Commercial Interior Design by ITP Business Publishing

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COMMERCIALInterior design

Interiordesign

The essential guide for Middle East interior design professionals

An ITP Business Publication

Oct Vol.5 Issue 10

October 2009 Vol.5 Issue 10

ROBO SHOP

A closer look inside Toshiba’s new ﬂagship store

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

NEW INTELLIGENCE How new technologies are forging their way into the modern bathroom

DOHA DREAMS Finding opportunity in the burgeoning Qatari capital

CONTENTS

October 2009 07

DESIGN UPDATE Laidler: IFI is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ • A touch of frost • Back to nature • All in order •

SHOW PREVIEW What to expect at the upcoming Index 2009 exhibition.

INDUSTRY SPEAK It’s little secret that budgets are shrinking – but client expectations are not. Members of the Index 2009 Steering Committee, Ellen and Paul Bishop of Bishop Design Associates, Steven Charlton of Hamilton International and Fernando Arteaga of HBA, discuss how this is impacting the design industry as a whole.

07 07

PROFILE Every month, CID provides a company of choice with the opportunity to introduce themselves, and unveil any new and exciting developments at their company. This month, the spotlight is on GEZE.

DESIGNER Q&A Ceri Rocca, founder of the UKbased Style House, is a leading designer of transport and vehicle interiors. From large commercial aircraft to lavish private planes, she has worked on an array of interesting and unique projects. CID caught up with Rocca to learn more about this very niche segment of the industry.

REGIONAL CASE STUDY

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▲

With its new ﬂagship store at Dubai Festival City, Toshiba is embarking on a journey of reengagement, with the clear aim of reinstilling trust in the brand and reassuming its position as a market leader.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

CONTENTS

October 2009 36 INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY With its new head ofﬁces in India, Tata International was keen to create an interior that promoted its eco-friendly credentials.

40 DESTINATION FOCUS

This month, CID focuses on Qatar, a market that offers plenty of opportunity for interior designers willing to take the plunge. Small but stable, the country is in the process of developing a comprehensive infrastructure that focuses on education, wellness, art and culture.

48 INTELLIGENT BATHROOMS Technology is making a beeline for the bathroom, helping to enhance aesthetics while supporting sustainability.

55 SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW A handful of architectural hardware companies that you can’t afford to ignore.

60 HEADING OUT CID’s monthly section on the outdoor design industry.

63 PRODUCTS A selection of new products, including Water-Towers, Tribal Poetry and Couture.

69 CLASSIFIEDS CID’s own directory of suppliers and manufacturers.

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

72 OPINION 48

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

Michael Khouri of Fritz Hansen on the pitfalls of copied furniture.

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Ali Al-Shuwayer Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia T: +96 638 674 439 F: +96 638 679 854

Forum Design Doha, Qatar T: +97 444 288 77 F: +97 444 190 02

Asas Interhome Decoration Shuwaikh, Kuwait T: +96 548 220 06 F: +96 548 220 09

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COMMENT

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000 Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery Publishing Director Jason Bowman EDITORIAL

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Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Lucy McMurray PHOTOGRAPHY

Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Nemanja Seslija Senior Photographer Efraim Evidor, Khatuna Khutsishvili Staff Photographers Khaled Termanini, Thanos Lazopoulos, Jovana Obradovic, Rajesh Raghav, Ruel Pableo, Lyubov Galushko PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION

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STARCK TV

esign is the latest victim of the reality TV craze currently coursing through our television sets. Last month saw Philippe Starck’s new show, ‘Design for Life’, debut in the UK. Starck is on a mission, it would appear, to shake up the British design industry, his theory being that Terence Conran was the last remarkable footnote in the history of modern British design. How the Brits feel about this little nugget of condescension is anyone’s guess. So, twelve students must battle it out to impress the effusive Frenchman. The contestants have to complete a series of design tasks and Starck sends the weakest home whenever he deems it necessary. At the end of the series, one lucky British designer is rewarded with a six-month placement at Starck’s design agency in Paris. Of course, rumour has it that by the end of the show, Starck didn’t think any of the candidates were particularly worthy, which was quite the coincidence because, by that point, none of the candidates were particularly enthralled at the prospect of working with him either. But those are just rumours. I suppose it was only a matter of time before this new trend in televisual invasiveness settled its sights on the design industry. And when it came to a frontman, Starck was the obvious choice because, let’s face it, design is surprisingly thin on industry personalities. When it comes down to it, there are very few big names that are recognised outside of industry circles. This is particularly true of interiors. Spaces may sometimes achieve critical acclaim but the names behind them seldom receive mass recognition. The new Switch restaurant at Dubai Mall is a good case in point. The space was designed by Karim Rashid but one can’t help wondering if that holds any weight at all for your average family wandering past on their way to the ice-skating rink. Unlike your big-name fashion designers and celebrity chefs, there are very few ‘celebrity’ interior designers... which probably means that we’ll be inundated with Mr. Starck for some time to come.

