Commercial Interior Design - Sept 2010 by ITP Business Publishing

COMMERCIALInterior design An ITP Business Publication | Licensed by Dubai Media City

September 2010 Vol.6 Issue 9

Retail therapy THE ONGOING EVOLUTION OF REGIONAL RETAIL DESIGN

Design talks SIT TING DOWN WITH THE INDEX STEERING COMMIT TEE

The essential guide for Middle East interior design professionals An ITP Business Publication

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WHY BOOKSTORE DESIGN DOESN’T NEED TO BE DULL

September Vol.6 Issue 9

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CONTENTS

September 2010 VOLUME 6 ISSUE 9

DESIGN UPDATE

PROFILE The low-down on Swiss bathroom specialist, Laufen.

DESIGNER Q&A An exclusive interview with select members of the 2010 Index steering committee, including Isabel Pintado, Lu Buchanan, Steven Charlton and Deem Albassam.

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CASE STUDY Singapore’s Prologue proves that bookstore design doesn’t need to be dull.

FEATURE Exploring the art of effective retail design.

CASE STUDY Inside the brand new Eternal by Ajmal store.

DESTINATION FOCUS Demand for good design is on the up in Egypt.

THE SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW A handful of wallcovering suppliers that you should know.

PRODUCTS A showcase of new products, including Roxanne, Varia, Circus and The Radiant Reds.

CONTRACTS Your monthly guide to contract tenders in the region, provided by Ventures Middle East.

OPINION Do you know what your role is, asks Martin Wojnowski.

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

FORM FOLLOWS FLOW. Living City, design Phoenix Design

Bathroom Culture since 1892

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COMMENT

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t’s that time of year again. Nominations for the 2010 CID Awards are officially open – and we are eagerly awaiting your entries. Last year’s event was an overwhelming success. In spite of the economic slowdown and the highly challenging operating conditions that ensued, the number of entries put forward for CID Award increased by 100% in 2009, as compared to the year before. What was particularly encouraging was the number of companies that decided to get involved. The awards were designed to celebrate the diversity and breadth of the region’s interior design industry, and that can only really happen if companies of all sizes, from all around the region, take part. This year, we want to make the awards broader and more diverse than ever. So, whether this is your first project or your 31st, we want to hear from you. Whether you are a one-man show in Kuwait or part of a 100-person team in Abu Dhabi, we want to hear from you. We want the CID Awards 2010 to be reflective of the industry as a whole, so we want to hear from you all. All entries will have to be submitted online this year, through the following website: www.constructionweekonline.com/cidawards. We’ve tried to make the submission process as straightforward as possible, but do get in touch with either myself or my colleague, Annie Chinoy (annie.chinoy@itp.com) if you have any questions at all. The fourth annual CID Awards will take place on Tuesday November 9 at the Park Hyatt Dubai, and the deadline for all entries is September 15. We are busy putting this year’s judging panel together and will reveal full details shortly. We look forward to receiving your entries, and to working with you to make this year’s CID Awards the most successful yet.

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Cover image: Prologue by Ministry of Design

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGN UPDATE

Set in stone NE W SICIS SHOWROOM HIGHLIGHTS T HE VERSAT ILIT Y OF MOSAICS UAE: Italian mosaics specialist, Sicis is using its new Dubai showroom to highlight the inherent versatility of its chosen material. The eye-catching Audrey, a stiletto-shaped bathtub clad in mosaics, takes centre stage in the new showroom – and acts as a striking example of the multifaceted nature of mosaics. “This shows you how crazy we can get with our materials,” said Tareq AbuRoza, managing director, Sicis Middle East and Gulf. “The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can do with mosaics.” Where mosaics have traditionally been confined to swimming pools and fountains, they are now making their way on to a wide array of products and surfaces, from walls, floors and ceilings, to sanitaryware, mirrors, light fi xtures, headboards and handles.

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Sicis has been active in this part of the world for some 15 years and operated a showroom in Dubai Media City for six years before moving to its present location on the corner of Umm Al Sheif and Jumeirah Beach Road. “We’ve always wanted a showroom like this, but the locations were not available. We always pick premium locations for all our showrooms worldwide. Our showroom in Milan is down the road from Armani Casa, for example. “In Dubai, it is more difficult. It is not like saying I want to be on Via Montenapoleone in Milan. There is no equivalent here. Either you have to go to Sheikh Zayed Road or you have to be in a mall, and we didn’t want to do either. “Our core business is projects but lately we’ve been receiving a lot of walk-in clients. Most of them

are looking for unique materials, for something different. We’ve had a really good response so far,” AbuRoza continued. Sicis products are manufactured in Ravenna, Italy, by skilled artisans, AbuRoza explained. “Nothing is touched here. Everything comes from Italy, ready to be installed on site. We consider this as artwork. It is not just mosaics, it is not just cladding, it is not just a floor tile. It is art, created by real artists.” These artists work with a range of materials, from glass and marble to gold, silver and other precious metals. From collections inspired by the orient to reproductions of famous pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Sicis is constantly coming up with creative new products, AbuRoza highlighted. “We tend to develop

new products very fast. Every few months you get a new collection or an expansion of existing collections – there is always something new going on.” The company is also able to produce a wide array of fullycustomised products, AbuRoza added. “Nothing is set in stone!” One of Sicis’ greatest strengths is its turnaround time, AbuRoza noted. “We can start delivery within one week. Our maximum lead time for delivery in Dubai is eight weeks. We are the fastest in the industry. That’s why we get the toughest projects and have the most demanding clients.” Sicis products can currently be found in some of the region’s most iconic projects, from Burj Al Arab, Atlantis on The Palm Jumeirah and Emirates Palace to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGN UPDATE

TKI to make Khartoum debut DUBAI-BA SED FIRM APPOINT ED TO DESIGN L ANDM ARK PROJECT IN SUDAN SUDAN: Dubai-based design firm, Thomas Klein International (TKI), has been appointed to develop the food and beverage component of Khartoum’s El Seref project. Owned and managed by El Seref Tourism and Hospitality, the El Seref project spans 40,000ft². It is due to open early next year and represents a total investment of approximately $8 million. The building was originally envisaged as a ballroom, explained Daniel During, managing partner of TKI. “The site was originally planned to be the ballroom of a five-star hotel, to be built by El Seref Tourism and Hospitality. However, the local market’s needs shifted during the construction of the site, and the owner decided to revisit the usage of the building. “We definitely have a very large area to work with, and our initial task will be to study the location and the market, and to estimate the potential demand of

the location. The biggest task now is to devise exciting concepts for such a big space,” During added. El Seref restaurant is situated on the riverbed of the Nile, on a historical site in Omdurman, 200m from the confluence of the White and Blue Nile. “This is definitely a very interesting project for us, as Omdurman was the ancient capital of Sudan, and the restaurant will be situated on the exact location of the site where the last battle against the British was fought,” During explained. “When you visit the site you are still able to see the walls that protected the fighters on the site when the troops were led by Al Mahdi. Due to the location of the project, we are working on a concept that will position El Seref as a destination restaurant for both locals and tourists.” This project is an important undertaking, noted Abdel Rahim El Sadig, general manager of El

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

Seref Tourism and Hospitality. “The complexity of the project, the sheer size and uniqueness of the site, and the fact that it will be a first of its kind in the region, and a totally new concept for the Sudanese public, makes this a very special project,” he said. “This, coupled with the high level of investment in the project, meant that we had to select a highly-capable F&B consultant with a proven track record to manage the project. We therefore decided to partner with TKI, as we felt it fulfilled all the pre-requisites in managing our investment successfully,” El Sadig added. TKI has also been appointed to create a series of new pastry shops in Abu Dhabi. The shops will operate under the name Crème Royale, and will be jointly owned by The Royal Group in Abu Dhabi and a Greek investor, Theodore Zaravinos. TKI will also be responsible for the design of

a central production unit which will produce all of the cakes and pastries for the stores. The first outlet will be located in Souk Al Merkazi. A second shop, which will also feature a seating area for onsite consumption of sweets, pastries and light meals, is due to open a few months later in Paragon Mall. TKI will work in conjunction with its associated office, PS Studio in Chicago, to create the interior concept. “The interiors will be cutting-edge and ultra-modern, and will perfectly showcase the selection of premium luxury products on offer. We are also currently envisaging the possibility of including art installations in every store,” said During. “We hope to bring a new level of sophistication to Abu Dhabi with this venture.” The total investment for the first two outlets and the 250m² central production unit is budgeted at $2.5 million dollars.

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DESIGN UPDATE

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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DESIGN UPDATE

Progressive principles FR ANCO-ARGENTINE ARCHITECT PABLO K AT Z HA S CRE ATED A STRIKING E X AMPLE OF PROGRESSIVE, 21ST CENTURY DESIGN FRANCE: On a small and previously unused corner plot in Paris’ 20th arrondissement, a single-family home is acting as a textbook example of how state-ofthe-art technology can combine with modern architectural principles to create a sustainable, energy-efficient structure. CK06, the working name of the project, is characterised by closed and transparent façade surfaces, recesses and openings. The unconventional box-shaped building is made of wood and glass and stands on a base of recycled stones. A shadow gap between the base and central element creates the impression that the structure is floating. Behind the unusual façade lie reduced surfaces and airy, interrelated spaces. “Our house should push the realms of what is currently possible,” the building’s owner commented. Energy efficiency and networked electrical engineering were a priority in the design of

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the space. The architect used a palette of recyclable materials, such as stone, steel and wood, as well as glass, which creates a strong sense of transparency. With increased insulation, solar panels, underfloor heating, a grey water purification system and roof landscaping, CK06 meets the highest ecological standards. The house is equipped with a central remote-controlled heating system, while a fingerprint scanner on the front door eliminates the need for keys, and movement sensors control lighting. There is a choice of pre-set lighting scenarios, such as ‘intimate dinner’ or ‘home cinema’. In addition, the sun blinds close in response to bright sunshine and the burglar alarm is activated automatically when residents leave the house. Space, light and carefullyconsidered materials characterise the interior of CK06. Katz stripped the building down to its essentials and assigned each element with a

specific function. For example, the fireplace not only creates warmth, it also serves as a wood store, room divider and, on the kitchen side, as a bookshelf. The first floor of the new building is home to a comfortable living area and open kitchen, while the two storeys above are dedicated to the parents’ and childrens’ bedrooms. Modernity is combined with an aura of warmth throughout. “We wanted a modern house that was nevertheless warm and comfortable,” said the owner. Even the bathrooms are progressive. The bathtub, shower, washing area and toilet are positioned in individual zones, and residents can watch a film or listen to music from either the bathtub or the bed. The sound experience can also be enjoyed whilst taking a shower. The owners chose Duravit’s 2nd Floor range for their bathrooms, because of the “purity of the lines, the elegant minimalism and the quality of the materials”.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGN UPDATE

