refers to its association with state-of-the-art electronics.

Oberfell and Jan Wertel, trained with the designer of Apple’s iMac,

-ence is apparent. With its reduced form and understated organic lines, eRange physically expresses ties between modern day and Bauhaus-era functionalism.

Despite its attractive design, much of eRange’s allure resides in what one doesn’t see — or hear.

Cabling mechanisms completely hidden inside the furniture’s struc-tural components offer a sleek and ergonomically considered

drawers are standard on eRange’s

desks, pedestals and side boards. Door and drawer hardware were dismissed in favour of clean lines and a gentle push-to-open mecha-nism. Top quality leather lines its desk drawer interior and provides a textural contrast to the sheen of the frame and wood veneer desk top. eRange’s primarily neutral palette options of white, black or grey are offset by a myriad of wood

cabinetry options.A perfect partner to eRange is

with orthopaedic specialists to

Coined as ‘intelligent sitting comfort’ or ‘dynamic sitting’,

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portfolio, share eRange’s quest for simple, elegant design. Finished

designs for the discerning client.

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DESIGN UPDATE


DORMA’S DUBAI SHOWROOM PRESENTS DESIGN SUPPLY IN AN ORIGINAL FORMAT

Opening doors

UAE: On the busy Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai alongside luxury car brand showrooms, Dorma has unveiled its ‘World of Access’, a 280m2 celebration of its doors in a sleekly designed setting. A gallery of sorts for all that links space A to space B, it aims to present Dorma’s full potential.

The man behind the project concept is Mario Dreissman, who explained: “What we see is the aspect of design and aesthetics becoming more and more impor-tant, that the entire surround of the door looks appealing.

“We see a gap, and a showroom is a great way to communicate that and to really provide a forum for

exchange within the community. That’s the key idea, and from there you start to develop a concept.”

market to bellwether the concept. Whereas in Dubai the company’s market share varies between 20-40% depending on the product, in the US it is apparently tiny. “It was a 1927 building with no electricity, no lighting, nothing, bare walls.”

For its second and latest show-room Dorma partnered with Becc on the design, which is the leading exhibition agency for Škoda and was responsible for the renovation of BMW World — one of the most famous showrooms in Europe.

The choice of Dubai represents an expectation of a stronger focus on interiors in the region, along with the founding of a group interior division, as the building market shifts towards renovation.

“We built a mock-up at our plant in Ennepetal, Germany, which was expensive but it paid to get the feedback on the concept. For ex-ample, the lighting was too hot, so for green reasons we went to LED lighting, and we won the German Design Award for communication,” Dreissman explained.

“We also have all kinds of

on display there, so everything that the designer as a target audi-

ence might want is there for them to be able to touch and feel.”

The location on Dubai’s arterial route is aimed at architects and designers to head there for a quick

the showroom aside from the dusty industrial zones premises.

“We believed that we needed to be closer to our customer, as well as their natural environment, and the feedback we have got so far is very positive. Many people are curious because it is new, it is something people talk about. One experience we had in New York and expect here too is that even our competitors will come and visit us, because it is so new,” he said.

DESIGN UPDATE


DESIGNER’S REPORT EXPLAINS HOW RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES ARE REDEFINING WORKPLACE DESIGN

Thinking ahead

UAE: As the invasion of the cloud and new technology into the workplace continues, employees

themselves working together, each with very different attitudes towards the technology they use. This difference in behaviour has a direct impact on interior and prod-uct designers, who have to cater to the variety of needs by translating

Gerald Taylor, founder of Gerard Taylor Design and creative director of Orangebox, recently published a report entitled ‘Boomers & Mil-lennials’ on why the new global economy, the consumerisation of workplace technology and genera-tions seeing the world differently, have revolutionised the workplace.

During a recent trip to UAE, Tay-lor held a talk for CoreNet Global members on these trends and explained his research further. He said: “We are trying to draw a map because we believe that the world that we are living in is changing at such a [fast] pace. As a furniture company, how will we know the

He explained that the techno-logical changes discussed in his report are occurring very quickly in Europe and USA compared to the rest of the world, which is a

who work in those regions. Adapt-ing and responding to these quick changes is paramount.

Taylor emphasised how neces-sary it is for designers to be open to new ideas. “This business means making relationships with clients. Our future depends on making the right judgement calls

The global economy is the

added, “You can’t stop this train,

but you can miss it. The new gen-

Questions which Taylor explained all designers need to think about were: “How will work

increasingly moving away from a

-ing to the needs of the 45-year-old

-

There are differences in atti-tudes towards working and design-ers need to deal with it as these differences are neither good nor bad, according to Taylor. “With the new workplace, we are connecting

“Societies change quickly so you’d think that by now, we would be good at change. With interiors, generations before us experienced a lot of change. But we’re really

Taylor introduced the phrase

why people do not respond to change very well, and explained it through a moment in design history. “When Herman Miller

wheeled it out, the response was, -

want me to say we’re going to buy -

ated vitriol. Herman Miller — all credit to a great company, and probably because they had spent so much money by then — went ahead with it [anyway]. And it

upped the benchmark as to what you can expect from technology in

-

He concluded: “There’s no es-

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A genuine Starck!The bathroom by Philippe Starck.

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DESIGN UPDATE


A WHIFF OF PORTUGAL’S KITCHENS CAN NOW BE EXPERIENCED IN DUBAI THANKS TO THE AUTHENTICALLY DESIGNED PICANTE RESTAURANT

Spice world

heartwarming, soul-comforting food prepared and enjoyed in Por-tuguese homes,” said Gohlan.

augmented by the ornate cement tiles on the walls and the counter, with all key materials sourced from the busy streets of Portugal.

“Simple wooden chairs in bright blues, reds and greens add a rich liveliness to the seating area, as do the giant terracotta pots with colourful spices,” Gohlan described. “The beautiful wooden tables have rustic maps of Portu-gal on them which reiterate the casual yet unkempt dining experi-ence Picante is trying to portray.”

Enabled to accommodate 90 guests, Gohlan added that the

open oven gives it that much more of an authentic feel.

“The interior is as welcoming and warm as the rich heritage that it pays homage to,” he said.

Although being a traditional dining space, Picante is still fresh and contemporary; offering a warm and relaxed ambiance reminiscent of the charming home eateries which are Portugal’s most discerning dining destinations.

Gohlan concluded: “Everything about Picante is welcoming and wholesome. We wanted to cre-ate a restaurant where families, friends and couples could feel at

with unmistakable Portuguese home-style hospitality.”

UAE: Blue shutters, lively ceramics and white netted curtains make up the new Portuguese restaurant Picante, located in Four Points by Sheraton in Bur Dubai.

Portraying a typical kitchen that could be found in bustling cities of Portugal, the design and cui-sine of Picante pays tribute to the freshness and rich spices of the Western European country.

“Like their cuisine, the Portu-guese prefer simple and authentic interiors,” said Sanjeev Gohlan, general manager, Four Points by Sheraton, Bur Dubai. “The theme revolves around robust and rustic décor where the homely atmo-sphere drives the brand to an uncomplicated comfort.”

He explained that in Portugal it is common for the chef to interact with guests, which encouraged the addition of an open kitchen design where the diners can watch the chef work the pots and pans.

Its large windows with striking blue louver shutters evokes a cool Mediterranean feel, creating a backdrop for the restaurant

through during the daytime. At night, dimmed accent lighting on the walls and tables create the perfect atmosphere for meals.

“Rich, heavy wooden furniture, colourful ceramic tiles and louvers, as well as our custom-built oven combined with the interactive kitchen, exemplify the

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A new bathroom conceptJORDAN. A. KAYYALI & CO ([email protected]) Tel. +962 65690016. KUWAIT. ABDUL AZIZ IBRAHIM AL-RUMAIH & COMPANY ([email protected])

Tel. +965 24848880. LEBANON. O-TEC CO. FOR SANITARY WARES & TILES S.A.L ([email protected]) Tel. +961 1868529. SAUDI ARABIA. MUHAMMAD

SALEH BAHARETH CO. ( MSB CO.)([email protected]) Tel. +966 26633462. U.A.E. - ABU DHABI. SANITARY MATERIALS CO.([email protected])

Tel. +971 26771363. U.A.E. – DUBAI. HAMAD RAHMA ABDULLA ALSHAMSI GENERAL TRADING ([email protected]) Tel. +971 42666429.