Printed by Emirates Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions

Selina Denman, Editor

selina.denman@itp.com

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The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

Sept Vol.5 Issue

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An ITP Business

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A closer look inside

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Cover image: Toshiba ﬂagship store at Dubai Festival City

4HE ESSENTIAL GU An ITP Business Publication

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Vol.5 Issue 9

ROBO SHOP

September 2009

BPA Average Qualified Circulation 7,683 (Jan - June 2009)

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESIGN UPDATE

The 2007 edition of the IFI Design

Kenneth Laidler,

Congress was held in South Korea

president, APID

Laidler: IFI is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ APID’s Ken Laidler highlights why the IFI World Design Congress is a must-attend event UAE: Hosting the IFI General Assembly and World Design Congress next month is a once-in-alifetime opportunity for Dubai, according to Ken Laidler, president of the Association of Professional Interior Designers (APID). “The IFI is a bi-annual event. Already for 2011 there are about four or ﬁve countries bidding for it. So when IFI came to APID and asked if we would like to host it this year, it was really not an event that we could afford to miss,” Laidler explained. “We felt that Dubai needed it because of the recession that was hitting worldwide. We felt that Dubai deserved it. And while it was a bit of a concern whether we would be able to organise it in time, things generally get done in Dubai,” Laidler continued.

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With 50 member countries of the IFI, it will be a long time before the event comes back to the UAE – if ever. “People need to attend because they will not get this opportunity again,” Laidler insisted. APID is putting together a programme that includes presentations from high-level, internationally-renowned speakers such as Ross Lovegrove, Sebastian Conran, Nadja Swarovski and Piero Lissoni, as well as masterclasses, workshops and debates on topics ranging from education and sustainability to feng shui. The event will also incorporate a professional interior design competition, as well as a student competition where aspiring designers will be asked to come up with an inovative interior for a luxury aircraft interior.

“It’s not the normal ‘design a bathroom’. It is ‘design a luxury aircraft interior’, which is more stimulating for them. It gives them the opportunity to research and come up with some really clever, novel ideas,” said Laidler. The event provides a unique opportunity to showcase the significance of interior design to a widerthan-usual audience. “We have to give everyone the opportunity, including our clients, to see the benefits of professional interior design, worldwide,” said Laidler. “In seeing that, we feel that they will appreciate far more the quality and the level of work that APID members and other professional designers are producing.” The final address of the event will be given by a student, who will present their vision for interior

design in 2030. “We felt that with the high calibre of speakers that we’ve got, it would be very difﬁcult to eclipse that with anyone else, whereas a student would be by far the best person to end something like this, since a lot of the activities are geared towards education – not just education of students but education of businesses at large, in relation to clients, architects, project managers. “Its all about people fully understanding the true beneﬁts that professional interior design can offer. Plus, it gives designers worldwide and locally an excuse to get together. It is called ‘celebrate design’. You can’t celebrate anything by being introvert and keeping to yourself. So we’re celebrating that by meeting, hosting, entertaining and educating.”

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESIGN UPDATE

An installation made from Plexiglas and coloured LEDS dominates the jeanswear section

A touch of frost Elise Fouin describes her involvement with the recently-opened Dubai Galeries Lafayette UAE: A newcomer to the region, Paris-based Elise Fouin was responsible for designing the jewellery, jeanswear and beauty departments of the recently-opened Dubai Galeries Lafayette. Inspired by the magic of winter, the 600m² jewellery department features a deluge of sparkles. Located at the store’s main entrance, the space had to make immediate impact, so Fouin opted for a symphony of frost, crystals and ice. Eight pillars at the store’s main entrance are dressed in some 26,000 ﬂat-based crystals. Each crystal has been hand-positioned, asymmetrically, and is the colour of the aurora borealis. Flowers, shards of frost and crystal beads are attached to a lacquered gold and grey background to mimic the shimmering of earlymorning dew. Six chandeliers, made from jewellery chains and

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crystals, evoke a shower of fine hail to crown the display. In the 150m² jeanswear section, the names of 35 iconic cities around the world hang overhead, in a Fouin-designed installation made from Plexiglas and coloured LEDs. Located on either side of the central escalator on the 1st floor, this 30m-long installation was designed as a link between the masculine and feminine. Inspired by the neon lights that light major megalopolises all over the world, the installation is also a nod to the popularity of jeans across the globe. In the beauty department, Fouin embraced a floral theme – a water lily with metal petals coated in tear-proof white paper blooms from the ceiling. The heart of the flower is made from heat-moulded Plexiglas, while LEDs and fibre optics decorate and illuminate it.

The feature’s 4m diametre makes it an undeniable focal point. Fouin’s relationship with the French retail chain dates back to 2007, when she worked on the design of one of the restaurants in Galeries Lafayette in Lille. Impressed by her work, the project’s head of architecture introduced her to Michel Abchee, chairman of Galeries Lafayette Dubai. The 29-year-old designer graduated from Paris’ l’Ecole Boulle, having studied gold and silver smithing, and furniture design, and she is known for the delicacy of her work, particularly with paper. With Galeries Lafayette in Dubai, she met with every designer’s ideal – a free rein. “There was no brief, which is a dream for any designer. It is also the best way to acquire something good. Designers need freedom and trust,” she maintained.