Kicking back in Gabon MOROCC AN HUSBAND AND WIFE T E A M DESIGN GABON’S FIRST SPA AND FIT NESS COMPLE X GABON: Spa Yacine is the first spa and fitness complex to be built in the west African nation of Gabon. Morocco-born architect Ahmed Chami designed the exterior of the 30,000m² building, while the interiors were designed by his wife, interior designer Nadia Benmoussa. The property is located halfway between the airport and the centre of Libreville, Gabon’s capital city, on the outskirts of a residential area. Most importantly, it it situated next to a site that has been set aside for a botanical garden. The garden was not only the reason behind the choice of location, but also key to the overall design concept – a interplay between architecture and nature. Chami and his wife worked closely to ensure that the interiors and exteriors complemented each other, and they oversaw not only the design but the construction, landscaping and project management. “The result is an integrated concept which, incorporated into the natural surroundings, offers visual and physical diversity and recreation,” Chami said. The cube-shaped elements of the building, which were laid out

to optimally fulfil their function, appear to be seperate but still create one unit. Bridges serve as links between the elements and also offer space below for patios and sheltered gardens. The complex was designed to exude an air of informal tranquillity, Chami explained, which was achieved by the alternating use of vertical and horizontal elements – among these are the stairway to the main entrance, vertical recesses on the front and horizontal

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

elements on the facade. “It is the design of the facade which is pivotal to the harmonious nature of the building,” he said. The facade is clad in alumnimium composite panels that change colour in response to the sun. “The surface reveals ever-changing colours, glossy hues and depths,” Chami said. “Consequently the building fits perfectly into its surroundings,” he continued. The facade, designed by Reynobond, also has the benefit of being

very durable, as the high-tech coating is strong and resistant to wear and tear, salt, moisture and UV rays. “The inhabitants of Libreville are quite fascinated by the natural, shimmering colours of the chameleon coating,” said Chami. “The building has become a local attraction to the city’s population.” Meanwhile, the interiors of the building were designed with an individual concept for each space, whether for massage, fitness, relaxation or sauna.

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PROFILE

Laufen W H O? Laufen specialises in the entire bathroom, the chamber that it considers to be a local recreational area within oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own four walls. The internationally-active Swiss company, with its headquarters in the small town of Laufen, produces and sells complete bathrooms with a whole range of integrated products: sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, bathroom accessories and faucets.

US P S ? The Laufen bathroom company is founded on a firm knowledge of the ceramics manufacturing process. For over 110 years in Laufen, the oldest plastic material known to man has been made into washbasins, bidets and toilets, in highly modern units and with Swiss precision. With the development of high pressure casting in the late 1980s, Laufen revolutionised production techniques for sanitary ceramics and laid the foundation for the serial production of high-quality designer bathrooms. Laufen was a design brand from early on: the company brought its first fullyequipped designer bathroom onto the market in the 1990s, with F.A. Porsche. In 2002, the company had sensational success with the ILBAGNOALESSI One bathroom concept, developed with Alessi. Laufen Pro followed in 2004. A year later, the modular, expandable Palomba Collection was created in co-operation with Italian architects Ludovica + Roberto Palomba. With the introduction of the ILBAGNOALESSI dOt and the modular Open system in 2007, the compact mimo bathroom in 2008 and the Lb3 bathroom concept in 2009, Laufen has established itself as a supplier of high-quality designer solutions for the bathroom.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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PROFILE

D E V E L O PM E N T S ? As a company that creates products that work with the valuable resource of water, Laufen feels obliged to protect the natural fundamentals of life, because climate change, water pollution and other environmental problems caused by humans concern everyone. Therefore, Laufen promotes an environmentallyfriendly method of production and deals sparingly with energy and materials at every level, from development to marketing. For this reason, the company uses the heat produced during the production process and transforms it into electricity. Laufen actively seeks environmentally-friendly solutions for many products – the high-gloss surface of the furniture range of the mimo bathroom series is produced using recycled materials, for example. But it is also important for the company to create products of the highest quality, which is confirmed by the Swiss Q-Plus-Signet, which certifies that Laufen products conform to European standards, as well as even higher Swiss standards. This is an important point for Laufen because only durable and low-wear products deserve to be called environmentally-friendly; avoidance is better than recycling waste. Therefore, Laufen even helps its customers live in a more environmentally-friendly manner and lower their energy costs. The bathroom specialist’s products are also equipped with the most modern energy and water saving technologies.

P RO J E C T S ? Laufen maintains a network of showrooms in the Middle East and pursues many projects in the region. Typical customers here are four and five star hotels by well-known brands, for example the recent Westin Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, which was fitted with the ILBAGNOALESSI dOt range, many boutique hotels like the L’Hotel in Bahrain, residential buildings like Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai, and many more commercial and private projects.

CO N TAC T S ? Ivan Zupanovic, head of international project sales and export, Wahlenstrasse 46, CH-4242 Laufen, Switzerland. Tel: +41 617 657 611. Fax: +41 617 611 020. Email: ivan.zupanovic@laufen.ch.

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGNER Q&A

Design perspectives CID SPE A K S TO MEMBER S OF T HE INDE X S T EERING COMMIT T EE TO GE T A VA RIED VIE W OF CURRENT M A RKE T CONDIT IONS A ND CH A LLENGE S 14

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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DESIGNER Q&A

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGNER Q&A

Lu Buchanan, vice president, Index The exhibition organiser Lu Buchanan is the vice president of Index, the largest and most established design event in the Middle East. Taking place from November 8 to 11 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Index is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and will incorporate design competitions, conferences, workshops, live installations and interactive features. Buchanan brings to Index her extensive experience of the events industry. She previously ran her own business in Europe which, among many successes, was behind the creation of Spain’s Homes & Gardens show and was responsible for developing it into the largest event of its kind in southern Europe. Buchanan has also been a partner in a joint venture business with Clarion Events, where she created new events such as the Mortgage Business Expo, Small Business Finance and Fly, the London Air Show.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

na an effort to ensure that it is firm rmly in touch with the region’s int interior design industry, Ind Index has, for the second year running running, established a steering commi committee consisting of high-profile industr industry representatives. And in t ensure that it was getting order to a broa broad and varied view of the indust Index invited a diverse industry, group of individuals to be a part of this yyear’s committee. This included designers that specialise in a range of sectors, clients with a firm appreciation of design, and industry experts with experience of various geographical markets. Commercial Interior Design sat down with Lu Buchanan, vice president of Index, and selected members of the steering committee, to discuss the key issues and challenges currently facing the industry. The aim was to get a range d of different views from a range of diff different perspectives. As a specialis in hospitality design, Isabel specialist Pintado of Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ) was able to provide insight into the challenges that are particular to this segment of the market, while Steven Charlton of Artillery Architecture and Interior Design was able to share his expertise in workplace design, as well as his experiences of working with the Abu Dhabi market. Meanwhile, Deem Albassam, managing director of Switch Restaurant and Lounge, was able to provide insight into the perspective of the client.

From a business point of view, how is 2010 looking so far and what are your projections for the rest of the year? Isabel Pintado: We have been really busy. I don’t ever find that it slows down during Ramadan because you normally have to put together presentations for just after Eid. So, your clients commission work before they go on holiday, let’s say in June, and then you are flat out trying to get everything done. Also, a lot of your staff go on holiday over summer so you are balancing out having 30% less staff with the same workload. Lu Buchanan: We come to it from a completely different angle, from the supplier point of view. And the suppliers are finding it tough. The people that are still here are doing okay, but there are fewer suppliers around now. A lot of our clients are international, mainly from Europe, and they are struggling. They are looking forward to coming here for Index because they see more potential to grow their businesses here. When it comes to projects, what kind of opportunities are you seeing? Isabel Pintado: Most of my work is hotel work. I’ve just signed up to do a new hotel in Muscat and we are currently designing two large projects in Libya. We’ve put a lot of fee bids out in the last three or four months. I don’t think we’ve ever been this busy putting out fee bids. They just keep coming in. Some of my very cynical colleagues say that when people are concerned about losing their jobs, they put out fee bids because it means their jobs will be secured while that whole process is going on. So that might be one reason why there are so many coming in. But there’s also a lot of refurbishment work

I think the game has changed over the last few years. If anything, the economic slowdown has done some good things because it has raised the bar. Whatever you do, you have to be better at it to survive. www.constructionweekonline.com

DESIGNER Q&A

around, which wasn’t really there in the past. I think refurbishment is becoming the biggest market for us. Steven Charlton: We are chasing the blue chips, in essence. They’ve got the money and they know how much they want to spend. They’ve already allocated it, so it’s an easier and quicker process to go through. There are a lot of enquiries right now. There are a lot of people actively looking for office space, so there’s a lot of work, and there’s not really that many companies around to do it – and do it well. The competition is not that strong, in reality. Not compared to the London market, for example. I think the rates in London are about 3% at the moment; people are winning jobs on 3%. You can definitely get better rates than that here. Is that specific to Abu Dhabi, where you are based? Steven Charlton: The Dubai market is actually stronger right now, simply because the quality of stock is much better for the blue chips. And the prices are much better. I think there’s more consolidation going on, so the Dubai market is still quite active in that sense. Companies with two or three offices are gathering all their resources in one main location, for example. The Abu Dhabi stuff is more in the pipeline – it will probably be more active next year. Is the market generally becoming more sophisticated in its attitudes towards interior design, would you say? Deem Albassam: I think in order to make a difference, particularly at this time, you really need to add something to the market. Or else you shouldn’t exist. And design is something that can really differentiate your business. It is the main element of any space. It brands the space, from a marketing point of view. When it comes to commercial interiors, is there a willingness to invest in modern office concepts? Steven Charlton: It depends on the client. It depends where they are from, if they are an international company,

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It’s easy to specify nice things and spend money on fantastic products but when you’ve got half the amount of money to do it with, you have to be much cleverer. where their head office is, and so on. We’re starting to push more concepts to the client, so even if they only accept 20% of them, it’s a good start. This is still not a developed market. We can’t fool ourselves and say it is. It is getting more and more developed, but it has still got some way to go. Lu, would you agree that this is not yet a developed market, and how does that impact what you are trying to achieve with Index? Lu Buchanan: I think what’s interesting and, once again, we are coming from a totally different angle, is that our European clients think that the market is over developed. They actually think that the market is flooded and that there is no more work here. What they are now looking to do is use Dubai as a gateway to the rest of the region. There is a totally different perception coming from the exhibitor/supplier side, particularly in Europe. This is because of all the negative press about Dubai in Europe. They are not here so they cannot see the reality of what’s going on. That’s why we spend half our time trying to send news out to the rest of the world about what is really going on here.