ROCA Sanitario,S.A. Gold & Diamond Park, Building 5, Office 111 . P.O. Box 282337, Al Quoz branch, Dubai, UAE . Tel. +971.4.347.6400

Christopher Sharp

Laila Al-Yousuf

Toni ElKadi

Ed Bakos

INDUSTRY SPEAK

28 APRIL 2013 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

ARE BRANDED DESIGNER PRODUCTS GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY?

BETTER TOGETHER

on whether something different was created or new design ter-ritory was traversed, versus a mainstream product created and a label attached.

Christopher Sharp, CEO and co-founder of The Rug Company, which carries a number of brand-ed designer collections, added: “We encourage the designers to suggest new ideas that challenge us and push our manufacturing techniques. We always say to the designers: ‘suggest anything and

realise your ideas’. We are not afraid of failure; not innovating is more disappointing.”

palimaud Design found inspira-tion to create a branded fabric line with clothier Holland & Sherry because they encountered a void in the marketplace and were un-able to source an existing product to meet their client’s needs.

Managing director Ed Bakos said: “When we were redesigning the Hotel Bel-Air we found it chal-

that was both luxurious and prac-tical, something that had sophis-tication and style. So our indoor/outdoor fabric was born.” Bakos added that Champalimaud crafts bespoke products for clients every day, so it was natural to move into product development.

Likewise, ceramic bathroom fur-niture giant Duravit collaborated with a designer whose design presented an insurmountable production challenge. Toni ElKadi, Duravit’s area manager for the UAE, Qatar and Oman indicated

The past decade or so has experienced burgeon-ing designer branding,

interior design industry. Many well-known designers have forged alliances with manufacturers to produce a branded product representative of their name or company, from ceramic tile lines to furniture and rug collections.

Commercial Interior Design asked industry stakeholders whether branded interior designer lines with manufacturers dilute the interior design profession to that of a sales scheme, or strengthen it by celebrating and promoting design success?

Interior designer Laila Al-Yousuf of Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, commented: “The key is to dif-ferentiate between a designer who is capable of leading new movements in our industry —

leaving a legacy behind where their products are still widely used — and a designer whose purpose is the commercialisation of their name.

“The former has researched, ex-plored and made it their mission to create a solution for a particular design challenge. This is what in turn inspires other designers, thereby changing our industry for the better. Meanwhile, the latter turns the ideas of design into a money making mockery of what our industry should be about.”

Perhaps the real challenge lies in the ability to differentiate between the two. One distinction, as Al-Yousuf suggested, hinges

INDUSTRY SPEAK

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AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL

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Offices for Botín Foundation

T he Botín Foundation originated in Spain in 1964 to ‘mitigate the needs and promote the so-cial development’ of Cantabria.

Today, nearly 50 years later the Founda-tion continues to contribute to the development of the society on all levels, detecting and promoting creative talent and exploring new ways to generate cultural, social and economic wealth.

After a stunning renovation project executed by MVN Arquitectos, the Foundation has recently opened its new

1920s, the building previously served as a Silversmith workshop before more recently being taken on as the Vinçon

department store. Project architects Di-ego Varela de Ugarte and Emilio Medina García were inspired by the building’s historic references, which led to their de-sign attempts to retain the spirit of the original industrial character. Exposure of the original steel and brickwork depicts the building’s past life and effectively contrasts with the new construction

oak, steel and glass.A key objective was to create an open

plan, warm space allowing natural light

structural change to the building and one of the most attractive features of the development is a two-storey high

atrium for the main lobby. One of the roof trusses was removed and replaced with a metal structure, creating an opening for the skylight over the atrium area. The direct daylight and plants in the lobby bring a great character to this meeting place. The ceiling is made up of longitudinal solid slats of American red oak and acoustic absorbent felt.

The red oak slats have a subtle colour variation, which adds great character and warmth to the open space. Further,

clear open space.MVN Arquitectos’ choice to use timber

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Arquitectos

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Double-height lobby

with reception desk in

the background

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AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL


PROJECT PARTICULARS

Architects: Diego Varela de Ugarte and Emilio Medina García MVN Arquitectos

Client: Fundación BotínCollaborators: Alfonso García del Rey, Laura Sánchez, María Pascu-al and Alicia Castilla, ArquitectosTechnical Architect: María Lamela MartínInterior design consultant: Juan Luis LíbanoContractor: Ferrovial

MoinsaFlooring: Parquets Román S.L.Doors and wall panels: TeisaPhotography: Alfonso Quiroga

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INTERVIEW


Commercial Interior Design | APRIL 2013 33

INTERVIEW

www.designmena.com

CID MEE TS NADA DEBS, A DESIGNER WHO FUSES JAPANESE, MIDDLE E A STERN AND MODERN TR ADIT IONS IN CONTEMPOR ARY FURNIT URE

Perfect blend

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INTERVIEW


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Nada Debs

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SLICE Console

outwards — a rather reversed hierarchy from a more typical approach of working from the shell of the space inwards. About her process, Debs adds: “Actu-ally, I think it should be that way. I think about what is really needed, and what’s functional, an emotional function.”

Debs found an emotional tie when returning to her Lebanese roots in Beirut after a 40 year absence. She discovered designs for modern Middle Eastern furniture to be almost nonexistent. This void made her determined to use her multi-cultural background to create furniture appealing to a global market.

However, she found the traditional Middle Eastern craft, although beauti-ful, wasn’t fascinating to people anymore. “When I saw how Middle East craft was done, it was over the top; ev-erything was crowded and ornamental. No one appreciated it. But there’s such beautiful workmanship put into it. We have to be able to see it. I needed to show it in a more minimalist way.

“That is what I’m trying to express in the work. I brought it down to its es-sence,” she explains.

By mixing the minimalism of Japanese design and the Arabesque patterns

H ad Rudyard Kipling met Nada Debs, he may not have penned his famous 1889 line “East is East and West is

West, and never the twain shall meet.”Debs grew up in Japan, studied in

the United States, started her company in the UK, and now lives and works in Lebanon. From what may appear to be an array of polar design forces, Debs has beautifully synthesised into contem-porary and high-quality interior furniture and accessories.

Although trained as an interior architect, Debs immediately gravitated towards furniture design, even though she only had one furniture design course at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She recalls her desire to design something that she could touch and feel; it needed to be a functional object. She explains: “When something is functional, you need it; it becomes

For Debs, it was a natural transition. In fact, when designing interiors, which she also offers, the starting point with a project is the furniture objects that are needed in the room rather than the interior space. From there, she works

found in marquetry, Debs created the East & East collection in 2000. The line is a harmonious combination of the Far East and Middle East.

She reveals: “In Japan, the philosophy ‘less is more’ is most evident. They pare things down to the minimum to express themselves.” So, she fused the crafts-manship from the Middle East with the purity of lines and simplicity of shape and form from Japanese design.

Debs’ designs utilise both traditional materials, such as walnut, oak, tin, brass and mother of pearl as well as contemporary materials like stainless steel, resin, concrete, laminate and wood acid-washing processes. “I like to play around. The idea is that furniture has to relate to our lifestyle. It can’t be seen as an antique thing of the past; it has to adapt to our living.”

She describes the process of tradi-tional Arabic marquetry, which origi-nated in Damascus: the craftsmen melt tin in a mould, form it into tubes, and then create strips by running it through a hand-operated machine. The strips are

fences,” Debs adds. The wood is further carved and the mother of pearl added.

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INTERVIEW


Her marquetry interpretations vary from

calligraphy, inlaid buttons, random linear expressions to more traditional Islamic patterning.

Through Debs’ designs, the company has helped encourage the preservation of local Arab craftsmanship, which is of high importance to her.

Debs explains that it is challenging

have the right personality — they have to be calm and patient. “It has to be in your DNA,” she opines.

She explains that it’s often a family business, and they actually have one family they work with — all of the sons and brother-in-laws included. They have added a few women to their hand-craft workforce as well.

One manufacturing challenge, she explains, is struggling with consistency. “Right now, I’m only manufacturing in the Arab world, and working with crafts-men. They don’t see things in a modern

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PEBBLE Low Table3

way. One time it works, the next time they don’t make the same thing. On the other hand, maybe that is the beauty of hand-made,” she muses.

Whereas Debs’ East & East Collection is a blending of primarily Japanese and

Collection mixes Western with Arabic

this line which best represents this bridging of Western and Eastern ap-proaches: the Pebble Table and the Star Arabesque Bookshelf.