Distance, and the lack of a set deadline, were the only challenges that Fouin faced with this project. And she overcame these by relinquishing control. “The best way is to be patient, to trust the manufacturer and to learn to ‘lacher prise’ – to accept that my drawings can be translated into reality by people other than me! Now I know craftsmen in Dubai have many many skills and are very gifted,” she said. By her own admission, it’s too early to pin down Fouin’s ‘design style’, but exploring materials is an overriding theme. “I don’t know yet how I would describe my design style! Ask me when I’m 70 years old! The only thing I can say is I like to play with materials, and my biggest source of inspiration is what encircles me: to look at nature, the city, people and to travel; to keep a fecund eye.”

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESIGN UPDATE

The design scheme is Daniel During

‘earthy and sexy’

Natural materials were favoured

Back to nature Thomas Klein International has come up with an ‘earthy’ concept for The Butcher’s Den KUWAIT: Kuwait may not be the ﬁrst place that you’d look for ‘earthy and sexy’ interiors but that is exactly what Thomas Klein International has in mind for the new Butcher’s Den chain of steak houses. Kuwait-based Epicure Group, which is investing $1.5 million into developing the new chain, has appointed Thomas Klein International to create the interior concept for the brand. “We have an aggressive expansion plan within the region, and the focus of our restaurants will be on providing customers with quality and simplicity,” said Ahmed Al Bader, director of culinary development, Epicure Group. The Butcher’s Den’s ﬂagship outlet will open in Kuwait later this year. It will cover an area of 266m²,

with a seating capacity of 70. Set across two levels, the restaurant will also include a show kitchen and two private dining rooms, each featuring a private in-room kitchen with a private chef. The dining area will also offer full views into a special ‘ageing room’ for the meat, which will be built into the restaurant’s kitchen. “To truly reﬂect on the name of the new chain of restaurants, the design will incorporate mainly natural materials such as leather, wood and natural stone, marrying together elements of the wild and the traditional butcher’s block. “It will be like ‘lion meets butcher’, and we promise that the new restaurant will be a true ‘altar’ to the meat lover,” stated Daniel During, international managing

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

partner, Thomas Klein International. “Thomas Klein International will be working closely with its associate office, PS Studio in Chicago, to create an interior concept that is earthy and sexy. “It is a challenge dictated by the owners, and the design team is thrilled about unveiling the final result,” he added. Thomas Klein International specialises in restaurants, kitchens and hotels, with a scope of work that involves space analysis, maximisation of revenue per square foot, conceptualisation and design presentation, followed by recommendation on fit-out materials, tender evaluation and project supervision. The company has been operating in the Middle East region since

2001 and has worked on projects such as Qanat Al Qasbah in Sharjah and Spazio restaurant at Prince Walid bin Talal’s Kingdom Tower. “As a true F&B consultant, Thomas Klein International starts a concept by looking at the core product – the food and beverage. The menus are always the starting point, followed by the design and layout of the restaurant and the interior to complement the menu style, the theme and the service element. The interior, in effect, is the stage where the food ‘act’ is performed,” said During. “We are very excited about this new project and we look forward to working with the Epicure Group to create a very unique and functional restaurant concept for The Butcher’s Den,” said During.

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DESIGN UPDATE

The Ordning & Reda store at DIFC

All in order Simplicity is key to effective retail design, says visual merchandiser for Ordning & Reda UAE: Every retail space presents a unique set of challenges, according to Alexander Thorstrand, visual merchandiser for Ordning & Reda. The Swedish producer of highquality paper, storage products, bags and accessories recently opened its second store in Dubai, at Ibn Battuta Mall, with Thorstrand, who focuses on interiors, on hand to oversee the design. “There are always challenges. When a franchisee ﬁnds new premises, they send the drawing up to me in Stockholm and we have a look at it together. There isn’t a perfect space. You always have to adapt to certain things. “The perfect shop is a complete square but how interesting is that? It’s better when you have some

things that aren’t perfect. When you adapt to those elements, that’s what makes the space charming,” he maintained. The Ordning & Reda brand is centred around the great Scandinavian ideal: simplicity. “It is also very high-proﬁle. The furniture and interior reﬂect the products and they are of a very high quality. “The products are colourful and have been since the very beginning, but the core colours are black and white. The logo is very much ‘Ordning & Reda’, with its straight angles, simplicity and black and white colour scheme. “Scandinavian design is often very simple, straight and angular, and Ordning & Reda is very Scandinavian,” said Thorstrand.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