Steven Charlton, managing director, Artillery UAE, Abu Dhabi The workplace specialist Artillery was founded in London’s Artillery Lane in 1987. It also has a presence in Melbourne and established its second global office in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2009. Artillery UAE predominantly focuses on the corporate sector, offering services such as workspace analysis, test fits, sustainable design, contractor supervision and management, in addition to innovative design. Steven Charlton was employed to head up the new Abu Dhabi venture.

Has the relationship between suppliers and designers changed as a result of the slowdown? Isabel Pintado: In my particular case, I get approached to receive suppliers all the time, and we do receive them. But whereas in the past we would see everybody, we now ask them to send us a bit of information prior to arranging a meeting. What we are finding now in the hotel world is that clients don’t buy any Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

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Discretion is the secret of good design.

DESIGNER Q&A

originals. That’s the reality. We might get one or two originals in the reception but that’s it. Very rarely do I specify an original and it gets used in the project. Isn’t that really damaging to your relationships with suppliers? Isabel Pintado: It isn’t but only because I am honest about it. I tell them, I have specified this, let’s hope it makes it into the project. They are aware that the decision is out of my hands. I tell my clients that the quality will not be the same with a copy but they don’t care. As far as they are concerned, they can just fit the project out again in four years time anyway, so they don’t need superb quality. What other changes have you seen in the market over the last year or two? Isabel Pintado: You really have to fight for your fees. You have to lower them or give additional services. Clients in the past didn’t really try to haggle their fees down. It was not something that you used to encounter here, which was odd. And now, the haggling process takes nearly as long as the design bit! Also, in the past you could get away with not really staffing a project correctly. You had so much going on that you didn’t have to resource properly. Now, you are resourcing in a completely different way. It’s a strange thing because you are getting smaller fees but the quality of work that you are putting into the project is much higher, because you cannot afford for those projects not to run smoothly. Payment is also still a problem. Sadly, because of the situation here and the type of clients we have, taking legal action is not really a practical option. It is viable but it is costly. Also, the perception of taking someone to court here is so negative. In Europe if somebody doesn’t pay you, you can take them to court and still have a relationship. Here, you burn your bridges. Steven Charlton: I think there are still times when you are going to lose jobs because somebody has put something forward that is incorrect, or the fee isn’t realistic, or it isn’t professional and either the client doesn’t know about it, or doesn’t care. So you still lose jobs

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that way, and you cannot really do anything about it. Isabel Pintado: Sometimes, losing those kinds of projects is a good thing. One, they’ll probably come back to you in the long term and two, if they are that tight about fees, it is pointless doing the job anyway – unless you know that there is a really big project coming up afterwards, but those projects tend not to materialise anyway. Steven Charlton: It used to be really difficult trying to understand which companies were looking for a designer because they went straight to the market. They didn’t go down the traditional route of going to the brokers, who helped them find space, and then going to project managers who then put out RFPs. That was my experience in London. So that was quite a strange thing in the past – trying to work out where to go to find the jobs. The clients don’t tell anybody and then suddenly they’ve already spoken to three designers. Now that is changing. You do find work through more traditional routes, which makes life much easier. Lu Buchanan: I think the game has changed over the last few years. If anything, the economic slowdown has done some good things because it has raised the bar. Whatever you do, you have to be better at it to survive. Which I think is a good thing. Steven Charlton: I think you’ve seen who the good companies are and aren’t. You start seeing talent once you strip away how much money you have to play with. It’s easy to specify nice things and spend money on fantastic

Isabel Pintado, associate partner, Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ) The hospitality designer Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ) is one of the largest and most established UKheadquartered architecture practices in the UAE. The company also offers services in various architecture-related disciplines, including project management, interior design and landscape design, and has developed particular expertise in the hotel and leisure-related industry. Spanish-born Isabel Pintado joined the company in 2005 and has been responsible for successfully building up its interior design division.

Payment is still a problem. Sadly, because of the situation here and the type of clients we have, taking legal action is not really a practical option. Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESIGNER Q&A

I think in order to make a difference, particularly at this time, you really need to add something to the market. Or else you shouldn’t exist. products, but b when you’ve got half the amount of money to do it with, you have to be much cleverer. h Is finding high-quality fit-out companies still a struggle in marke this market? Steven Cha Charlton: I struggle to find three good fit-out companies to put forwar forward. There’s not many and even withi within the companies that you trus trust, it depends on which ind individuals will be hand dling the job for you. Isabel Pintado: What I’ve found with contractors is that instead o resourcing with fewer of but better staff, they’re getting rid of the better staff and keeping the cheaper ones. On some of our sites, I am having an absolute nightmare. Contractors are procuring whatever they want, t they aren’t producing sa samples, and they are doi details the way they doing want to, rather than the way they’ve been drawn. I’m findhard on site than ever. ing it harder

Deem Albassam, founder, Switch

The client Deem Albassam is part of a growing breed of entrepreneurs – passionate about her dreams of becoming one of the most successful women in the Arab world. As the founder of Switch Restaurant and Lounge, she has had the chance to implement her solid knowledge of retail management, marketing and design. She previously worked as a market developer for Albassam Groups in Dubai.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

clien what is the biggest Deem, as a client, y face when it comes challenge that you to working with interior designers? Deem Albassam: Finding good designers is the main challenge. And how do you define a good interior designer? Deem Albassam: To me, a good designer is someone who designs something that is functional and can be implemented. With many of my projects, I’ve struggled to find people that understand the

design but at the same time know how to implement it really well. Some designers will design something for you with no space for the AC, or without proper lighting. Functionality is really important. Another challenge is finding the right contractors and fit-out people. Most companies, even if we’ve signed agreements regarding schedules and penalties, don’t stick to the agreement. And as Isabel said, going to court is costly, it takes time and it takes energy. You also don’t want to go through that because then the relationship is done. The lines are cut. What are the biggest and most common design mistakes that you come across in this market? Isabel Pintado: You see a lot of value engineering. I think that’s something that you can spot very quickly. If you look at projects that were completed here three years ago, you don’t necessarily see that. If you look at projects that were completed over the last 18 months, you see a lot of it. We need to make clients understand that a cheaper option might look the same, but it is not the same. It’s better to go for a cheaper alternative from a good brand, rather than going for a copy. Copies destroy designs. All of this value engineering, that’s what has taken away the magic of design. How would you like to see the industry evolve, moving forward? Deem Albassam: My wish is that the good companies stay and the really bad companies are removed from the market. Before, there were a lot of masks over people’s faces. Now, everything is on show and everything is clear. That’s the positive thing about this recession. Lu Buchanan: Linking it to the show again, what we are trying to do is bring in better quality. I think Index in the past has had some of the lower range, cheaper products on show and we are trying to move away from that. We are trying to bring more original, innovative, unusual ideas in to the region. We want to offer more variety and more choice. Quality and innovation are key for us, and for the design industry at large.

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CASE STUDY: PROLOGUE

Well read MINIST RY OF DESIGN CHALLENGED CONVENT ION WIT H T HIS E XCIT ING BOOKSHOP INT ERIOR.

ookstore design has a longstanding propensity to be dull and disinteresting. A reflection, perhaps, of general attitudes towards books, which are treated with indifference by a massive proportion of the population. But lacklustre bookshop design doesn’t just reflect negative attitudes towards books,

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

it feeds into them – a self-perpetuating cycle that is damaging to all. Which is why, when Singaporeheadquartered Ministry of Design was commissioned to create a brand persona for Prologue, a new name in Asia’s bookselling business, it was keen to come up with something that was both eye-catching and up-to-date.

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CASE STUDY: PROLOGUE

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

Philips lighting advert.ai

8/19/10

2:00 PM

CASE STUDY: PROLOGUE

BAT TLING BLANDNESS Colin Seah, founder and director of design at the progressive Ministry of Design, admits to being baffled by the blandness of most bookshop window displays, and describes bookstore design as being years behind fashion retail standards. “Most bookstore displays merely showcase posters or latest book promos or newest books – decades behind fashion displays which capture emotion and tell a story. “I think there is a great need for bookstores to catch up in terms of capturing customers’ attention. With Prologue, we aimed to respond to these issues, as well as introducing a dynamic public element in the form of a vibrant café setting,” Seah said.

Prologue is a new venture by Singapore-based Popular Holdings, an established Asian player involved in book retailing and distribution, publishing, e-learning and property development. Founded in 1924, Popular currently has over 40 subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, China, the UK and Canada. The company has repeatedly proven to be firmly in tune with market needs. In the 1980s it made the bold step of ditching its wholesale business and focusing on the retail sector. The new Prologue brand is a further indicator of the company’s proactive approach, as it identified the need for a more lifestyle-orientated retail space that redefines the book buying experience.

SOURCES Floors Homogeneous black tiles Red epoxy floor paint finish Engineered timber strip flooring Walls Paint finish with textured spray Timber laminate Ceiling Emulsion paint finish Lighting Barndoor lights Mini barndoor lights Fluorescent cove lights Shelving and displays Display Mannequins Dinosaur Mannequin

Spine Gres Bodenlack DecoArt Flooring SKK TAK Products & Services Design Delta Acoustic & Lighting System Desisti Asia Design Delta Font Creative Rich.art Enterprises

1 A Godzilla-like creature stands guard at the entrance. 2 A central spine curves sinuously through the store. 3&4 A sculptural staircase leads to 3

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the second floor.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

CASE STUDY: PROLOGUE

5&6 Each zone is separated by a colour-coded canopy. 7 The stationery section.

Essentially a boutique bookstore, Prologue is located on the fourth floor of Singapore’s luxurious ION Orchard Mall. Ministry of Design was called in to choreograph all aspects of Prologue’s brand concept, from logo, collateral, shopping bags and uniforms to window display and interior architecture and design. The aim was to create a seamless and rich experience that extended across each and every aspect of the new bookstore brand. The greatest challenge that Ministry of Design faced with this project was a construction timetable of only 12 weeks. “The timeframe was a real challenge – the entire store was up in four months. It was challenging to work

out the structural requirements for the stairs to the second floor within the timeframe, and ensure that the details were all well implemented.”