“What I like is it appeals to people of all backgrounds. In a lot of my pieces,

their identity, whereas in Europe, they identify it with the exotic. Maybe in the States or in Asia it’s a functional thing — it’s a practical piece, not just something decorative to look at.”

The ‘Vintage Meets Arabesque’ line uses forms from the 50s and 60s. “I adapt with the times,” she remarks. She notes that a designer’s job is to feel

the collective needs of the people and analyse what it is they are seeking, and it’s usually an emotional need.

“Right now, the vintage look is really in,” she says. Using plastic laminate as well as wood, the pieces have a mid-century feel, but with Debs’ hand. The line is more colourful and fun.

“We actually named the furniture from famous cinema houses in Beirut from the 50s, 60s and 70s.” Some of the movie house monikers include Pic-cadilly, Strand and Opera.

Available internationally, Debs’ products are represented in New York, Geneva, Cairo, Amman, Paris, Dubai, Canada, and recently Saudi Arabia. In Beirut, the Nada Debs Gallery show-cases both the East & East and Contem-porary Collections while her two Nada Debs Boutiques carry only the home accessory collections. However, Nada Debs ships worldwide. Future plans include an extension in the Far East as well as a soft furnishings collection.

INTERVIEW


In addition to furniture design and manufacturing, the Nada Debs brand also includes accessories, interior de-sign services and art installations.

She also created Concrete Carpet, which was an art piece designed for “The Future of Tradition – The Tradi-tion of Future” exhibition at Munich’s Hausderkunst Museum. “It mixes the calligraphy tradition of Japanese Kanji and Arabic calligraphy in a contempo-rary geometric typeface,” she describes. It was shortlisted for the prestigious Ja-meel Prize 3, an international award for contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition. Partnered with the Vic-toria and Albert Museum and sponsored by the Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI), the Jameel Prize illus-trates the link between traditional Islam-ic art and a contemporary discipline.

Nada Debs blurs the lines between art and craft, traditional and contemporary, functional and decorative — and East and West. More than just furniture, her designs connect the traditions, skills and aesthetics of the world and encour-ages them to thrive.

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STAR Arabesque Table

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KHATT Low Table

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STAGGERED Chest of

Drawers

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CASE STUDYCASE STUDY

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ColourBlind THE C ARTEL’S BL ACK C ARPE T L AUNCH INTRODUCED

FA SHIONISTA S TO THE MONOCHROM ATIC DESIGN OF THE AVANT- GARDE STORE IN AL SERK AL AVENUE, DUBAI


CASE STUDY


If a ‘black carpet’ event doesn’t prick your ears then a ‘wearable art’ store

should. The cARTel introduced its novel concept on February 27, 2013, in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, where the showroom is located. Masked in two extremes of black and white, The cARTel goes back to the standalone boutique culture of fashion.

Founded by duo Peter Richweisz and Shub Qureshi, who also created fashion magazine Desert Fish, the plan to create a space like The cARTel has long been on the agenda. It targets an audience

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Main area of

The cARTel

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Door separating

the studio and

retail space

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that is fashion-conscious, with a style that is missing from commercial circles in Dubai. Positioned between high-end and high street, The cARTel features one-off designers from across the globe to deliver fashion the way it isn’t done in any part in the city.

Sitting at the back of the showroom on leather couches and armchairs, Rich-weisz, Qureshi and managing partner, May Barber reveal the journey of ideas turning into reality.

“It is covering a similar segment in fashion detailing as Desert Fish covers in publishing,” explains Richweisz. “It’s

quite niche and addressing a particular audience. That’s why we are not in the shopping mall. We are in the art district

some sort of urban culture rather than have a typical Middle East shopping centre experience.”

Sipping his espresso, he adds: “We realised this quite a long time ago and eventually it all came together in 2013.”

Agreeing, Qureshi explains that the purpose was to bring back the artistic el-ement in fashion done in haute-couture style where designers are the ones who actually hand-paint the clothes.

CASE STUDY


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Peter Richweisz,

Shub Qureshi and

May Barber

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retail space

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is art’,” she says.

as well as locally based designers who

it’s quite square and uninteresting. So

edge,” says Barber.

explains that there was no direct design

shape during the design process. Only

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show with cabins.”-

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CASE STUDY


white open cabins made from painted MDF boards in a futuristic style.

“I always like playing with forms and studying them,” states Szonyi. “The units are very simple but they have a twist that makes them really interesting and hard to understand in terms of

She continues: “We wanted to make them from acrylic sheets but the budget did not allow us to use that material. However, I believe the painted MDFs

-ing result as well.”

Regardless of how amazing the end result appears, Szonyi admits that the units were a challenge in terms of ar-rangement. “The arrangement was not easy as the place is not huge compared

within it,” she reveals.“There weren’t so many options to

Richweisz continues: “Another thing is that a lot of retail outlets in Dubai

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Shipping containers

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CASE STUDY


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Black and white

became the logo of

The cARTel

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in with the vibe of the

industrial locale

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Futuristic furniture

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nice for certain brands, but we wanted -

ged as we are in an industrial and art district so we didn’t decorate it with red

the units and clothes continue to be dis-

this metal staircase to accommodate to

More tributes to the industrial status of the location can be seen through the

fact that you can create monochromatic

Challenges continued when the time

-gration of industrial design that looks

-ers which is again a kind of industrial

Barber adds that another motive was

the future is always an unknown and a

The team wanted to create a signature -

Because Desert Fish

the fact that The cARTel team works on

this connection to the studio and The

each one has its own identity, so we control the communication between

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you actually have to make an effort to

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Shining gemCID E XPLORES HBA’S FUSION OF MEDITERR ANE AN, AR ABIC BE ACH AND

BE AUX-ARTS INFLUENCES AT THE ST. REGIS SA ADIYAT ISL AND RESORT


CASE STUDY


T he St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, sits nestled like a gem between a Gary Player-designed golf course and

the white powdery beaches of the Ara-bian Gulf. Epitomising St. Regis’ heritage

luxury beach resort in Abu Dhabi.Opened in late December, 2011, the

resort is a recent addition to the brand’s

planned for the Middle East.Created in 1904 by John Jacob Astor

IV, the brand has continually strived -

cording to a statement: “Every St. Regis

location, a showcase of architecture and design that continues the distinctive

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Lobby.

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55&5th, The Grill.2

Designed by Hirsch Bedner Associ-ates (HBA), the resort’s interiors artfully marry a contemporary Mediterranean architectural style with local Arabic

to the original Beaux-Arts classic on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

HBA’s challenging design interpreta-

tasteful moderation.The Arabian Gulf is celebrated

throughout the entire resort. According to HBA associate Ira Imerlishvili: “The most distinguishable feature is the mil-lion dollar view you see upon entering the resort’s dramatic lobby. The entire back wall is made of frameless glass overlooking the sea, offering amazing unobstructed views unlike any other in

designed the resort’s arch-shaped footprint to capitalise on water views at every possible juncture, connecting the exterior to the interior. HBA carried the beach narrative throughout, with a natu-ral palette of creams, blues and golds.

Conveying tendrils of seaweed, rib-bons of blue and green Italian marble interweave amongst tumbled and

in the lobby area. Custom tufted wool rugs in rich ochres, golds and blues carry through the aquatic theme with watery imagery of sea kelp, anemones and coral.

a subtle backdrop to the bespoke glass -

tured by Preciosa Lighting, the signature

CASE STUDY


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Sontaya restaurant

exterior.

lobby chandelier in subtle golds and ochres combines hand-blown glass, cut crystal, metal frames, and LED light tubes programmed to pulsate.

Preciosa’s sculptural glass references depictions of sea creatures; the chan-delier is additionally set off by an inset gold mosaic dome. A chandelier trio, also by Preciosa, energises the lobby staircase with a stand-out and decidedly modern combination of acrylic, crystal,

Furnishings in the lobby and adjacent drawing room support the relaxed at-mosphere of the beach concept without being contrived. Pleasantly gnarled driftwood table bases with glass tops are offset by rattan, leather in deep chocolate, misty grey velvet upholstery and airy, loosely woven drapery. Cleft slate mixed with black and gold glass mosaic walls at the nearby Sucre Patis-serie provide a dramatic contrast to the colourful display of macaroons and chocolates made by the hotel.