Keen to control its brand personality, Ordning & Reda closely manages the design of its franchise stores around the globe. Thorstrand, who comes from a background in set design, was responsible for developing a new system of shelving that is rolled out across every single store. As a result, every shop now follows a very precise, highlystructured template. Shelves are organised vertically by colour and horizontally by type. As such, shops are a rainbow of coloured strips, a key attraction for potential customers walking by. “The main thing is that the colour spectrum should be seen by as many people as possible. In the case of the Ibn Battuta store, we

have used the left wall – which is what the most people walking past or entering the shop can see.” Ordning & Reda relies on its colourful spectrum of products to entice visitors in – although black is still its best selling colour. Controlling the movement of customers once they enter is also a key challenge, Thorstrand continued. “You always have to think about how customers will move around the shop and keep that in mind as you design,” he said. If you have new products at the back of the store, you will draw people all the way through. Or should you give them easy access to your newest lines? These are the questions that you have to ask yourself all the time.”

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SHOW PREVIEW

Show of

strength R

ecognising that one of Index’s greatest strengths, its size, can also act as a weakness, the show’s organisers are this year focusing on making the event more accessible and easier to navigate than ever. “What we are trying to do is make it easy for the visitor,” explained exhibition director, Index, Lu Buchanan. “The complaint we’ve always had in the past is that people spent hours walking around but couldn’t actually find what they wanted,” she continued. “We’ve addressed that – people can get their plans beforehand and actually meet the people they need to meet, because we know that time is precious.” Another key focus area for the organisers this year is content and, as such, a series of ‘design talks’ will be taking place on the show floor. In addition to Victoria Redshaw, CEO of trend forecasting firm Scarlet Opus, visitors

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will be hearing from Kinnersley Kent Design, the company responsible for the design of the Waitrose, Dubai Mall, as well as Ventures Middle East, which will be providing facts and ﬁgures about the UAE market and talking about how to do business in the region. “There are going to be lots of interesting, interactive things going on. Visitors are going to see innovation, they are going to see variation. It’s much more of a design event. It’s going to be buzzing and a fantastic networking opportunity. “It’s a whole new event. It has changed and I think that’s the really important thing. We’ve really listened to what visitors want and we’ve created a show based around what they want, rather than what we think they want,” Buchanan maintained. Another highlight this year is the ‘jewelery 4 architecture’ live design competition, which is being run by

The aim this year is to make Index easy, explains exhibition director, Lu Buchanan

Daniel Holguin and his business partner Victoria Simes. Holguin was born in Mexico, graduated from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, went on to work for the Rockwell Group and now runs his own architecture business in New York City. The ‘jewelery 4 architecture’ design competition will challenge 13 students from local universities to create design objects that can work for the ceiling, the ﬂoor and openings, out of unorthodox materials such as horse hair, plants, rope, rocks, minerals and spring wire. “That’s going to be very interesting because it’ll be live and going on the whole time. It’s a great opportunity for the students as well. It’s something a little bit different,” said Buchanan. The show has also been bolstered by the recent signing of RS Arabia, which has secured some 650m of exhibition space. According to Buchanan, the

1. Scenes from Index 2008.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

SHOW PREVIEW

company represents a series of top Italian brands, such as Flou, Serralunga, Zanotta, Vitra, Kartell and Paola Lenti, and will be showcasing a number of topend products in the centre of Hall 5. For Waddah Mardini, general tableware manager for the GCC & Levant for Villeroy & Boch, Sara General Trading, Index is still a must-attend event. “As Index is the largest international exhibition for the interior design and home related sectors within the Middle East, it is essential that we are present at the show. Participating at Index is central to our marketing strategy and allows us to build strong and proﬁtable relationships with local and regional interior designers. The exhibition thus provides a great forum for networking within the business community,” he said. Muhammad Virji, proprietor, Beyond Design, agreed. “Beyond Design is very excited to be exhibiting at Index for the

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

fourth year running. The exhibition is a great way of raising our profile and provides a unique platform within the region to showcase our very exclusive architectural features and moulding products,” he said. “This year we will have new models and designs, with more of a move towards wooden finishings, as well as our usual stone finished products. We look forward to generating lots of new interest in our products and are confident that the show will be a great success!” Also returning is Armourcoat, the UKbased global decorative coatings group, which will be promoting its recentlylaunched Armourcoat Sculptural. “We are delighted to be participating at Index again this year, in conjunction with our agent for the Middle East, Al Zubaidi. Together, we have been fortunate enough to build a solid portfolio of projects – many of which have stemmed

from exhibiting at the show. Our decorative finishes grace many prestigious interiors throughout the area including the Burj Al Arab, Burj Dubai and Madinat Jumeirah resort. Index is a great showcase for our products and demonstrates the strength of the Armourcoat brand in the territory,” said Daniel Nevitt, group marketing director, Armourcoat. Guy Whitehead, CEO of Armourcoat, has been visiting the show for five years and has seen tangible benefits year on year. “To be honest I have nothing to suggest regarding changes to Index. I have been the last five years and have always seen it as a premier Middle East event. It is always well organised and for Armourcoat our operations there have grown year on year, as has the number of quality leads generated directly from the show. We attend every year because we think it really delivers on what we want to see.”