FLOOR PLAN Creating consistency is fundamental to any successful retail project, Seah noted. “The key is to craft an experience, from the signage to the entry to the navigation to trying on items or browsing and paying – it needs to be exciting and alluring but also practical and efficient,” he said. Ministry of Design prides itself on its ability to question, disturb and redefine. And when it brought its progressive attitude to the bookstore

experience, it discovered a handful of recurring issues that plague conventional bookstore design. These included a lack of clear spatial hierarchy and poor visual zoning for different book categories. These two issues make it difficult for consumers to both navigate through the space and locate the book they want. Both of these problems were addressed in the 1,550m², two-storey Prologue store. “We redefined way-finding with a central spine that organises all the secondary zones and spaces,” Seah explained. “Curving sinuously through the entire bookstore, the spine begins at the entry window display, continues through the core of the space and 7

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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CASE STUDY: PROLOGUE

8,9&10 Ministry of Design used dramatic statement pieces to counter the traditionally uninspiring design of many bookshop interiors.

culminates at the cafe and the sculptural staircase leading to the store’s second-storey stationery section.” To enhance visual distinction, each book zone is crowned by a bright, colour-coded, perforated metal canopy. “Experienced as a collective, the eight canopies create a dynamic ceilingscape and clearly guide the user from one zone to another,” said Seah. “The spine and coloured canopies are my favourite part of the interior. It is beautiful at night, especially against the ION Mall facade. “We have also defamiliarised the entry by creating an installation art display starring a godzilla-inspired creature unpacking books amongst a city-scape of packing boxes, which

will gradually evolve into a cityscape of books,” Seah continued. Created by Rich Art Enterprises, the godzilla form creates a very striking first impression. As befitting a bookshop interior, Seah wanted to tell a story – and that story starts at the unconventional window display. “Prologue tells a story from the beginning, with an oversized godzilla amongst books, inviting adults and kids to wander into the giant land of books.” As the name suggests, this unique venture is just the start. “It is the beginning of many things for this book retailer, Popular Book Company, just as a prologue is for a normal book,” said Seah. “It is the beginning of a redefinition of book retail experiences.” 9

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

Introducing: Colin Seah, founder and design director, Ministry of Design. Architecturally trained in the US, Colin Seah honed his sensibilities working for the likes of Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind. He also spent four years at the National University of Singapore’s department of architecture. As Ministry of Design’s founder and director of design, Colin is a two-time recipient of Singapore’s highest design accolade, the President’s Design Award. Recognised as a Rising Star in Architecture by Monocle, Seah has also been invited by the Singapore Tourism Board to redefine Singapore as a destination for 2020 and beyond.

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FEATURE: RETAIL DESIGN

The psychology of T HE REGION’S RE TAIL INDUST RY HA S E VOLVED AT BRE AK-NECK SPEED. WHAT

W 1

hile online shopping continues to grow in popularity, having a strong physical presence will always be vital for retailers. The retail store acts as a brand promise, a statement of intent and an essential forum for interaction between the consumer and the product. This

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

is particularly apparent in this part of the world, where shopping is still a key social activity, and the need to see and touch a product before buying remains strong. “Without a doubt, online is a major influencer on the development of consumer markets,” said Ian Caulder of London-based creative agency, Caulder Moore, which has been involved in a

series of projects in the region, including Gina Shoes,Dubai Mall and Boutique 1 in Mirdif City Centre. “However, having an actual experience is also very important, and nowhere more so than in Dubai and the wider region. People want to go out and interact. Yes, you may get the best deal online, but it does not engage all your

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FEATURE: RETAIL DESIGN

shopping IMPACT HA S T HIS HAD ON RE TAIL DESIGN IN T HE MIDDLE E A ST ? senses. There is nothing better then touching and feeling the product.”

WOOING THE CONSUMER Retail design becomes all the more important in times of recession. As customers become increasingly reticent about parting with their hard-earned cash, retailers need to make even more

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of an effort to woo them. Customers need to be convinced that they are being offered value for money, and an effectively-designed store can create that vital sense of reassurance. “We have been in business for over 20 years and have seen a few recessions. Retail is like a barometer of the economic climate,” said Caulder.

“At a hint of a recession, retailers always pull back, hold everything, cut back and reassess. The weakest businesses go, which allows new ones to fill the market,” he noted. “The best ones realise they have to keep moving forward by keeping focused on what they do well and by staying relevant to their consumers’ needs

1 Villa Moda.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

FEATURE: RETAIL DESIGN

2 2&3 The Boutique 1 store at Mirdif City Centre.

by adding better value to the product and the experience. People also need reassurance in a recession to justify a purchase in their minds. It is all about the emotional mindset. There is always a market out there, it is just harder to compete,” Caulder continued.

LEARNING CURVE The retail landscape in this part of the world has developed quickly, as countries across the Middle East have worked hard to position themselves as shopping havens. Furthermore, the mega mall has emerged as a centre of social activity, providing welcomed sanctuary from the region’s extreme temperatures. As such, shopping has become an integral part of the Gulf experience, for visitors and residents alike. An increasingly well-travelled consumer is also driving the development of the industry, and is demanding bettercrafted, more original retail spaces. “Retail design has evolved extensively over recent years. This could be attributed to the fact that designers are being given the freedom to elevate brands’ interior identities, as well as the fact that the average consumer is more globally aware, leading to more well-designed spaces,” said Alfred Johnson, managing partner of Dubai design firm, Imagination. Abdulla Ajmal, deputy general manager of Ajmal Perfumes, one of the region’s leading manufacturers and retailers of perfumes and beauty products, has also seen the region’s retail sector undergo

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

massive change. “It used to be trading. The customer would come in wanting to buy something. There was purpose. They walked in, they liked what they liked, they bargained, and once they were satisfied, they bought,” he said. “Over a period of time, better service and then better merchandising became important. But at that point, the idea behind merchandising was to create the impression that you had a lot of stuff. People would opt to go to stores based on whether they offered a lot of variety. Finally, as we have come of age, it has become all about the experiential environment. The customer is not simply looking for goods,” he detailed. According to Ajmal, however, the industry’s rapid growth trajectory has also

brought problems in its wake. Dubai’s retail industry has emulated many of the trends coming out of the west – but has tried to assimilate them over a much shorter time period, resulting in a very steep learning curve. “Unfortunately, typically of Dubai, the infrastructure grows faster than all the support services. So, for example, you want good service but you don’t have good training agencies. You have beautiful materials available but you don’t have people that know how to implement them very well. And you also don’t have many good commercial retail designers,” Ajmal suggested. “There are good designers around but retail design is not just about beauty, it is about psychology. This is something

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FEATURE: RETAIL DESIGN

4&5 Gina Shoes, Dubai Mall. 6&7 Mirdif City Centre.

that a lot of retailers don’t understand over here – you have to look at the movement of the customer, at how to break an environment down in order to subliminally communicate a message, at how to align your vision of the brand with the retail design. It could be the smallest of things. It could be lighting, it could be sound, it could be anything. All of this forms the psychology of retail.” “There are good designers here,” countered John Rabone, managing director of R&R Design, “but the level of retail design is not sophisticated enough, probably due to the timescales. You tend to have a much longer development period in the UK. Here, it could be ten weeks from a blank piece of paper to an open store, and then we as the designers get into trouble when it goes wrong.” Designers are under pressure from clients, who are already paying rent and are keen to get their businesses off the ground. And retailers are under pressure from the malls, which want to minimise disruption and get all their components up and running as soon as possible. “The mall insists, so you are under pressure,” Ajmal explained. “And yes, we pressurise the contractor as well, because we don’t want to lose the business. You are losing on the rent and you are losing out on the business. The average fit-out period for a store the size of our new Ajmal by Eternal store would be three months in London. You might even negotiate a six month fit-out period. Here, you are looking at 45 days.”

LOCAL FEEL Another issue is that the retail sector in this part of the world is dominated by large, international, franchised brands – which normally have a specific design identity that is reapplied whenever and wherever they open a new store. As such, it falls to local brands to drive the development of authentic, original retail design in this region. “My feeling is the international brands are rolling out their standard formats, rather then focusing on understanding the local market and creating something special. There has been a noticeable growth in confidence amongst local brands to develop their own brands, or create new brands to compete with

these international players. We are working with a number of key local brands such as Chalhoub, Ajmal and Boutique 1 and finding it very rewarding and stimulating,” said Caulder. Rabone also highlighted the importance of having strong local brands. R&R Design is currently working with a client in Kuwait that is developing three new retail brands. The overriding aim is to create locally-headquartered but internationally-viable brands that can go out and be successful in other markets around the world. “The problem is that it is so tempting for people to just go out and get a franchise,” said Rabone. “They’ve gotten into this habit but now is probably the time when they should be developing new, local brands. Globalisation is inevitable but you have to react differently and ask: What do we have that we can export? Can we develop a brand here in the Gulf that is strong enough to go to Europe? You have to be a part of it and you have to embrace it.”

KNOW YOUR BRAND

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

Key to any successful retail environment is a well-defined brand and a clear understanding of the target audience. All too often, there is confusion surrounding the basic brand identity. “You can go into a luxury store that is too densely merchandised and you can go into a low budget one that is sparsely merchandised,” Rabone noted. “It comes back

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FEATURE: RETAIL DESIGN

8 Ajmal Perfumes’ flagship Burjuman Centre store.

to the research, both from the designer and the client’s point of view.” There is also a tendency for stores to try and do too much, Johnson pointed out. Retailers still have that old-fashion mentality of wanting to display as much merchandise as possible, with little thought for how that impacts the overall aesthetic of the store, or patterns of movement within it. “A common mistake is to overcrowd an environment – this occurs when clients do not select the appropriate design firm and try to incorporate too many products into what ought to be a well informed and targeted space for their brand,” Johnson noted. “You should have a couple of striking features, some good focal points that draw the customer in,” Rabone agreed. “Another mistake is having too many high mid-floor units. What you tend to do is work on a tiering system – you start off low in the middle and go higher towards the perimeter. That means that the customer can see right into the back of the store. In some stores, you get a situation where nobody ever goes into the back of the shop because the customer can’t see it, which means it’s not easily accessible.” In many cases, the retail experience has become too convoluted, particularly when it comes to some of Dubai’s more elaborate malls. Mall operators have lost sight of the fact that what shoppers require above all else is ease and convenience. “A lot of times, they take the

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

philosophy of the idea too literally, and they forget that this is supposed to be a retail environment, rather than Ibn Battuta’s trail, for example,” said Ajmal. Inappropriate lighting is also a common problem. “One of the biggest design mistakes is lighting – some of the most influential brands, like Armani in the Mall of the Emirates, have perhaps got the most inappropriate interior lighting. Designers have a responsibility to ensure that the consumer enjoys the retail experience and emotionally interacts with the products, which is certainly not possible with lighting that doesn’t communicate the brand or the product,” said Johnson. According to Rabone, lighting can make or break a project. “You can have the best designed store in the world but if the lighting doesn’t enhance the product, it will kill the interior. Unfortunately, that’s one of the places where a lot of clients will try to save money. We work with a lighting consultant because it’s a completely different science. A lot of interior designers think they know lighting, but they don’t.” The aim, ultimately, is to elevate the product on display – rather than overshadow or draw attention away from it, Rabone concluded. “Our job is to create a stage set for the product. “Your store has to represent the brand but it also has to be the backdrop to the product. At the same time, it needs to be striking and eye-catching and stand out from the crowd.”