Equally as striking is the Manhattan

its namesake, another touchpoint referencing its New York lineage is the

signature artwork over the bar, typical of all St. Regis addresses.

New York’s St. Regis bar displays Maxwell Parrish’s famous “Old King Cole” mural. This piece, created by a local artist, abstractly references Abu Dhabi’s past by incorporating an Arabic thread, dark wood mashrabiya panels backed by persimmon upholstery mix

lanterns and a high ceiling.The Manhattan Lounge is masculine

and invitingly dark, departing from the lighter tempo of the rest of the resort. According to the St. Regis: “The Manhat-tan Lounge is primed to become a water-ing hole and powerhouse room for deals and discussions.”

55&5th, The Grill is the resort’s dis-tinguished restaurant, and additional reference to its New York pedigree. 55th Street and 5th Avenue is the physical location of the original St. Regis hotel.

in the restaurant’s interior. Marble walls oriented to accentuate horizontal stria-tions are enhanced by black marble hori-

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-deliers are contrasted by an intricately framed ceiling. Playful glass bauble

champagne bubbles.A cleverly woven brushed metal

wall surface, additionally framed and backlit, nods at an Art Deco inspiration.

step-sister to the princess of the room — the walls, ceiling, and exquisite light

an upper level loft, complete with genu-ine red brick walls and bespoke light

overturned glasses.Clean lines of a timber beam ceiling

and folding green glass exterior walls complement the contemporary Asian fusion theme of Sontaya restaurant. Open and airy, Sontaya sits amidst a maze of pools overlooking the Gulf. Its geometry is discreetly punctuated by

high-gloss white walls ornamented by horizontal decorative tile and a jade green glass feature entrance wall

CASE STUDY


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Ocean Suite bedroom.

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Grand staircase.

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The Manhattan

Lounge.

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Iridium Spa.

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enhances Sontaya’s minimalist and contemplative setting.

Maximising tranquillity is a way to describe the St. Regis’ Iridium Spa. As the hotel relayed, the name was inspired by the Greek goddess Iris who “tran-scends the sea and sky as a messenger and manifests as a rainbow”. Iridium is also one of the world’s rarest and most precious metals. Meshing the two inspirations with HBA’s skilful design nonetheless makes Iridium Spa a truly luxurious destination.

Diverting from the typical pastel, dreamy spa interior, Iridium’s interior is

visually complex for a spa, yet excep-tionally relaxing. With a neutral palette heavily reliant on blacks and greys, the spa presents a mysterious environment to promote deep introspection. Intricate high-contrast tile work in jacuzzi areas hint at Islamic geometry, as does the sumptuous iridescent circular mosaic

silver leaf metallic inset ceiling domes, crushed paper-like chandeliers with

and gold mosaic hamam are just a few of the unique details that make Iridium Spa a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Intertwining the public spaces to the private guest rooms is stylised imagery of local mangrove trees interpreted in the corridor carpet pattern. The resort’s 377 guest rooms carry on the same Mediterranean resort theme. The palette

softly honed.Candice D’Cruz, director of marketing

and communications, St. Regis Saadiyat

of each guest room is dedicated to the bath. Rustic stone insets, an overhead doorless shower, and separate his/her

with sliding rattan baskets harmonise the bath with its tranquil setting. Sooth-ing browns and creams are punctuated by turquoise coral bed quilts to resonate

-netry fronts delicately echoes sea grass.

the Mediterranean, to the luxury of the gilded age, HBA designed truly special interiors at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. Citing the vision of the Astors, the St. Regis brand has sought to create a “collection of distinguished destina-tions, each with its own vivid and dis-tinct personality”. If each property could be likened to a precious stone, the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi would be a radiant pearl.

… W H E R E T H E S T Y L I S H , I N N O VAT I V E D E S I G N

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SHOW REPORTSHOW REPORT

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SHOW REPORTSHOW REPORT

Days toremember

ONE OF ART WEEK’S M AJOR HIGHLIGHTS, THE SECOND DESIGN DAYS DUBAI WOWED THE CROWD WITH ITS QUIRK Y PIECES,

INSTALL ATIONS AND LIVE PERFORM ANCES


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Construction series.

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You Fade to Light.

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The Analog Project

series.

Niemeyer’s benches to today’s ‘it’ tech-nology, 3D printing, Design Days Dubai was without question a must see for all; whether design enthusiasts, collectors or interior designers and architects.

Many of the pieces and installations for this year’s preview were exhibited especially for Design Days Dubai, grant-ing the fair greater exclusivity.

One such installation called ‘Time Dubai’ by Humans Since 1982, was pre-

-ignart Dealer. Made from 288 special two-handed analog clocks and powered by 576 electrical engines, all clocks housed together make what appears to be a giant digital display, creating a choreography of 576 rotating hands to form extensive texts beside elaborate customised patterns and graphics.

Another installation, and one of the highlights of the fair, was from ‘The Analog Project’ series by Italian duo Andrea Mancuso and Emilia Serra, the

-lation appears as a sketch but is in fact created through a computer grid with the use of simple black merino woolen nylon wires built by hand, merging soft-ware with craftsmanship. Aiming to pay homage to the origins of modern design,

the installation features pivotal pieces including a Le Corbusier chaise lounge, a Mackintosh chair, a Noguchi table and a Frank Lloyd Wright chair.

The visual impact of the three dimensional ‘sketch’ is set to challenge conventional spatial representations. Additional architectural elements of Middle Eastern culture are also inte-grated with the inclusion of chandeliers, fashioned in the traditional Islamic style seen in mosques.

Using the Middle East as an inspira-tion could be observed throughout the fair, with many galleries exhibiting pieces that evoked direct nods to the UAE as well as more loose concepts based on the region.

One of these pieces called ‘Ja-ri’ by designer Jihoon Ha presented by Korean _Croft Gallery is an organic sculpture based on a traditional Korean mat made from ABS forms and painted in coral, giving the viewer the feeling of sitting on a ridgeline of the desert.

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SHOW REPORT


La Gallerie Nationale, a gallery based in Dubai and located in Al Serkal Avenue, featured Italian designer and monumental artist Helidon Xhixha, who

time. Displaying his many sculptures of

stainless steel, the bookcase called ‘Desert Dunes’ made from Cor-Ten steel was created especially for the exhibi-tion, taking its inspiration from the beauty of the desert.

2011, and during a road trip to Ras Al Khaimah I noticed the shapes of the dunes and the way they look when the light is cast upon them,” says Xhixha.

His technique involves capturing and sculpting light through an intervention by folding and turning the steel inside

the ‘Elliptical Energy’ was installed in the UAE at the entrance of the Melia Hotel in Port Rashid Melia, inspired by the night lights of Dubai.

Commenting on the design fair, the designer says that it was “fantastic” and “very well organised.”

Closer to home, Emirati designer Khalid Shafar displayed many collaborations that promoted Emirati culture and traditions, working with French cabinet-making brand Moissonnier. He produced two cabinets

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Desert Dunes by

Xhixha Helidon.

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Oscar Niemeyer

bench.

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entitled ‘Headless Horses’ to tell the ‘tales’ of two legendary horses that had achieved victories at the Dubai World Cup but tragically died. His other collaborations included carpets inspired by Talli embroidery presented by Tai Ping, as well as a live performance called ‘Illusion’ to display the pearling industry in the UAE.

Another Dubai-based gallery,

time exhibitor at Design Days Dubai, previewed an interesting proposition for the city itself. The project is called ‘OszoTM5- Vision’ by Leipzig-based new media artist and designer Ritchie Riediger. The object, made from glass and steel, represents a horse — the glass makes it a three-dimensional object, signifying the duality of surface

to erect this lighting piece as urban decorative art in Dubai, with the horse representing a vital part of Bedouin history.

Partner at Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery, Julien Lompbrail who exhibited last year, calls the Middle East the ‘new world’. He adds: “I love the energy, it’s really going up in the region. In the ‘old world’ [Europe], things are slowing down but here it’s all so fresh. It’s great to share this enthusiasm.”

Last year, Carpenter’s Workshop

displayed an assortment of entertaining interactive lighting features with this year’s preview leaving us just as satis-

‘You Fade to Light,’ which is both an art piece as well as a functional mirror and a light source that could be dimmed us-ing a remote control.

The fusion of technology and crafts-manship is one of the trends for this year’s show as well as using simple materials in a new way.