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SHOW PREVIEW

EIGHT REASONS YOU SHOULD VISIT INDEX THIS YEAR 1. The exhibitors: Index 2009 is the largest interiors trade show in the Middle East, showcasing some of the industry’s leading products and designs from high-profile local and international companies, including Alpha Crystal Lighting, Villeroy & Boch, 2XL and Saniplex. 2. The pavilions: International pavilions will host some of world’s biggest names in design, from countries such as France, Spain and Italy, showcasing leading international brands such as Flou, Serralunga, Haute Material, Zanotta, Vitra, Kartell and Paola Lenti. 3. Design Talks: Catch these practical, informal, seminar-style events on the show floor, which will address key industry challenges, including cost-effective design and the environment. These Design Talks provide an excellent opportunity for professionals within the design industry to get expert insight on topical issues. 4. Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus: Designers looking for inspiration can’t miss Victoria Redshaw’s Design Talk on trend forecasting. Get an insight into this powerful tool, which is increasingly being utilised by forward-thinking interior designers to get a competitive edge, and get a full preview of the upcoming trends for the spring/ summer 2010 and autumn/winter 2010/11 seasons.

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5. Victoria Simes and Daniel Holguin’s ‘jewelery 4 architecture’ feature: Don’t miss this live design competition on the Index show floor, where students will be briefed and given interesting materials, including horse hair, wood, metal, earth, organic fibers and plants, and tasked with making interior objects and products. 6. The Contemporary Majilis: Four different companies, including Etcetera and Hirsch Bedner Associates, will design and set up their interpretation of the ‘majilis of the future’ on the show floor. These cutting-edge room sets will provide a modern twist to a central part of the traditional Arabic home. 7. InRetail: Co-located with Index, InRetail will focus on the design, fit-out and operational management of malls, retail outlets and supermarkets, whether it be lighting, furnishings or point of sales systems. 8. Consumer Day: Although Index is predominantly a trade event aimed at the world’s top interior designers and architects, consumers will also be able to snatch up some of the most cutting-edge products by leading companies from across the world on November 16 between 16:00-21:00pm.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

INDUSTRY SPEAK

In the budget Budgets are shrinking but client expectations are most definitely not. Selina Denman sat down with members of the Index Steering Committee to explore how this is impacting the interior design industry as a whole If there’s one obvious casualty of the current economic climate, it’s the evershrinking budget. But deflated budgets do not always mean deflated client expectations. Clients continue to expect top-tier design solutions, regardless off their own cost-cutting demands. This, in turn, is putting undue pressure on interior designers, according to members of the Index 2009 Steering Committee. Clients are shying away from any ‘unnecessary’ costs – and the expense of an established design firm is often perceived as such. “There is a general misunderstanding. People think that if they go to a good interior designer, the project will end up costing a lot more. That’s very wrong because if you are a good designer, you are able to design to budget,” said Ellen Bishop, owner, Bishop Design Associates (BDA). Clients do not always recognise that the better the designer, the further they will be able to stretch any given budget. They also may not realise that the longterm relationships that designers have cultivated with suppliers can translate into tangible cost-savings. “Whatever the design fee – clients get that back get a hundred times over, because of the discounts that we can get them. But because so many interior design companies are adding a commission or some other extra charge, there is very little trust there. “For example, Fairmont was able to renovate its rooms extremely cost-effectively because we introduced them to the right suppliers,” Bishop continued.

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“You have clients here not wanting to reveal the budget because there is this misconception in the Middle East that if they give out the budget then the designer will somehow take advantage” “Clients are under pressure too,” she added. “I can see it from their perspective. They are having a much harder time pushing budgets through upper management and they are having a much harder time getting approvals.” At present, one issue is that budgets are extremely ﬂuid. “It tends to be that the budget is moving around at the moment. I think people are still unsure as to where their budgets are. Your budgets last quarter could be different to next quarter. You have to be able to move with the client,” Steven Charlton, business development manager, Hamilton International, pointed out. In many cases, a general sense of mistrust is preventing clients from being transparent about the budget from the outset. “You have clients not wanting to reveal the budget because there is this misconception in the Middle East – not in Europe – that if they give out the budget then the designer will somehow take advantage of that budget,” said Bishop. This, Charlton maintained, is a common issue and one that can only lead to misunderstanding. “If they give us the

price, the perception is that we can do what we want with it and we’ll try and make some money. That’s not how we operate but obviously that’s the perception from some clients. That’s quite difﬁcult to deal with. “My job is to really try and extract the budget from the client in the best way I can, at the earliest stage, so we don’t waste time later on,” he explained. From there, it is a question of managing clients’ expectation and making them understand that a shrinking budget invariably calls for compromise. “You can still create a very dynamic space, even with a very limited budget, but the client has to respect that they are not necessarily going to get exactly what they had in mind,” commented Paul Bishop, owner, BDA. “You could have concrete, rather than marble; that could look absolutely stunning and it’s obviously going to be cheaper. But it’s about the client embracing change. Can they accept this as a ﬁve-star material?” For small-scale savings, a contractor can look at joinery, Charlton suggested.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