RETAIL NO-NOs: “Stores still try to do too much. They don’t think about function or movement. The last thing a customer needs is a slalom course.” Abdulla Ajmal. “There is a lack of understanding regarding the privacy and discretion of how the locals like to shop, and very little respect for the differences in taste created by cultural influences. And stores are often too literal with obvious local design statements.” Ian Caulder. “Consumer interaction points are seemingly designed without any imagination. An average consumer spends between one and four minutes at a checkout counter and whilst the customer service agent is doing their bit, consumers are left absorbing the design language.” Alfred Johnson. “A lot people have kept that trading mentality. It is all about trying to push the product, rather than building the brand.” Abdulla Ajmal. “You can have the best designed store in the world but if the lighting doesn’t enhance the product, it will kill the interior. Unfortunately, that’s one of the places where a lot of clients will try to save money.” John Rabone.

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CASE STUDY: ETERNAL BY AJMAL

Ar ty Ajmal E T ERNAL BY AJM AL’S NE W BOUT IQUE IS A DIST INCT AND HARMONIOUS BLEND OF ART AND PERFUME. FIDA SL AYM AN TAKES A LOOK INSIDE.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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CASE STUDY: ETERNAL BY AJMAL

rt and perfume is not a combination often featured in retail, but the newly-opened Eternal by Ajmal boutique presents an exquisite and harmonious marriage of the two. Located at Dubai’s Wafi City mall, the new boutique marks the brand’s coming of age. “Eternal by Ajmal is an evolution of what used to be Ajmal Eternal,” explained deputy general manager of Ajmal Perfumes, Abdulla Ajmal. The new boutique replaces the Ajmal Eternal outlet at Emirates Towers, and complements a similar boutique in Abu Dhabi. As signified by the subtle name change, the aim is to establish Eternal as an independent entity in its own right.

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

CASE STUDY: ETERNAL BY AJMAL

“We’ve taken the next step and wanted Eternal to be at the forefront. We wanted Eternal to create its own identity,” Ajmal explained. To help mould this new identity, Ajmal Perfumes recruited London-based creative agency Caulder Moore, a firm with significant experience with niche perfumery brands. “That was one of the things that interested us. The other is that Caulder Moore has a good eye for luxury designs. Its selections are beautiful,” said Ajmal. Caulder Moore was given a brief that centred on “creating an experience that reflected Eternal by Ajmal’s positioning as the most exclusive perfume house in the world”, explained Maria Correia, the creative agency’s design director. Eternal by Ajmal is defined by its multi-faceted product offering. In addition to Murano glass sculptures, the shop specialises in branded perfumes, oils and the traditional oudh, or resinoid, one of the primary elements of the oriental perfumery. Caulder Moore had to create a space that accommodated all of these elements. Designing the boutique was “quite complex”, Correia admitted. “In the UK it’s about one singular element and delivering it consistently. This brand, though, was quite diverse, which is normal once we understood the culture of the Middle East.” Rather than working directly from a design brief, Caulder Moore was careful to take its cue from the Ajmal business model. “One thing I really liked about

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Caulder Moore was that it didn’t really go by a brief, per se,” explained Ajmal. “The team went by the business; they immersed themselves in it.” That the design firm was able to take a relatively small space and transform it into a series of different areas is testament to its talents, Ajmal noted. “The first thing they did was to take the store and break it down into different spaces,” he noted. “They took this one space and said ‘these areas are distinctive in terms of the experience, so why not separate them so that they look different?’”

WHY WAFI? Selected for its ease of access and emphasis on luxury brands, Wafi City was a perfect fit for Eternal by Ajmal,

said Ajmal. “The ease of getting to Wafi is greater than with some other malls. We can’t be somewhere like Mall of the Emirates,” he continued, “because the type of clientele we have doesn’t want to spend 20 minutes trying to find parking and then another 20 minutes getting to where they need to be.” Eternal by Ajmal’s client base, he added, “prefers a more intimate environment. Our customers like to be dropped off at the door, walk straight in, and visit the select few stores that they like”. Designers at Caulder Moore were able to borrow from Wafi’s reputation as a premium shopping destination. “We felt it was a very good marriage because Wafi is about bringing the very best of the world to its consumers, and the

1 Striking light fittings create a sense of drama. 2 The store is divided into a series of distinct areas. 3 The shop is located in Dubai’s Wafi City.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

CASE STUDY: ETERNAL BY AJMAL

Ajmal brand fits really well alongside that,” said Correia.

BREAKING IT DOWN

4 The oudh sanctuary is decked in gold. 5 The store is home to a harmonious marriage of art and perfume. 6 The glass art is displayed in a gallery-like space.

The store is divided into four distinct sections: the glass art gallery, the oudh sanctuary, and dedicated areas for oils and branded perfumes. “When a person walks from one area to another, it almost feels like they are in a different store,” said Ajmal. “But at the same time, the continuity is there.” Creating distinctive yet harmonious spaces was key to the design, said Correia. “What we really tried to do was create an environment that complemented all these diverse aspects. “Eternal by Ajmal is about the marriage of art and perfume, so it was about displaying the art glass in a really beautiful, almost gallery-like space, but also about understanding that what complements it is the perfume,” said Corriea. “That’s how we looked at defining and displaying the two kinds of spaces.” High-gloss lacquered surfaces with a gold edge trim adorn the largely white gallery area, while the lighting helps to create a sense of modernity, giving customers the feeling they are actually in an art gallery. “The lighting was important in linking all the areas together, while separate lighting features helped to define each space,” she added. Domed surface areas create intimacy in the service area, while chrome lighting features add to the distinctive design language of the boutique. “The

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

lighting highlights the product, which is the most important thing,” said Correia. “It also makes it easy for customers to navigate the space on their own, or for staff to take them through for a more personalised service.” In contrast to the ultra-contemporary art glass gallery, the couture perfume area exudes a warmer ambience. “Couture perfumery is about bespoke relationships, about understanding customers and the scents they’re looking for, so that’s why we went for the warm veneered timber,” explained Correia. In an exclusive boutique that only aims to attract some five to ten customers per day, providing a relaxing service area was crucial. “It is all about the service provided and the time taken to understand the needs of the customer,” said Ajmal. “A lot of the time, it is not the transaction, but the communication between the sales person and the customer that makes the difference.” The couture perfume space also introduces gold into the style mix, allowing the design to flow naturally into the gold-laden oudh sanctuary. Gold-leaf wallpaper allows customers to feel they are experiencing something special, Correia continued. “The oudh sanctuary was really about the premium nature of oudh – it’s a desirable and status-driven product and we wanted the gold to reflect that luxury.” Ajmal agreed. “The oudh area is the most precious area, so there is a lot of

gold. Whether you admit it or not, when you are in an area with a lot of gold, subconsciously you think ‘precious’.” Contemporary furnishings feature throughout the boutique, helping Eternal by Ajmal to stand out from its competitors. “Competitors tend to treat oudh in an old fashioned context; they always look at a very Arabic, very traditional aesthetic,” said Correia. “We’ve managed to bring this product and brand into a very contemporary aesthetic but have still not lost all the other qualities, like passion, luxury, personal service and quality.” Though the design language of the boutique speaks of high-end luxury and quality products, ensuring the project was completed on budget proved challenging. “It was difficult,” said Correia. “We played with different design features, which, when we looked at costs, we obviously had to simplify.” To overcome this challenge, Caulder Moore worked with local contractors wherever possible. Usually, explained Correia, the design firm sources its materials from the UK. When cost is an issue, however, “we start liaising with local contractors to find local equivalents within the marketplace”. The company’s Dubai contractor understood the boutique’s design and “was very mindful of the fact that it had to be brought in on budget,” said Correia. “We reached a very good compromise,” she concluded.

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CRITICAL? Yes.

It’s time to tell the whole truth.

WE MAKE FULL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL OUR CARPET TILES. It’s time to be clear. Sustainability is too complex to be explained by a single product beneﬁt or green label. We want to allow our customers to make informed decisions which means being committed to full transparency at the product level.

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DESTINATION FOCUS: EGYPT

Pyramid scheme EGYP T IS DISPL AYING A GROWING APPE T IT E FOR GOOD DESIGN

ith its large indigenous population, stable economy and growing appetite for good design, Egypt presents an interesting proposition for design professionals. “There is a lot of potential in the Egyptian market,” noted Chuck Wood, managing director, Rockwell Group Europe. “It has remained a robust economy over the past couple of years while the rest of the world has been in recession.” If anything, the global economic slowdown has had a positive impact on the country, suggested Ahmed Kandil,

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managing director, Middle East and Australia, Bene. “Individuals have found that investing in Egyptian property is a much safer bet than many other forms of investment. “As such, demand for, and the price of, property has increased. On a larger scale, foreign investment has increased as investors have found Egypt to be one of the safest places in the Middle East to invest in. Bene has done well in Egypt during the crisis and we still see great potential,” Kandil continued. Egypt is a country full of contrasts, where extreme wealth flirts with

extreme poverty, and an incomparably rich history is paired with an infrastructure that varies widely in terms of quality and sophistication. “Egypt is a complex country, young and unsophisticated in many respects, but also a country with a strong and influential design and architectural history. Culturally it is also highly diverse. Many Egyptians are well educated and well travelled. All of these factors come into play when working as designers in Egypt, and this is one reason why we find it such a fascinating place to be working in,” Wood said.