“There have been two main materials this year,” says Zammit. “One of them is wood which is always being recreated.

something called black Tasmanian wood. Also copper such as silver cast and bronzed which can be seen in Based Upon gallery.”

Sustainability also played a major role with the live performance ‘Construction Series’ by Studio Swine presented by Thompson Reuters in collaboration with Brazilian gallery +Coletivo Amor de Madre. Using materials from construction sites in the city, the aim was to convert construction waste into a furniture collection live at the fair.

Judging by the sheer number of en-thusiastic visitors at the second edition of the event, it can now be said that the region is opening up to the myriad pos-sibilities of great design.

THE STORY BEGINS HERE.Why surround yourself with lifeless objects when there are so many soulful ones to choose from? We offer pro-ducts with personality. Products that tell a story. About design, craftsmanship and history. And about you.

FIND YOUR STORY AT DESIGN-TALES.COM

of Scandinavia

SHOW REPORT


Design Days Dubai

TOP

10 CID picks the showstopping pieces that caught our eyes at Design Days Dubai 2013

Time Dubai by Humans Since 1982

Sushi II by Fernando and Humberto Campana

Audrey by Porky Hefer

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BLOSSOMTORD BOONTJE

Crystal Palace Collection: architecture.swarovski.com/shopfinder

SHOW REPORT


Industry Gallery exhibited the Molecular chair, designed by Antonio Pio Sarachino, which has now become somewhat of a pop culture icon, gracing the covers of countless magazines. The piece itself is what the designer calls “a fun object” which plays on the Baroque chair. Composed of an iron frame, every recycled wool ball is hand sewn onto the structure, produced through a felt process. Although it has a somewhat futuristic feel while displaying the

Italian fashion with traditional craftsmanship.

Molecular chair by Antonio Pio Sarachino

The Dodai bench by Peter Marigold is made in col-laboration with Japanese furniture company Hinoki Kogei, created from a log split into two pieces which are each opened up and set opposing each other. Exhibited by Sarah Myerscough Fine Art, it

and wooden rods. The covering can be rolled back and the interior space used for storage. The piece is held together with coloured bungees stretched over dark hardwood turned knobs. The wood used

architectural beams laid on house foundations.

Dodai by Peter Marigold

Illuminated sculpture Milk Drops, by glass artist Jeff Zimmerman and exhibited by R 20th Century Gallery, is a beautiful three dimensional installation that feels almost alive when

inspiration from nature. He describes the process of blowing glass as “a frozen moment in

things grow. Its delicate simplicity is what makes this piece truly incredible.

Milk Drops by Jeff Zimmerman

SHOW REPORT


Second time exhibitor at Design Days Dubai, Carpenter’s Workshop presented the City Lights wall light created by Frederik Molenschot, which combines a bronze structure with LED lights shoot-

inspiration which aims to re-enact the ambiance of driving past street lamps at night or looking over a city while in an aeroplane.

City Lights by Frederik Molenschot

Dubai-based J+A Gallery displayed the work of Leipzig’s new media artist and lighting objects designer Ritchie Riediger. This colourful lighting piece is created through the recording of burning wood which was then converted into frequencies

and is hand made from Borosilicate glass tubes, acrylic glass, chrome-plated brass, including electrical parts. Every tube is individually manufac-tured by the artist.

OszoTMO- Fire by Ritchie Riediger

The Ja- ri exhibited by Korean _Croft Gallery, which can be used as a lounge chair, is made up of an ABS form and painted in coral. Using the idea of a traditional Korean seating mat, the organic forms give the viewer the feeling of sitting on a ridgeline of the desert. An unex-pected plus is that it is surprisingly comfortable.

Ja- ri by Jihoon Ha

Made up of 100,000 tooth picks dyed in natural vegetable dye, creating six shades from grey to black, Australian artist Lucy McRae’s Prickly lamp, exhib-ited by Broached Commissions gallery, creates a physical emotion of living in a deeply harsh environment. In this case, the living conditions of Australian women during the colonial period pro-vided the inspiration. The pointy body of the lamp evokes a protective skin, serving as a metaphor for the women’s lives. The striking design piece includes other materials such as wood, brass, as well as steel. Through its texture and form, the lamp has an anthropomorphic

Prickly lamp by Lucy McRae

CASE STUDY

1

At yourservice HOTEL DESIGN SPECIALISTS DISCUSS THE CURRENT INNOVATIONS, TRENDS AND PROJECTS IN THE REGION’S HOSPITALIT Y SECTOR


Besides being places for relax-

ation and indulgence, hotels

of new technologies, innova-

tions and trends, and the aspirations

of nations. With the legendary Burj Al

Arab and the more recent Yas Hotel,

hospitality design has long been one of

the major accomplishments that put the

Gulf region on the map.

According to John O’Gorman, sales

manager of Smartglass International:

“The region seems to be introducing

an indigenous spirit for hospitality into

international chains.”

“We look at Marriott, Kempinski,

InterContinental and Fairmont, amongst

others, and see that they are offering

unique regional experiences not found

elsewhere in the world.”

Observing some of the new additions

to hospitality design in the region,

O’Gorman notes: “From incorporating

private dining areas for families, to the

latest technologies for the in-room expe-

rience, the region is at the forefront of

commercial hospitality design.”

One of Smartglass International’s

upcoming regional projects includes

the Indigo Hotel in the King Abdullah

Financial District in Riyadh, KSA, where

-

bining the functionality of an opaque

screen with the aesthetic of clear glass,

in the conference facilities to allow for

privacy-on-demand.

Speaking of predominant styles,

O’Gorman comments that “transpar-

ency” has become a major factor incor-

porated into designs of hotel spaces,

using guest rooms with very few parti-

tions that obstruct natural light as an

example of this trend. “The Kempinski

Grand & Ixir hotel in Manama, Bahrain,

guestrooms as a screen between the

bedroom and the bathroom,” he adds.

Guest room experience is now hugely

impacted by bathroom design with new

trends and styles taking over the global

market. “Today designers and architects

are looking to the hotel bathroom as the

new frontier of the guestroom, turning

what has long been a mostly functional

space into a haven and means of es-

cape,” says O’Gorman.

He explains that interior designers are

tackling this new wave in several ways;

one, by opening up closed and cluttered

bathrooms, and two, increasing the

1

Bonnington Hotel,

Dubai.

FEATURE


2

Kempinski Hotel,

Manama, Bahrain.

3

Rocco Forte Hotel,

Abu Dhabi.3

2

level of light and space. “The drive to

create additional space within existing

boundaries has been working in har-

mony with the opening up of buildings

to provide more light.

“Wall partitioning within guest rooms

diminishes both light and space but has

been seen as necessary for bathroom

privacy,” he explains.

Smartglass International’s solution

to this puzzle is the Privacy Smartglass

which creates a bright open space

and not only lets more light into the

bathroom, but also gives the impression

of increased area throughout the entire

room.

Daryl Barker, managing director at

Bagno Design/Sanipex agrees with the

notion of creating a spa-like space for

hotel bathrooms rather than having a

simple, functional room. “Showering

is a high point of the hotel guest room

experience,” he adds.“Old showers are

out; rain showers are in with oversized

bathtubs bringing luxury. Many new

hotel designers place a large, freestand-

ing tub in the middle of the suite sur-

rounded by glass shower doors.”

He continues: “A deep soaking bath

and a rainfall showerhead are all stan-

dard in the bathrooms of the recently

opened luxurious JW Marriott Marquis

rooms which Bagno Design supplied.”

In addition to the JW Marriott Marquis,

Barker also mentions projects including

the two new St. Regis Hotels located in

Abu Dhabi.

Speaking of bathroom trends, Barker

states: “Nature is visible with the de-

-

ucts such as marble, copper, bronze

and Bagnotec re-constituted stone,

especially for basins and bathtubs.”

Moving onto styles that are pre-

dominantly found in hotels in the Middle

East, Barker says: “Projects in this area

vary hugely due to the cultural diversi-

ties; however, a softer more classical

look is gaining ground in the luxury

hospitality sector.”

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FEATURE


4

JW Marriott Marquis

Hotel, Dubai.

5

Hues Boutique Hotel,

Dubai.

4

5

Drawlink Group’s junior architect,

Dafni Gkosiou, comments on the devel-

opment of hotel design in the Middle

East: “Incorporation of European-styled

furniture mix and balance between Gulf

and European styles where local pat-

terns are kept but are minimalised with

the introduction of new products and

more natural materials.”