INDUSTRY SPEAK

1. Paul Bishop.

2. Steven Charlton.

3. Fernando Arteaga.

Alternatively, you can use more locallysourced materials, ensuring that you cut down on transportation costs, said Paul Bishop. But when it comes to largerscale reductions, you need to look at the project in its entirety. “If someone is looking to save 30% then you have to look across the whole job, really, and make your savings that way. Either you change your design or you change your speciﬁcation. Those are your options,” said Charlton. Value engineering is an obvious, often unavoidable, solution when clients are unwilling to compromise on the actual design. But that doesn’t necessarily mean rushing off to China, Charlton continued. “If a client wants massive savings, you offer them that as an option. But the reality is that a lot of clients have a negative perception of what China involves. Until that perception changes, which is going to take time, they are always going to be wary.” Value engineering also raises questions about design integrity. “We put a lot of emphasis on what we specify – and try and make sure that is taken to the end point of the design. We also come back to the properties that we’ve designed and invest heavily in professional photography because we’re going to use that as part of our portfolio. “We put time and effort into a design and at the end of the day, once it has been value engineered, we can’t really use it,” explained associate director, HBA, Fernando Arteaga.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

In addition, designers have to consider their relationships with suppliers, which are key to survival. Design and build companies are increasingly relying on the flexibility of their suppliers, particularly when it comes to attractive pricing and payment terms. Some European suppliers are displaying a wariness of the Dubai market by requesting 100% payment in advance, terms that few members of the industry can reasonably comply with. “If the buyer is not giving us 100% upfront then why should the suppliers get 100% upfront,” asked Charlton. Local suppliers are showing a greater appreciation of the complexities of current market conditions. “I think our suppliers have understood the situation that we are in. As with everyone else, they are cutting their profit margins. Also, companies like ours, that have been around for so long, have had the same suppliers for years. We are all in it together,” said Ellen Bishop. “Suppliers are being more flexible with their payment terms,” Charlton elaborated. “The clients also want a different set of payment terms than before so it’s not as easy to get the money when you need it. And for a job, procurement is the biggest thing that is going to affect your programme. “Either you finance the job yourself, which is difficult in these time, or you go to banks which, again, is difficult. Or, basically you have to work with your client and your suppliers,” he continued.

Difficult as the current climate is, demanding clients are not a by-product of the recession. They were around long before and will be around long after, Ellen Bishop pointed out. “The point is, before the recession, you’d spend ten minutes with these clients before realising that the job was not for you. In a recession, you spend longer with people you shouldn’t waste time on.” The secret is knowing how far you are willing to go. And as difficult as it may be in cash-strapped times, there is some merit in knowing when to walk away. “It gets to a point where you have to walk away. If there’s nothing in it for you as a designer or there’s nothing in it for your margins as a company, why do it? Just walk away,” said Charlton. After all, in a region where reputation is king, there is a real danger in letting your standards slip, he continued. “I think in this time, you have to look after your brand. You have to be very careful. You have to be quite strong willed and decide what you want to do and how far you want to go. You almost have to know that before you go into the pitches, and before you meet the client. What is your scope and what are you willing to do? “At the end of the day, you are a design firm and you are about design. If we can’t be allowed to build something that we think is good, why put our name to it? It’s not worth it.” “Every client will push you to stretch your limits,” Arteaga concluded. “But everything has a limit.”

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PROFILE

GEZE WHO For more than 140 years, GEZE has been developing innovative products, process and service solutions of the highest quality. The long-established family business is a well-known and much-appreciated provider of systems for doors, windows, and security technology to international markets.

WHERE GEZE is a German company established in 1863, with head ofďŹ ces in Leonberg, near Stuttgart, Germany. GEZE has 23 wholly-owned subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, employing over 2,000 people. GEZE Middle East is headquartered in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, with a technical support ofďŹ ce in Al Qusais, Dubai. GEZE also has country managers based in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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PROFILE

USPS GEZE’s unrivalled product range allows seamless integration of control and safety systems within today’s modern buildings. Connecting RWA ventilation systems with access door controls to allow through-ﬂow of air in ﬁre situations, sets GEZE apart from others in the door control industry.

WHAT’S NEW Vetroslide. The outstanding and innovative design of the new Vetroslide all-glass sliding door system from GEZE has proved itself in one of the toughest international design competitions. The Vetroslide was awarded the red dot seal of approval for the highest design quality by an expert panel in the Architecture and Interior Design product category of the ‘product design’ discipline of the competition.

THE FACE Mally Clarke, marketing manager, GEZE Middle East (m.clarke@geze.ae). “The red dot design award is the largest and most renowned design competition in the world. Founded in 1955, it is divided into various disciplines: product design, communication design and design concept. So, having won this prestigious award, the future will continue to be bright for GEZE,” says Mally.