1 The Nile, Cairo.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESTINATION FOCUS: EGYPT

2 The Pyramids of Giza.

Rockwell Group is currently working on two projects in Egypt, both in Cairo. One is a five-star luxury hotel and golf resort, and the other is a night club. Tourism development remains a key priority for the country, particularly on its Red Sea coast. Dubai’s Jumeirah Group recently signed an agreement with Palm Hills Developments (PHD) to manage the 250-room Jumeirah Gamsha Bay Resort, a new five-star resort on the Red Sea. The residential, commercial and retail sectors are also experiencing significant growth, Kandil noted. “High-quality residential compounds and towers are being built and major developers such as Emaar, MAF and Talat Mostafa have started developing large-scale compounds, which present massive opportunity for designers. “The current government is also focusing on developing commercial and business-related buildings. They have opened the market up to foreign investment and are inviting international companies to use Egypt as a regional hub. As such, they are developing the Smart Village and the New Cairo business district in the east of Cairo. To meet demand, there are also plenty of shopping malls on the way, which need interior designers with expertise in the design of shops, cafés, restaurants etc.” With so much construction activity underway, developers are realising that design can be a fundamental differentiator for their projects. “Design is what’s going to distinguish their projects from all the other developments. Because there is so much competition, with a lot of developers investing in various projects, you really have to have that differentiating factor now,” said Hisham Youssef, senior associate at Gensler. Youssef cited Egypt’s large population as the key to its growth potential. “There is a large indigenous population, which creates two things. On the one hand, it creates very high demand. You have the people there, as opposed to places like the UAE where you don’t have that local population. It also means that you have a large, educated labour pool, so you don’t have to import labour,” Youssef explained.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

Gensler has ten year’s experience working in Egypt, having designed offices for companies such as Orascom, EFG Hermes and HC Securities, among others. “When we first did the head office interiors for Orascom, around the year 2000, there weren’t really any proper commercial office buildings – maybe two or three. “Concepts that we take for granted in the US or Europe, such as open space planning, glass offices and a large floor plate where everybody can see each other and communicate openly, just didn’t exist in Cairo,” said Youssef. “Over the last ten years, there’s been increasing interest in doing things properly, as opposed to doing things the way they’ve always been done. And that’s coming from the executives of some of the big companies, like Orascom and EFG Hermes. They are realising that they have to become more competitive and more efficient. And if you’re building a new building, there is a certain efficiency in designing it a certain way.” As a very large, increasingly designorientated and rapidly-evolving market, there is little question that Egypt offers plenty of opportunity. However, it is still a market fraught with challenges. An old-school bureaucratic mentality is still prevalent, as is corruption, so Kandil recommends that international design companies capitalise on the expertise of local companies which can “handle documentation and of are familiar with the regulations set by various different authorities, such as the tax department and municipalities”. Also, although Egypt is a relatively young market, it is still highly competitive, Kandil noted. “There are lots of qualified Egyptian interior designers who received their education and training either in the US or in Europe, or in one of Egypt’s many art and interior design colleges. In addition, there are a number of international firms being appointed on projects in Egypt, so the competition is high,” he maintained. This definitely affects one’s ability to negotiate higher fees,

Wood pointed out. Another significant challenge is sourcing good quality materials and goods, he added. “Because of high import duties for goods coming from outside the country, it can be prohibitively expensive to source goods from abroad as freely as one might when working elsewhere in the Middle East. On the other hand, while there are many very fine craftspeople and suppliers in Egypt, that side of the market is not as developed as it needs to be, so sourcing locally can also be a challenge.” The actual implementation of designs can also often be severely lacking in finesse, Youssef noted. “Local consultants and the construction industry have not had exposure to proper methodologies or proper ways of drawing or detailing or building. So you try to implement certain details and you can’t always guarantee that they are going to come out the way that you want them to. “I think things are improving but you have to take baby steps. I try to push certain details in some projects and then realise that I have to scale back because I know it can be done in New York or in Dubai or in Frankfurt, but in Cairo you have to start from a different base point and go one step at a time. You can’t make that big jump,” he explained. In spite of this, Egypt is an exciting market with a design industry that is only just coming of age. And while the design currently being rolled out might be somewhat generic, there will be interesting times ahead as Egypt begins to develop an authentic vernacular of its own. “Right now, everybody wants to do things that are international in style,” Youssef noted. “It is a time of experimentation. Right now there is more of a generic, international design style being rolled out, because the first thing that you do when you open up to the world is you try to incorporate things that convey that you are international, global and modern. Once you feel comfortable, then you start developing your own style.”

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DESTINATION FOCUS: EGYPT

Old and new C AIRO’S FIRST URBAN DESIGN E XHIBIT ION COMBINED CONT EMPOR ARY INNOVAT ION AND LOC AL CR AF TSM ANSHIP

airo played host to its first ever urban design exhibition, +20 Egypt Design, this summer. A groundbreaking initiative, +20 Egypt Design took place over a four-day period in June, and highlighted Cairo’s surprisingly deepseated appreciation of good design. The event was initiated by the Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC) and Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC), with support from the Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink). DesignPartners, the Milan-based international marketing and communications company of ZonaTortona fame, was responsible for the overall organisation of the event. A highlight of +20 Egypt Design was an installation by the ever-colourful Paola Navone, who was invited to explore themes surrounding the home. A total of 70 exhibitors, including 55 local Egyptian designers and manufacturers from all over the country, were invited to take part in this landmark initiative. The main exhibition was set against the culturally rich backdrop of three

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historical buildings. Set between shops, mosques and museums, Suhaymi House, which dates back to 1648, Kharazati House from 1881 and Gaafar House from 1713, are located on El Muiz Street, in a renovated section of old Cairo. At the core of +20 Egypt Design was an interplay between established and emerging names in the design industry, as visitors were treated to a unique juxtaposition of contemporary innovation and local craftsmanship. Famous pieces by top international design names were set against traditional artisanry to create a melting pot of design, culture, production and technology. “We are all very proud of the newlyborn +20 Egypt Design,” said Ahmed Helmy, chairman of the EFEC. “It has created an amazingly positive atmosphere, where different cultures and experiences materialise into forms of architecture, design and visual communication. The event invited a range of different parties, from manufacturers, designers, architects and local and international visitors, to see a unique

demonstration of design, industry and culture. With +20 Egypt Design, Egypt has found a new way to communicate with the rest of the world.” Local designers such as Shahira Fahmy, Amr Helmy, Karim Mekhtigiam, Cherif Morsi and Dina Shoukry were given the opportunity to showcase their creativity. Their ideas and products were set alongside leading global brands such as Agape, Alessi, Kartell, Molteni and Moroso, as well as products bought from Cairo’s very own Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. Meanwhile, local manufacturers such as Al Cazar Fine Woods, Asal, Crystolight, Ferforge, Mohm, Fiorito, Meuble El Chark, Hid’n, Hardwood, Siro Wood, Nadim and Williams presented an array of classic and contemporary furniture and lighting fi xtures for the office, kitchen and outdoors. Over 3,000 individuals flocked to +20 Egypt Design. Highlights of the event included an ironic take on the water pipe in the form of a table with shisha legs, designed by Dina Shoukry. This was combined with colourful plastic

1 The event took place against a backdrop of three traditional houses.

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

DESTINATION FOCUS: EGYPT

4 5

2,3,7&8 Contemporary design elements were set in a traditional context. 4 Kartell table by Antonio Citterio. 5 Products by local designers also featured heavily. 6 Dina Shoukry’s shisha-inspired table.

chairs and stools by Kartell. Elsewhere, chairs by Ferforge were combined with plexi-top tables by Flux and dramatic chandeliers by Italian manufacturer, Luceplan. Meanwhile, hi-tech side tables by Egyptian designer Karim Mekhtigian were coupled with an ornate chair by Shoulah Furniture. Other +20 Egypt Design events included the ‘Rising of an Egyptian Design Identity’ exhibition, which took place in Moheb Hall, within walking distance from the three main houses on Muiz Street. The products on show were the result of a collaboration between local manufacturers, young Egyptian designers and international

designers such as Gum Design, Lucy Salamanca, Pierandrei Associati and Dodo Arslan. ‘Dressing an Icon’ was another initiative and saw Egyptian fashion designers paying tribute to the traditional Egyptian chair. This took place at Hamam Inal and saw fashion designers adorn wooden chairs with a range of materials, from ribbons and lace to stones and ornaments. Design students were also invited to show off their creative talents. Students from both the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the German University in Cairo (GUC) showcased a collection of their work, in varying stages of completion. This included

lighting fi xture prototypes that integrated contemporary lighting design with local crafts and materials. EFEC, which represents over 200 Egyptian furniture factories, launched +20 Egypt Design as the first step in an ongoing project to drive business through creativity and design. In addition to encouraging local enteprises to become more involved in the country’s design industry, the event also acted as an important message to the international community about Egypt’s design-related ambitions. Egypt’s design industry is experiencing a period of rapid growth, and the country is keen to meet the challenge of modernising its design industry. “Egypt has great potential, in terms of both production and creativity. It was exciting to contribute to the birth of the first urban design event in Cairo, where we shared our knowledge and passion for design with a highly-motivated local team,” Maurizio Ribotti, CEO of DesignPartners concluded.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

IN NUMBERS • 30 exhibition rooms • 70 exhibitors • 55 Egyptian producers and designers • 2,000m² of exhibition space • 3,000 registered visitors • 4 days • 940 people at the opening

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SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

WALLCOVERING SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

nce demure and understated, walls are no longer willing to blend seamlessly into the background. The days of the wall as a quiet decorative backdrop have come to a close, as new advances in the wallcoverings industry have brought them to the very forefront of contemporary design. Wallcoverings are now universally acknowledged for the powerful role they can play in transforming a space. From dramatic feature walls to intelligent schemes that enlarge or add height to a space, wallcoverings are a fundamental component of the modern interior designer’s arsenal. Designers are spoilt for choice when it comes to covering their walls

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– whether they opt for the intricacy of mosaics, the versatility of paint or the diversity of wallpaper. Vivienne Westwood’s recent foray into the world of wallpaper is ample evidence of the changing profile of wallcoverings. The sector is now characterised by greater aesthetic range and technological development, with new textures, colours and materials constantly coming to the fore. “Subtly shimmering metallic wallpapers continue to be popular, along with dimensional, tactile surfaces, including glass beads, sand and flock finishes,” noted James Prathap, general manager of NGC nafees, a regional distributor of wallcoverings. “Colour trends include saturated colours and the growing

popularity of oranges, blues and clean greens,” he continued. Other popular colours include bright reds, coral, silver, eggplant and browns, noted David Yeo of Goodrich Global. Texture is also becoming increasingly important, with a host of new textures, from crocodile skin and fake fur to simulations of wood grain, brick, stucco and cork, currently making their way onto the market. Bold patterns are also making a comeback and proving equally varied, with anything from animal images to Asian-inspired motifs currently on offer, Yeo pointed out. With so many different options available, we’ve asked a handful of suppliers to highlight some of their most recent product offerings. Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

NGC nafees

By James Prathap, general manager.