This balanced mix can be observed in

the Rocco Forte Hotel in Abu Dhabi with

its 11-storey curved structure with green

colours of the Arabian Sea. Oliga Polizzi,

who had overseen the design of all the

hotel’s properties, blended European

and Middle Eastern styles to create a

traditional yet modern look.

Al Reyami Hospitality and Retail

division has undertaken the complete

restaurant as well as parts of the hotel’s

spa and swimming pool facilities.

manager, hospitality and retail division,

Hawa Middle East FZE, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE, Tel. +971 4 887 36 94, Fax +971 4 887 36 93, www.hawa.ch

Hawa sliding hardware: open for refreshing elegance.

FEATURE


Al Reyami, says: “The use of the sun

effective as it gives the space a timeless

look while bar glass panels add to the

overall panache of this bar/restaurant.”

Regarding the spa design, Nambiar

comments: “Hailed as one of the most

sensorial spas in the emirate with its so-

phisticated wet rooms and Vichy shower

-

ings, special mosaics, and feature glass

panels from Al Reyami Glass in each

of its private rooms makes it a perfect

blend of opulence and tranquility.”

Contrary to traditional and classical

styles, Gkosiou says technology also

plays a big role in hotel design, from

products to actual interiors and archi-

tecture. Using Yas Hotel as an example,

Gkosiou states that “high technology in-

corporated with design” is making it big

in the market, “with structures, curves,

organic forms and spectacular shapes

focusing on better visual design.”

Speaking of technological innova-

tions in hotels, Jonathan Peters, com-

mercial director, Interior International

says: “Technological advancement

with equipment capable of being pre-

programmed to suit individual taste for

lighting, air-conditioning, music, interac-

tive television, communications systems

and entertainment is now all readily

available in the market, and it is com-

monplace for our in house CAD design

In terms of new projects develop-

ment, Peters reveals: “Last month we

completed a package of joinery, furni-

ture and upholstery for The Jumeirah

Group at their new VIP Lounge at the Ju-

meirah Beach Hotel. This is an exclusive

6

area for those guests, and their children,

which include a separate games room

with custom PS3 stations, and a crèche

in brilliant colours of the rainbow with

specialist joinery and carefully selected

soft upholstery suitable for all areas.”

When it comes to the sector's require-

ments moving forward, Peters states

that sustainability is well and truly on

the design agenda.

“Current movement is now towards

a variety of custom products that are

green and environmentally friendly.

It entails setting up a factory with

handling, and procedural capabilities,

which are then audited to accredited

standards. This is no longer just a state-

ment, or a rubber stamp of approval,”

he asserts.

6

JW Marriott Marquis

hotel, Dubai.

RENESSE SQUARE GEOMETRY

FOR PEOPLE WHO

ARE LOOKING

FOR A TIMELESSLY

ELEGANT AND

STREAMLINED

DESIGN

TOTO Asia Oceania (Middle East Branch) LOB 19- 1701/1702, Jebel Ali Free Zone, PO Box 261804, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971-4-8865983, Fax: +971-4-8865986

KSA

Najem Aba Hussain Trading Est.

+966-1-482-6010

Qatar

Nabina Ceramic

+974-44652345

UAE

Al Futtaim Engineering

+971-4-2650999

Oman

Zubair Building Material

+968-24610800

Bahrain

Bu Kamal

+973-1724-4665

Kuwait

Yusuf A. Al Ghanim & Sons W.L.L

+965-1881-111

asia.toto.com

Egypt

Aquatop Co.

+202-3336-4712

Jordan

Al Nabulsi & Al Amad

+962-6-5300900

Lebanon

Home Depot of Lebanon

+961-1-558517

Libya

Building Group

+218-913-210969

Syria

Arabian Enterprises

+963-11-6113820

Yemen

Al Dhayani Est.

+967-1-238377

WASHLET Technology incorporates a unique wand that allows

water to be used for personal cleaning in a way that

leads to a completely new level of hygiene and comfort

The WASHLET sprays the ceramic with a fine mist of water.

The reason: Less sticks to a moist ceramic surface than a dry one.

After use, the toilet is sprayed with electrolysed processed water,

also known as ewater+

Tornado Flush is an integral feature in every new TOTO toilet.

This completely new flushing system cleans and flushes

both the rim and bowl in an innovative way

CeFiONtect is a glaze applied to all TOTO ceramic products,

leaving them with a long-lasting finish that prevents the

build-up of mould, limescale and waste matter.

For a bathroom to be comfortable, it has to ease the stress of

everyday life. WASHLET does just that with its range of integrated,

automatic, sensor-activated functions.

Available with soft close seat & cover

T

Commercial Interior Design

BATHROOM



SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Tell us about your company?Delta Faucet Company is one of the largest and most awarded Ameri-can manufacturers of residential and commercial faucets. Founded by the Masco Corporation in 1954, with the introduction of the single-handle taps, the manufacturer owns the Delta and Brizo faucet brands and has an extensive line of commercial products, both manual and electronic. At Delta Faucet Company, we are committed to

Tell us about your company?Roca is dedicated to the design, production, sales and marketing of bathroom products as well as ceramic wall and floor tiles for the architecture, building and interior design sectors. The company employs over 20,200 people, has 72 production plants and is active in more than 135 countries spread across five continents. Roca works closely with prestigious designers, architects and interior designers such as Moneo, Chipperfield, Herzog & de Meuron, Benedito, Giugiaro and Schmidt & Lackner.Through constant research and development, Roca promotes initiatives which help protect the environment.

What are your best selling products?Roca is a bathroom solution pro-

Dubai); Al Khaleej Palace Hotel, Dubai; Dubai International Airport (Terminal 2); Jumeirah Lake Towers (Dubai); Kempinski Hotel (Bahrain); and Aramco Building, Dammam.We are currently working on a number of private villas in the UAE besides a number of residential and commercial projects.

Whats sets you apart?We go beyond excellent design to incorporate smart thinking that anticipates people’s needs, provid-ing thoughtful innovations and inspirational designs.

Delta Faucet Company sells products in more than 53 countries including 11 markets in the Middle East — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait.These products are also sold through builders and contractors. Please visit our website at-http://worldwide.deltafaucet.com/inter-national/where-to-buy/index.html for further information.

Delta Faucet

Roca

environmental sustainability and we place a high priority on products that address today’s environmental concerns, like water conservation and water quality.To that end, Delta Faucet Company invests in internal processes and systems that provide innovative solutions and ensure exceptional customer satisfaction.

What are your best selling products?Diamond Seal products are our bestselling range. Diamond Seal Technology combines a durable Diamond Valve (a ceramic cartridge embedded with diamonds) with InnoFlex PEX waterways. The valve requires no lubrication, eliminates wear on seals, and ensures “like new” operation for the life of the faucet, lasting up to 10 times longer than the industry standard.Diamond seal technology is avail-

able on a vast range of kitchen and bath products. Kitchen faucets include select models from the following ranges: Addison, Trinsic, Linden, Fuse, Pilar and Cassidy, while bath faucets include select models from Addison and Lahara.

What’s new?Delta Faucet recently launched H2Okinetic hand-showers and showerheads. With a full range of options to meet the needs of any homeowner, H2Okinetic showerheads are now offered at a rate which is less than the industry standard of 10 litres per minute thus using up to 40% less water than their standard counterparts’ showerheads. H2OKinetic technolo-gy hand-showers and showerheads are available with Addison and other contemporary shower ranges.

What projects have you been involved in?Projects that the company has undertaken in the region include the Rolex Tower (Twin Towers —

vider and has everything related to bathrooms (Vitreous China/Porcelain Element/Khroma/Meridian), mixers (Thesis, L90, L20), bathtubs (Becool, In-flow, Easy, shower column S-Lim, Victoria-T), basins (Urbi’s and Sofia), and accessories (Hote’s2.0 and Nuova).