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESIGNER Q&A

Name: Ceri Rocca_ Company: Style House_ Specialism: Transport interiors_ Big job: Cathay Pacific fleet_ 1

Plane sailing Ceri Rocca, a leading designer of aircraft interiors, talks to CID about working in what is still a niche segment of the industry

s one of the UK’s foremost designers and stylists of aircraft interiors, Ceri Rocca is well versed in the language of luxury. She recalls one of her most lavish designs, for the Middle Eastern owner of a private Boeing 747, who requested an extensive bathroom come vanity area, complete with gold basins. More recently, Rocca has been working on concepts for a client who wants to be transported on and off his plane via a private elevator. Founder of the UK-based design consultancy, Style House, Rocca has spent the last six years focusing on transport

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interiors, after teaming up with specialist transport sector design consultancy, Design Q. In this time, she has worked on both private and commercial carriers, and was involved in a redesign of the Cathay Pacific fleet. Rocca has also designed for a range of other commercial segments, from Middle Eastern palaces and quintessential English country homes to hotels, offices and retail outlets. Her retail portfolio includes brands such as Reebok and Nestle, and her career path even brought her to Dubai in the early 1990s. Commercial Interior Design sat down with Rocca to find out more.

What drew you to design as a career? It was actually interested in interior design from a very young age. I was still at school when one of my teachers suggested that I went into interior design. He arranged for me to do some work experience with a friend of his that was an interior designer and it really just went from there. How did you become involved with aircraft interiors? That was more recently. I had moved back from Dubai and opened my business here, and I met someone who was involved in refurbishing private aircraft.

1. Ceri Rocca.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

FOR OPENINGS

DESIGNER Q&A

He knew about my Middle East work and asked me about that and whether I would be interested in designing new aircraft because they were trying to expand their business so that they weren’t just doing refurbishments, but were doing new builds as well. What kind of aircraft projects have you worked on? It’s mostly private aircraft, ranging from 747s to small Globals. We have also worked with Cathay Pacific on their new image and fleet. That was about two years ago, I would say. That was the first commercial airline that we were involved with. How are aircraft interiors evolving? There’s a big move to try and reduce the weight because obviously there are cost implications with regards to fuel. The lighter that you can make an aircraft, the better, basically. So, there’s a big move with that to use lighter fabrics on all of the seats and to try and design seats with lighter materials, which has huge implications on the fuel costs. There have also been moves – Virgin has done it – to include public spaces within long-haul aircraft. It’s a funny one because it’s great from a social point of view, if you are on a long-haul flight and

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there is this space where you can have a bit of a wander and a bit of interaction. But obviously that does take up space that would otherwise be ‘bums on seats’. It is cost again – it’s quite expensive to have a public area within the aircraft and to lose all of that seating. It’s an interesting debate. Do you get called in to design the entire conﬁguration of the aircraft or is it mainly furnishings and ﬁttings? It can go both ways. Sometimes we might be asked to do a concept, or we’ll be asked to create a different layout. You get opportunities to do both. Other times, you’ll get a client who says: ‘We want x amount of seats and they have to have a 31-inch pitch and so on’. It really just depends. When it comes to private aircraft, are there any noticeable trends? It is very individual, I would say. It tends to be down to what the individual actually wants. There aren’t any particular trends that anyone is following. What is the most lavish private aircraft that you have worked on? There’ll all pretty lavish, to be honest. We did a contract mock up once for an Arabic client for a private 747 and

it had a huge toilet come vanity area, which was pretty lavish, especially if you consider that this is normally quite a basic area. In this case, it had leather cupboards and gold basins. Is the Middle East an important source of business for you when it comes to private aircraft interiors? It’s quietened down over the last year, I’d say but yes, we have done quite a lot of work within the Middle East – Dubai and Abu Dhabi, particularly. There are still quite a few Eastern European clients doing stuff. I’d say they are the ones keeping us busy right now. What is the most recent project that you’ve worked on? The most recent one was a private aircraft for a Bulgarian client, which again was interesting because he wanted it to be extremely contemporary. It was all light greys, mostly leather on the seats and very sleek lacquer work on the hard furnishings; very clean lines. It was nice because we were able to supply everything, down to cutlery and china. It went right across the board, which is great, because you might do an interiors project but then they’ll accessorise it themselves and you’ll be thinking: “Oh no, that’s not working’.

2&3. Rocca has created interiors for some of the world’s most luxurious private jets.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESIGNER Q&A

What will the commercial aircraft interior of the future look like? I think it will go towards being more plain and simple. I think this ‘lightweight’ thing will really have an impact, so we’ll probably see more carbon ﬁbre being used and that type of thing. And will public spaces become a more regular feature? I’d like to see it – certainly on long-haul ﬂights. It would be fantastic. There is a lot of cost-consciousness around at the moment, obviously, but if they can get over that, it makes it much more of a special experience.