Tell us about your company. NGC nafees has been a regional pioneer in the distribution of wallcoverings since 1984. A long-time leader in the residential wallpaper market, NGC recognised a need to bring its colour and design expertise to the commercial wallcoverings market and began distributing commercial vinyl in 2008. In 2009, NGC Nafees entered into a partnership with Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest and largest wallcovering manufacturer, York Wallcoverings.

What sets you apart? Though true craftsmanship and local manufacturing have all but disappeared from the American landscape, York Wallcoverings works hard to retain both. The vast majority of York products are designed in-house, including murals, appliquĂŠs and patterns embellished with recycled glass beads, mica, glitter, sand, Swarovski crystals and flock. The York archival design library is an inexhaustible resource of original designs dating back to the late 1700s. Perhaps the only company in the world to own and operate five different types of printing presses, York is able to select the best print technique for the design, from the most modern digital presses to the oldest Surface presses. Surface printing dates back to the late 19th century, and Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic and highly valued Surface printers have been in

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

continuous operation since the company was founded in 1895, giving a unique, hand painted look to wallpapers.

Key trends? Subtly shimmering metallic wallpapers continue to be popular, along with dimensional, tactile surfaces. Graphic interpretation of classic motifs reflects an overall contemporary direction in design. Sophisticated textures with layers of colour provide an elegance that is unachievable with paint. Colour trends include saturated colours and the growing popularity of oranges, blues and clean greens.

Recent developments? Recent developments include the ability to print sand, glass beads and flock on heavy duty commercial vinyl wallcoverings, and the introduction of glitter to our sand finish dimensional prints. YorkGuard AM, a superior anti-microbial coating for commercial vinyl wallcoverings can be applied to both sides of any York Contract wallcovering to achieve protection against bacteria, germs, mold and mildew. Especially suitable for healthcare facilities to protect against the spread of bacteria, it is also desirable for any high-traffic public spaces. Being environmentally responsible and as a member of the US Green Building Council, York Wallcoverings works hard to reduce its energy consumption and waste materials.

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SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Kollektion & Co

CID catches up with Lars Narfeldt, owner of Kollektion & Co.

wallcovering is characterised by being distinctive without being too extreme, which is very timely and appropriate for the market. The key words are young, individual and trendy.

Tell us about your company. Kollektion & Co focuses on Scandinavian design products for the GCC market. In our portfolio, we represent ECO Borastapeter and Mr Perswall wallcoverings, as well as MovingHedge, a room divider made up of plants.

When it comes to wallcoverings, what are the key trends right now?

We are just launching a Mr Perswall web shop and at the same time we are launching the new Destinations collection, with patterns and styles inspired by global travelling trends.

The hottest trends right now are smaller patterns and the mixing of mini and maxi designs. Turquoise meets pastels, but also the white-like and black-like, which is to say whites and blacks that absorb other colours. Feature walls are also very much in vogue, but with a new twist represented by made-tomeasure wallpaper from Mr Perswall.

What sets you apart?

How do we contact you?

We are a young and performancedriven company that will not compromise on quality. The products we represent are all Scandinavian designed and produced, which means they represent the best in value, functionality and performance. An ECO Borastapeter

Kollektion General Trading can be found in the Star Giga House Building, Office 9, Level 1, PO Box 127058, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Tel: +971 (0)4 330 6899; website: www.thekollektion.com; email: info@ thekollektion.com

Recent developments?

By Ashish Vasudev, marketing manager.

Tell us about your company. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence in the Middle East commenced in 1974 with the launch of Jotun UAE, which today is one of the leading paint and coatings manufacturers in the region, with an annual production that touched 200 million litres in 2007. As part of its aims to secure 25% of regional market share within the next three years, the company is working on reinforcing its presence in several important markets in the region, including the UAE, where it currently has a dominant market share. Through its unique Single Source Solution concept, Jotun provides consultants and engineers with high-quality, cost-effective decorative and protective coatings, which can withstand extreme levels of UV light, various levels of humidity and corrosion, high and low ambient temperatures and other environmental pollutants to preserve their strength and appearance over the span of their service lifecycle.

What sets you apart? Guided by a vision that places quality, choice and customer satisfaction above all else, Jotun is a trusted name that has

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been used in numerous international projects, including the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, the Eiffel Tower, and the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest passenger vessel, Queen Mary 2. Jotun is known for its revolutionary Multicolor system, offering numerous shades and giving you the opportunity to get the exact hue you are looking for.

Jotun

Key trends? Key trends range from having an easy to clean surface, as offered by our most premium interior paint product, Lady Essentials, to various effects such as the pearl effect, metallic effect, and a marbling effect, as well as a more antique effect. Such a degree of perfection on the wall depends on the technique and the quality of the product.

Recent developments? We have launched a sustainable interior paint, Fenomastic Gold Green.

How do we contact you? Our head office is in Al Quoz Industrial Area 2, Dubai. Tel: +971 (0)4 339 5000. Fax: +971 (0)4 338 0666. Email: csd@ jotundxb.ae. Or you can visit an Inspiration Centre or Multicolor Centre near you. More info at www.jotun.com/me. Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Goodrich Global By David Yeo, general manager, UAE.

Tell us about your company. Founded in 1983 and formerly known as Goodrich Wallcoverings & Carpets, the company was renamed Goodrich Global in 2004 to resonate with our brand revitalisation initiatives. As southeast Asia’s leading supplier of interior wallcoverings, we aim to be an internationally-acclaimed lifestyle brand for wallcovering products in the b2c market (residential), while maintaining our leadership position in the b2b segment (commercial and corporate). Goodrich’s core business is the import, export, supply, installation and distribution of interior furnishing products.

What sets you apart? What sets us apart is our wide range of quality products, our passion towards our products and our customer orientated service excellence.

In your opinion, what are the key trends in wallcoverings at present? Consumers’ tastes are compounded by their individual preferences and design trends. The wallcoverings of today are no longer expected to be a similar pattern or colour scheme from room to room. Today’s trends see wallcoverings with bold, eclectic patterns and colours. They may even clash from room to room. The hottest, most popular colours include bright reds, blues, silver, orange,

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

eggplant, coral, sage green and browns. The biggest trend is adding earth tones, such as brown or green, to your walls. Although textures are still popular, most people shy away from paint-like patterns, preferring woven-type textures. Texture adds a sense of depth and interest to a room. Wallcoverings can now be found in textures that simulate wood grain, bricks, stucco and cork. They are also available in textures such as wild mock crocodile skin or fake fur. Finally, after years of boring walls, wallcoverings with designs are making a comeback. Prints may vary from pictures of animals or flowers to little squiggles or abstract shapes. There has also been an increase in demand for Asian-style wallcoverings, including bamboo motifs, calligraphy, fans, etc. Another trend is the increase in mural wallcoverings, depicting action scenes.

Recent developments? We are trying to extend our presence in the b2c market through the expansion of our galleries regionally, as our core customer base currently still comes from the b2b sector.

How do we contact you? More product and contact information can be found at www.goodrichglobal. com. We have 20 regional offices and galleries in eight countries: Singapore (HQ), Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia and the UAE.

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PRODUCTS

New on the market CIRCUS Nodus will unveil three new rug designs at the Interieur Fair in Kortrijk, Belgium. Among these are Circus, a design by Fernando and Humberto Campana, which

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is made from hemp and rag dolls, and is manufactured in Nepal. The rug is irregularly shaped, with an approximate diametre of 200cm and a quality of 100 knots.

NODUS + 39 276 021 515 www.nodusrug.it

Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

PRODUCTS

THE R ADIANT REDS Nora Lighting has released the Radiant Reds, a series of art glass pendants in vibrant hues. At home in residential, commercial, retail or hospitality settings, the Radiant Reds are offered in more than 20 different pendant styles, sizes and finishes. Fanciful beaded

shades share the spotlight with contemporary cylindrical shapes and graceful waterfall, teardrop or trumpet stylings. NORA LIGHTING www.noralighting.com +1 800 686 6672

ROX ANNE The latest creation from Sand & Birch Design is Roxanne, a seating option in the shape of a flaming, red-hot mouth. The sculptural design element is available in a soft version made from polyurethane and fabric, and a hard version made from varnished polyurethane. SAND & BIRCH LUXURY DESIGN +39 773 176 2584 www.sandbirch.com

(R)ĂŠvolution 1

Who puts the design at your feet?

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

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JOKO Kristalia is launching Joko, an elegant chair in foamed polyurethane. Set on a metal frame and upholstered in fabric or leather, the new seat is a Bartoli Design creation. KRISTALIA +39 434 623 678 www.kristalia.it

(R)ĂŠvolution 2

What can resist time without a wrinkle?

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

PRODUCTS

AIRMASTER Desso is launching AirMaster, a next-generation carpet that improves indoor air quality, across the Middle East. AirMaster is primarily aimed at offices, hospitals, schools and other public buildings, and offers important

health benefits by significantly reducing the amount of dust and particulate matter floating in the air – by safely trapping and immobilising it. Independent tests have confirmed that AirMaster is eight times more effective in capturing

EMPRESS BOUQUET Kohler has launched its Empress Bouquet bathroom collection in the region. Kohler’s artists have created an Empress Bouquet pattern that acts as a modern interpretation of 18th century Chinese prints. Its floral motif and brilliant gold and metallic detailing feature

and retaining fine dust than hard flooring, and four times more effective than standard carpeting. DESSO +971 (0)4 398 5900 www.desso.com

BENQ on a range of popular products. Each fixture features a slightly different variation of the pattern, creating a one-of-a-kind piece. KOHLER +971 (0)4 321 1330 www.me.kohler.com

BenQ has introduced a new eco-friendly range of computer monitors to the Middle East. The LED monitor range boasts higher energy savings than traditional monitors, mercury-free engineering and an armful of environmental credentials. BenQ claims that

some of its new models can save up to 70% of the energy of a normal monitor, while maintaining a high dynamic contrast ratio. BENQ +971 (0)4 299 1000 www.benq.co.ae

(R)évolution 3

What textile can resist water and stains?

www.forbo-ﬂooring.com

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

PRODUCTS

HUNT’S POINT Sutherland, best known for its contemporary outdoor furnishings, is unveiling a new interior collection for the fall season. Designed by Terry Hunziker, Hunt’s Point is a seating range that comprises two primary styles, Medina and Main Street. Medina comprises a lounge chair, ottoman, fauteuil and sofa, while Main Street is a more contemporary seating arrangement that includes an armless chair, ottoman, corner unit, library sofa and library chair. Both collections are sleek, sophisticated and solid. SUTHERLAND +1 800 717 8325 www.sutherlandfurniture.com