What’s new?Roca has shown its leadership in the bathroom sector through the establishment of a new concept of showrooms called Galleries, in which our values, goals and objectives and desires are trans-mitted to the end customer.Roca now owns such Galleries in Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon, and in 2011 a New London Gal-lery, designed by Zaha Hadid.Zaha Hadid Architects and Roca were delighted to announce the opening of a brand new flagship space, the Roca London Gallery, at Imperial Wharf close to Chel-sea Harbour. Zaha Hadid and her team created a design that is not

just purely visual; it also uses the art of precision and control to help the visitor understand the relationship between the architecture of the space and the design of Roca bathroom prod-ucts. The Roca London Gallery is intended to be much more than just a display space. The Roca Galleries represent an investment in the brand on a global scale, with the aim of cre-ating unique spaces facilitating social and cultural encounters in the cities that play host to them. The Roca London Gallery joins the elite Roca Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon Galleries.

What sets you apart?Roca is one of the largest family-owned businesses in Europe, and the fact that the family runs the business and invests more than 2% of the company turnover on research, innovation and design give us the edge to improve our products, and invent new products that gives

solutions to the bathroom sec-tor and satisfy the taste of the consumers everywhere.

You can visit the Roca web site www.roca.comCall +971(0)43476400 Our regional office is located at Emaar Gold & Diamond Park, Building 5, office 111,Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.Or you can email us at [email protected]



Tell us about your company?Arte Casa is a supplier of ceramic tiles, sanitary ware, bathtubs, whirl-

accessories, antique marbles and mosaic tiles which was established in 2005, operating in the UAE.

Renowned for the uniqueness and superior quality of its products, Arte Casa utilises the creativity of its prestigious suppliers. These

-lected for their globally recognised distinction, eminence and time honoured traditions. The contem-porary forms and functions of these products convey elegant artistic designs at the same time as revolu-tionary advanced technologies.

These ascribed creations stand out with their sophisticated fabrica-tions, classic designs and endless variety of forms and colours.

Arte Casa’s operating objective

company, through offering our clients state-of-the-art products with the best quality in the world represented by the best interna-tional suppliers.

Our second equal goal is to provide our customers the best services with a professional ap-proach and follow up on projects

resources and forming alliances with established organisations in the industry.

We have supplied a number of projects in the UAE for instance Shoreline apartments – Palm Jumeirah, Falcon City of Wonders– Dubai, Fairmont hotel – Abu Dhabi and Kempinski hotel – Riyadh.

What are your best-selling products?From our retail store, our best sell-ing products are mainly tiles from

they use quality raw materials and innovation in design.

What’s new? We always try to have new bath-

Arte Casaroom products following the trend of the market and taste of our customers. Our suppliers present new ranges every season matching the fashion in our range as well as the new technologies.

We would like to emphasise our

their design and beauty.

What sets you apart from other companies?Arte Casa has the biggest show-room in the UAE with 22,000ft2 of space, which allows us to display the widest range of products with more than 150 brands from certi-

This variety gives us the ability to cover all types of customers along with different tastes in the core of our business.

Arte Casa has the widest range of tiles in the market along with

well as projects in the entire UAE, through our staff who are based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Once you enter our showroom,

assist you and provide you with the design of your dreams adding personal touches to the design.

How can we contact you?ARTE CASA L.L.C. Dubai ShowroomAl Joud Building, Al Quoz 1

rd th interchange

Abu Dhabi Showroom:Corniche Street, Al Sawari

www.artecasa.ae [email protected]



Tell us about your company?Geberit is the leading sanitary brand focusing on two product lines — sanitary systems and pip-ing systems.

Geberit represents long tradi-tions, vast know-how, reliability and innovation. As the market leader in sanitary technology, we pioneered the concealed cistern and wall-hung WC solutions.

What are your best selling products?Geberit’s concealed cisterns used around the world offer unsurpassed quality and years of trouble-free performance, and with a wide range of design solutions give you the aesthetic freedom to create the bathroom you have always wanted.

What’s new?The new actuator plates Sigma10

network of technical consultants for its customers, being well positioned with our experts locally throughout the Gulf region. We apply competence and expertise at every stage of the building project, from working with the interior designer and architect, planning with the

implementation, and delivery on the building site with the MEP contractor. What differentiates us from the competition is this support network works closely with interior designers, architects and MEP contractors and focuses on demonstrating the superior quality and value of the Geberit products, the ease of installation and maintenance.

UAE : +9714 447 0914KSA : +966 2 668 3468Kuwait : +965 2 225 1902Qatar : +974 4 495 [email protected]

Geberit

and Sigma50 combine maximum functionality with aesthetics.

The new Sigma10 with the

an aura of reduced and almost minimalistic elegance.

All touchless actuator plates in Sigma10 come with automatic

technology. This feature won the Sigma10 a six-star rating from the

The new Sigma50 showcases glass as a material, which makes it seem even lighter than the pre-

vious version. In its simplicity, it is

to the bathroom of the future.The shower toilet Geberit

AquaClean Sela, with its simple, modern lines and innovative technology, is brilliant in every respect. This product integrates the entire technology and connec-tions for power and water supplies in the streamlined ceramic ap-pliance. Openings in the ceramic appliance are covered with an elegant housing attachment, mak-ing installation and maintenance as easy as can be.

What projects have you been involved in?Al Bahar towers Abu Dhabi, Deer

Twin Towers — Qatar, Avenues Mall — Kuwait, Marriott, Conrad & Hilton Hotels Jebal Omar, Makkah KSA, Burj Rafal Riyadh, and Takhasussi Hospital Riyadh.

What sets you apart?Geberit provides a tight support



Tell us about your company?Hansgrohe represents high-quality, design-oriented products around the world. We are passionate about water, and that is why, for more than 100 years, we and our near 3,400 employees worldwide have been setting trends and standards in state-of-the-art bathroom

a metal workshop in the small Black Forest town of Schiltach, has grown to become an internationally successful company. Hansgrohe stands for cutting-edge technology, inimitable design and products that have won numerous awards.

Best selling products?Our best selling products are mostly the Axor Starck Lines. The “enfant terrible of design” aka Philippe Starck’s minimalist yet rich approach to bathroom design is very popular in the Gulf countries,

years in a collaboration between Axor, the designer brand of Hans-grohe SE, and Philippe Starck. It combines an organic minimalist design with a new shower spray

provide a larger spray surface area.

stores throughout the Middle East to give our Middle Eastern clients the opportunity to experience the luxury, premium design and quality of our Hansgrohe and Axor brands.

We work as well on the expan-sion of our dealer’s network within the region and have recently presented our new product ranges at the inauguration of our Bahraini distributor’s newly renovated showrooms, the Al Abbas and Al Haji Galleries’ on Segaya Road in Manama, Bahrain.

contact details and a list of regional distributors here: http://www.hansgrohe-middleeast.com/dealers

Hansgrohe

as well as Antonio Citterio’s archi-tectural approach which results in the strong, timeless and masculine Axor Citterio line.

On the Hansgrohe side the Raindance shower range has an unmatched airpower technology which mixes water with air for an optimal shower pleasure experi-ence — this is still a best seller especially since it was upgraded with the select button technology which increases the user’s shower comfort. Our EcoSmart range is also a big hit in this region which suffers

What projects have you been involved in?We have been very successful and have won some remarkable projects in the region, from the Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi to the Qatar Pearl, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Hotels on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, The Royal Opera House, Oman, and King Abdullah Financial District and Faisaliah Hotel, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia among others.

What’s new?The new Axor Starck Organic col-lection was developed over three

Tell us about your company?

Japan. With manufacturing and

a sales turnover of US$5 billion with 30,000 employees. We aim to provide high quality products and

TOTO

enhance the comfort of our users. Our overall goal is to meet our TOTO Green Challenge through environ-mentally friendly products.

Best selling products?Washlet, self-powered Auto Fau-

cets, self-powered Sensor Flush

wash basins as well as urinals with Fuzzy logic software.

What’s new?The new eWater function mists

the water closet bowl after each use, making a clean bowl easier to maintain and reducing the need for chemicals during cleaning.

What projects have you been involved in?Dubai International Airport, Dubai

Towers, Bahrain Financial Towers, DFC Intercontinental & Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai Festival City, Jal Hotels, Dubai Marina Mall & Hotel, Park Hyatt Hotel, Dusit Hotel, Al Ain Mall, Four Seasons (Qatar & Saudi Kingdom Tower) Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Conrad Hotel Dubai, Dubai Airport T2 expansion and Saudi universities just to name a few.

How do we contact you? TOTO Asia Oceania(Middle East Branch)

Zone, PO Box 261804, Dubai, UAE

asia.toto.com

Changing Perspectives by Discovering Innovations.