BOCONCEPT BoConcept has introduced an elegant, fully-upholstered bed concept that focuses on flexibility and customisation. The new upholstered bed comes in 78 fabrics and colours, and in a black and white leather look. The cover is removable and can be dry-cleaned. The headboard has a soft, compelling look and is available in a total of four sizes. It is also covered on the back, so it can be freestanding. BOCONCEPT +971 (0)4 341 4144 www.boconcept.ae

FLOTE X Flocked Flooring collection BY FORBO Discover Flotex, one of the most performing floorcoverings on the market. Flotex combines the benefits of resilient flooring and textile flooring. A floorcovering that looks and feels like a carpet without any of the drawbacks of a carpet. Flotex has a smooth, velour like surface that is comfortable to walk on, warm underfoot with excellent slip resistance and acoustic properties. Flotex is extremely durable, easy to clean and will retain its appearance for many years. Its for you to imagine the rest with the Flotex Sottsass and Flotex Classic/HD collections.

the (r)evolution is on… www.forbo-ﬂooring.com Email: info.ﬂooring.sc@forbo.com - Mobile: +31 6 5155 0082

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Commercial Interior Design | SEPTEMBER 2010

PRODUCTS

KENWOOD COOKING CHEF The revolutionary Kenwood Cooking Chef is now available in Dubai. With 100,000 man hours of development and 60,000 hours of testing, the Kenwood Cooking Chef is the perfect complement to any chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen. A key feature of the new Cooking Chef is the addition of induction heating technology. KENWOOD +971 (0)4 266 6633 www.kenwoodworld.com

L A CORNUE The new La Cornue Premium Refrigerator offers innovative features, frost-free technology, exceptional capacity and thoughtful storage solutions. It also utilises a zero ozone-depleting system, which improves energy efficiency and reduces potential damage to the ozone layer. The refrigerator is available in stainless steel,

has an A+ efficiency rating and features a discreet digital menu which alerts users if there is a power cut, the door has been left open or programme temperatures have risen. CARPE DIEM +971 (0)4 344 4734 www.carpediem.ae

VARIA 3form is a leading manufacturer of award-winning, eco-friendly materials and architectural hardware solutions for the design industry. 3formâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Varia system uses EcoResin to encapsulate colour, organic materials and textures within

translucent resin panels that can be transformed into walls, dividers, doors and other solutions. 3FORM +971 (0)4 813 1800 www.3form.eu

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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CONTRACTS

Project Focus COMMERCIAL INT ERIOR DESIGN IS COMMIT T ED TO HELPING ITS RE ADERS GROW T HEIR BUSINESSES, SO WE HAVE T E A MED UP WIT H VENT URES MIDDLE E A ST TO BRING YOU T HE L AT EST T ENDERS FROM AROUND T HE REGION ON A MONT HLY BA SIS.

B A H R A I N P R O J EC T S D ATA B A S E PROJECT TITLE

CLIENT

CONSULTANT

MAIN CONTR ACTOR

VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)

PROJECT STATUS PROJECT T YPE

Isa Town Health Center Building

Ministry of Health

Adel Ahmadi Associates

United Arab Construction Company

Project under construction

Hospital

Crystal Heights

Dadabhai Contracting

Habib Modara Art & Architecture

Dadabhai Contracting

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Luxury Apartments in Juffair

Ms. Aysha Almoayyed

Mazen Al Umran Consulting Engineers

Al Moayyed Contracting

16 - 30

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Jeyoun - Phase 1

Alargan International Real Estate

City Engineering

Abdulla H. Al Darazi & Sons Company

16 - 30

Project under construction

Residential Development

Al Matrook Tower

Mr. Faisal Ali Al Matrook

Mohamed Salahuddin Charilaos Apostilides (Chapo) Consulting Engineering Bureau

Project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Apartment Building in Juffair

The Islamic Association

Modern Architects

Middle East Contg. & Trade Center

16 - 30

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Sarat Tower in Seef

Savah Almoayyed

Arab Architects

Al Qaed Contractors

16 - 30

Project under construction

Mixed Use

ERA Tower in Seef

Era Group

Syrconsult Consulting Engineers

CSCEC

120

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

DCR Apartments in Juffair

Mr. Yousef Gulub

Architectural World

Bassman Contracting

2.5 - 15

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Reflections of Bahrain

Ithmaar Development Company

DP Architects

Not Appointed

101 - 250

Project under design

Mixed Use

Diplomat Commercial Office Towers

National Hotels Company

Mohamed Salahuddin Consulting Engg. Bureau

Chase Perdana Berhad

Project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Light of Bahrain

Ithmaar Development Company

DP Architects

Not Appointed

101 - 250

Project under design

Residential Buildings

Villa Compound at Al Areen

Al Khaleeji Commercial Bank

Modern Architects

AAA Homes

Project under construction

Residential Development

Abu Obida Al Jarrah Primary Girls School

Ministry of Education

Dheya Towfiqi Engineering Bureau

Not Appointed

2.5 - 15

Project under design

Educational Facilities

Twin Towers in Juffair

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons

Mazen Al Umran Consulting Engineers

Al Moayyed Contracting

101 - 250

Project under construction

Hotel

Ajyaal Residence

Al Dahiya Constructions & Real Estate

Middle East Architects

Bassman Contracting

16 - 30

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Office Building in Juffair

Ministry of Electricity & Water

Ansari Engineering Services

Mohammad Jalal Contracting

Project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Amwaj Gateway

Amwaj Gateway Company

Davenport Campbell Middle East, Bahrain

Garantikoza/Cukurova Construction

183

Project under construction

Mixed Use

22 Storey Residential Building at Hoora

Mr. Nasser Al Fadel

Modern Architects

Nasser Al Fadel Electrical & Construction

16 - 30

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

34 Storey Building in Seef

Mr. Essa Bukhowa

Arabian East Bureau

Al Ghanah Contracting

31 - 100

Project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Amwaj Waves

Lona Real Estate

Davenport Campbell Middle East

Charilaos Apostilides (Chapo)

396

Project under construction

Residential Buildings

Note: The above information is the sole property of Ventures Middle East LLC and cannot be published without the expressed permission of Ventures Middle East LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE

www 86 arabianbusiness C i l I tcom/construction i D i O t b 2007

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

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OPINION

Know your role BY M ART IN WOJNOWSKI

ognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the discomfort felt at a discrepancy between what you already know or believe, and new information or interpretation. It therefore occurs when there is a need to accommodate new ideas, and it may be necessary for it to develop so that we become open to them. Because the nature of interior design lies in the constant search for new interpretations, designers seem particularly vulnerable to this peculiar discomfort. Understandably, this might lead to a form of creative block – a reluctance to accept any new trends or even a questioning of the role of interior design. What is a designer really paid for? My local bookshop on the King’s Road in London used to be open until late. One evening, my contemplative browsing session was interrupted by someone whispering: “Would you be interested in having my signature?” It turned out to be a writer who’d just had his first novel published. ‘A story of love and murder’ is how he summed it up. Although I politely declined his offer he pushed a signed book under my arm. “I hope you’ll enjoy it,” he concluded in a conspiratory manner. Even though on my way out I noticed abandoned copies of this novel dispersed all over the shop, I decided to pay for mine. I spent money on something I didn’t need and didn’t want. The book turned out to be as bad as it seemed from author’s own description. Years later I became friends with a soldier who sustained horrific injuries in

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Commercial Interior Design

a conflict zone. He told me that throughout his convalescence he was actually reading and re-reading one book that he received as a gift from his girlfriend. He said the author must be “some really clever geezer”. He showed me a copy and to my surprise it was the book written by that sad guy I had bumped into in the bookshop. The question is this: Is everything relative? I believe that commercial interior design cannot be judged in the same way as novels. It is objective, rather than subjective. There is this joke: Email from developer to interior designer: Send plans. If good, I will send cheque. Response from designer: Send cheque. If good, I will send plans. Cognitive dissonance and relativism still seem to be the plague of our industry. But let’s make it clear – the commercial interior designer is appointed to make the investor rich. And it would be extremely beneficial for designers to learn about the environment they are about to design by working in it, by feeling it from the inside. Such experience would eliminate relativism and increase designers’ confidence. Let the designer immerse himself or herself in the environment they wish to design. It would work wonders if a retail designer actually experienced working in a shop stacking shelves, feeling how deep and high the shelves in a fashion outlet should be. Before even thinking about designing a restaurant, a consultant should learn how an F&B outlet operates. What is the purpose of the waiter station, how many waiters can cover a specific space, how much space should

one allow between dining tables and how big should the kitchen be? What can we do to make service more efficient but at the same time try not to compromise the comfort of guests? In the late eighties and early nineties I had a chance to work for different hotels and resorts. I experienced the front office, housekeeping and F&B outlets. I didn’t suspect back then that this hands-on experience would prove so useful in my professional life as a hotel designer. Running furniture and kitchen showrooms added to my commercial sense. After all, real life experience is valued above any academic course. A book with a weak storyline helped an injured soldier because he identified with the protagonist. The quality of the story itself didn’t really matter as the book appealed to the emotional intelligence of the reader. But bad design does physically affect people working in and using shops, hotels or restaurants. A waiter curses designers for bad restaurant layout. Hotel guests hate designers for impractical lighting layouts or boring, ordinary-looking furniture. Hotel owners and operators have other issues with the unsuccessful interior designer. After all, 50% of a hotel’s success depends on the quality of service and location. 10% is to do with the general manager’s final touches. But a staggering 40% contribution towards hotel profitability comes from interior design. Martin Wojnowski is design principal at the Dubai-based firm, Design Work Portfolio (dwp).

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DORMA introduces DORMA Interiors to the Middle East. DORMA Interior division has been established to support the interior community of the region. As you strive for ingenious design concepts, DORMA will be there by your side, creating scope, providing inspiration, developing integrated solutions aligned to absolute aesthetic and operating smoothness, able to satisfy design concepts down to the last detail. We are dedicated to creating environments that blend distinctive elements with strong visual continuity and impeccable detailing for Home, Office & Hotel setting. Whether it is the interior of public and commercial buildings or private homes, our products, systems and services around the door are specifically aligned to providing an aesthetically and technically convincing solution based on the initial artistic concept. DORMA Gulf Door Controls FZE P.O.Box 17268 路 Jebel Ali Free Zone South Dubai 路 United Arab Emirates Tel. +971 4 8020 391 路 Fax. +971 4 8869 101 Direct. +971 50 650 2822 路 interior@dormagulf.com

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