Concepts

Products

Service

Lindner is your partner of choice when it comes to „Building New Solutions“ in all areas of interior fi nishes. Our strength is to combine aesthetically appealing materials with superior quality and functionality.

We are looking forward to supporting you by offering products tailored to your needs:Raised Floors - Demountable Partitions - Suspended Metal Ceilings - Lightings - Chilled Ceilings

Lindner Middle East LLCOne Business Bay Tower, Offi ce 2702Dubai, United Arab [email protected]

Metro Dubai - Red Line

PRODUCTS


COLLECTION 2013

Sonia Rykiel Maison is the home collection by renowned French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel. This newly launched third collection of fabrics is audacious, sensual and provocative with irregular horizontal and vertical stripes, graphic nuances and strong colours. The vivid geometric designs are unpredictable while motifs and materials offer a dash of intrigue.

New on the market

SONIA RYKIEL MAISON is

available from Lelievre – Dubai

TEL: +9714 339 4645

[email protected]

BAY CHAIR

Produced by Bene and designed

BOCO DO LOBO

TEL: +351 917 59 17 90

www.bocodolobo.com

BENE

TEL: +431 534 261239

www.bene.com

KOKET

TEL: +1 703 369 3324

www.bykoket.com


FEDRO

A chair without legs, Fedro repre-sents a new concept in seating. Ergonomic in design, it balances on two narrow skids, allowing us-ers to rock back and forth as they please. Lightweight, portable, stackable and comfortable, Fedro was conceived by the noted Mila-nese fashion, textile and acces-sories designer, Lorenza Bozzoli. Fedro was inspired by, and named after, her son, who would balance in front of the TV on the seat of an old chair, its legs removed, while playing video games. The chair’s birdlike form inspired its colour schemes, all based on tropical birds of Latin America.

INFUSED VENEER

Infused Veneer is a collection of ar-chitectural wood panels from B+N Industries. Unlike other decorative wood veneers which are topically printed, B+N infuses imagery and graphics into the wood grain with a UV-cured dye. A clear protective top coating is applied to assist in fade and scratch resistance. Fabricated as 1,200x2,400mm panels, it is available in a variety of patterns and wood species

B+N INDUSTRIES, INC.

TEL: +1 212 912 3870

www.bnind.com

DEDON — available at Nakkash Gallery

TEL: +9714 282 6767

www.nakkashgallery.com

HAIKU

US-based furniture designer and manufacturer BRABBU Design Forces has launched the new Haiku mirror, made from bamboo, which is considered in traditional Chinese culture to represent many qualities such as uprightness and tenacity. Bamboo grows quickly in forests such as Haiku Forest of Maui, Hawaii, being an important

BRABBU

TEL: +351 914 470 214

www.brabbu.com

and walnut. Utilising a special cleat system, the panels are designed with a substantial wood backing for accommodation of shelving and other wall hardware. It can be used for decorative or display walls.

source for food and building materials for many centuries. This copper ring of bamboo is the perfect complement to put above a sideboard to add integrity, elegance and simplicity.

PRODUCTS


CAFE DEL MAR / MEYDAN BEACH JBR - DUBAI - UAE

MEYDAN BEACH JBR - DUBAI - UAE

When it comes to FIRE for HOTEL PROJECTSmake sure to work with the best...

PLANIKA’s Fire Line Automatic is specified in the most prestigious locations all around the world.

PLANIKA UAET: +971 529 235 226www.fireline.planikafires.comwww.thekontainer.com

MINUSCULE

Scandinavian design. Minuscule emerged as the result of a series of experimental workshops involving Danish designer Cecilie Manz and the Republic of Fritz Han-sen. The seat shell features hand-stitched upholstery in a lightweight yet durable textile with elegant leather detailing that follows the contours of the shell. The curve of the shell is kept in place by a frame designed in plastic. The straight lines of the under-frame have been softened, like the curves on a pebble washed up on the seashore, a concept that served as a source of inspiration for the design details. The outer shell’s upholstery is available in two tones of grey, with the inner shell in a choice of colours including rust orange, ochre, and dark ultramarine blue.

FRITZ HANSEN

TEL: +45 2519 0796

www.fritzhansen.com

PRODUCTS


20 - 23 May, 2013, Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE

To register for your free visit please go to:

theofficeexhibition.com/visitr

To register for your free visit please go to: www.indexexhibition.com/visit

20 - 23 May 2013 Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE

Organised by Part of Knowledge Partner Intelligence Partner

Index_TOE_2013_Furnishing_Split_Ad_CID_Magazine_225x300mm.ai 1 1/31/13 1:54 PM

SIMBOLO

The Simbolo chair is part of Al-treforme’s new collection to be ex-hibited in Salone Mobile in Milan this year, entitled ‘Dreams’.The design mission was to chal-lenge one of the materials used in the creation of furniture — alumin-ium — to give life to new, original and daring products, while recall-ing the world of dreams.Designed by Garilab by Piter

VALDE

Straight, convex and concave ele-ments are at your disposal in any of the numerous wavy, circular and upright arrangements of the Valde reception desk. The high gloss front surface is illuminated with LED lighting, and the selec-tion of HPL or wood-colour fronts complements the white body of the reception counter. Horizontal aluminum slats emphasise the shape and the modern character of the body.

MDD MIDDLE EAST

TEL: +9714 323 5010

[email protected]/

ALTREFORME

TEL: +39 0341 6381

[email protected]

ALYA

In order to create the Alya pendant lamp, Italian designer Gabriele Rosa has explored and

originated by the natural bending of a thin aluminium sheet. Alya — meaning “lightness” in Arabic — embraces the space with light-

NEMO

TEL: +39 0362 372493

www.nemo.cassina.it

The desktop made of tempered white glass perfectly matches the glittering front. Cool light per-fectly harmonises with whiteness, while with the bright front, the colour is emphasised. LED light-ing can also be found under the upper desk top and at the base of the counter.

and suspended aluminium struc-

luminous LED source.

Perbellini, the chair is available in a black and white-striped version, with decorations and aphorisms dedicated to dreams. It can also be customised in terms of colour, patterns and text.

PRODUCTS


FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONTeri Clarke, Sales Manager, Tel: +971 4 444 3679, Email: [email protected]

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Year after year, things have been changing in interior design around the world. In the UAE market, it is fascinating for me to discover what’s

interesting to people in terms of décor nowa-days. What do people want in their interiors?

Answering this question may seem simple but it’s not, as project details have become more important than the general appearance of an interior space. People want something special and unique; they need comfort, beauty and an altogether poetic experience.

The home needs to be structured but with elegance, for example, using textiles panels as a piece of art is superb for a living room.

For me, a piece of fabric is much more than simply putting together warp and weft. A fab-ric must ‘dress up’ a particular space, making it come alive and creating an intense feeling. I’m not shy of dipping into old swatches to accurately translate the impressions it brings back from my travels.

Silver yarn curtains need to be minimalist and chic as every part of the house has to be thought of in terms of detail and harmony.

For every project I try to create a link be-tween my creations and the different materi-als as well as the environment of the house,

with high windows with natural lighting.Although ‘less is more’ seems to be applied

to many projects when it comes to interiors, most clients still prefer to have interiors with warmth, so we can still play with materials such as leather, horsehair, silver and gold yarns as well as a wide range of colours.

When I am working and creating, every piece has an intensity and character of its

own, be it fabrics for yachts, screens or pan-els for residential houses or theatre curtains for palaces. All these textiles are more than mere materials; each has a spirit of their own which is something most clients appreciate.

Interior design does not only develop through different trends but mirrors a certain period and style, which is why I like to place clients in a lovely haute couture cocoon.

Fabrics and textiles are back in more high-end projects with clients no longer wanting to live in a clinical atmosphere but rather prefer to mix aesthetic pleasure and comfort, minimalism and warmth, giving interiors a life and soul of its own.

My many trips to the UAE have helped me -

istics of a clientele whose ideas are often

up with the realisation of projects. This is a requirement that is very motivating for me, as well as for all designers working in the region.

In the UAE, clientele give you the possibil-ity to go further into your creations because they have an open mind to improve and learn from new interior experiences.

Finally, what is most important is working for a client whom you are certain will trust your eye and your taste for design. This gives you energy and motivation to create a suc-cessful space.

Sylvie Johnson is a textile designer and cre-ator of Sylvie Johnson Haute Couture for décor and interior design

OPINION

BY SYLVIE JOHNSON

LIVING IN COUTURE

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