4. A sketch of a luxurious private aircraft interior.

You’ve designed homes, retail spaces, hotels, products and aircraft interiors. What do you enjoy the most? I think having a full hotel to do is fantastic. You get so many different spaces within it so you’re going to get a couple of restaurants to do, the reception, retail spaces, you’ll have your private areas, and your bedrooms and suites. If you

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

get a nice big hotel project, there’s a little bit of everything within it. Do you ﬁnd aircraft interiors are limited in terms of how creative you can be? Its certainly far more limited than working on other types of commercial projects because there are quite stringent regulations involved. It’s not so bad if its a private aircraft – you can get away with a lot more than if it’s a commercial aircraft. But it is limited, to a degree. Having said that, we have been working on some concepts for a Middle Eastern client who really doesn’t want us to hold back. He wants things like lifts picking him up from the ground and taking him up into the body of the aircraft. Anything is possible if you are working for the right client. You were in Dubai in the early 1990s. Tell us about that experience. It was a fantastic place to work in those days. It was a designer’s dream, to be honest, because the budgets were huge

and it was quite experimental; clients were quite happy for you to do something a bit wild and lavish. It was great from a design point of view. What are your greatest sources of inspiration? It depends on the project. I like to sit with the client and ﬁnd out about their interests and what they like. Inspiration can come from anywhere. I do like using a lot of natural products and inspiration from nature but it can come from anywhere.

MOST RECENTLY The job: A private aircraft for a Bulgarian client Style: Extremely contemporary Design features: Clean lines, a light grey colour scheme, leather seats and sleek lacquer work on the hard ﬁnishings Comments: “It was nice because we were able to supply everything, down to cutlery and china. It went right across the board, which is great.”

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IlBagnoAlessi dOt (sanitary ware, bath tubs, shower cabin, furniture and accessories) is produced and distributed by Laufen Bathrooms under License of Alessi Spa Italy

FORM FOLLOWS FLOW. dOt, design Wiel Arets

Bathroom Culture since 1892

www.laufen.com/middleeast

Bahrain: Al Abbas Gallery +973 17741919 alabbas@batelco.com.bh Iran: Farbar +98 21 88 03 6364 sales@farbar.ir Jordan: Izzat Musa Marji & Sons Co. +962 65 52 02 84 info@marji.jo Kuwait: Arte Casa Trading Co. +965 4848 000 info@artecasa.bz Lebanon: Georges Nassr +961 1 482 462 georgesnasr@zahleh.com Oman: Ahmed Mohsin Trading L.L.C. +968 248 17 019 sware@amtoman.com Qatar: Al Abbas Gallery +974 4675167 alabbas@qatar.net.qa Saudi Arabia: Dar Alfun for Ceramics (Articasa) +96 6 2252 4402 info@articasa.biz Syria: Uni Group +96 31 15 32 67 00 unigroup@net.sy United Arab Emirates: German Home for Kitchen & Bathrooms +971 4 268 9993 info@germanhome.net Yemen: Abu Al-Rejal Trading Corp. +967 1 272 519 sanitary@abualrejal.com

CASE STUDY TOSHIBA FLAGSHIP

Building trust With its new ďŹ&#x201A;agship store at Dubai Festival City, Toshiba is embarking on a journey of total re-engagement

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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CASE STUDY TOSHIBA FLAGSHIP

lectronics stores are a bear-pit of brands trying to capture the consumer’s attention – which is why Toshiba was keen to create an uncluttered space where it could candidly communicate with consumers, explained Stu Higton, creative director of Octopus, the Dubai-based brand and communications agency tasked with the design and build of Toshiba’s new ﬂagship store at Dubai Festival City. Octopus was launched in 2000 with the aim of offering truly multi-disciplinary solutions to the Dubai market. “It is about answering clients’ needs, across media and mediums. We’ll look at a brief and look at a problem and come up

“The new Toshiba ﬂagship store is a good example of that 360 degree approach. We’ve been working for Toshiba for a number of years – we’ve looked at their advertising and their general marketing. This is the missing piece of the puzzle, I suppose,” he added.

UNIFIED APPROACH With this ﬁnal component in place, Toshiba is able to send a single, uniﬁed message whenever it is interacting with its consumers – from its high impact sponsorship of the English Premier League, which provides access into millions of homes each week, to this new point of sale, the message is consistent.

Trust is a keyword because that’s the target with this store – to revive and refresh the trust that exists with the best solution for the client – we are not just an advertising agency pushing advertising or a PR agency pushing PR or an interactive agency pushing interactive. If it needed out-of-the box thinking across mediums, that’s where we came in,” Higton explained.

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“This is where Toshiba can walk the walk, in terms of consumers actually interacting with a product – not just off the pages of a brochure, where the consumer will go: ‘that looks like a nice laptop, that looks like a nice price, I’ll go and ﬁnd out’. Then they walk into one

of the electronics stores where you’ve got all of our competitors screaming at them, and someone comes along and poaches the sale,” said Higton. Toshiba’s ultimate aim is to regain its standing as market leader, a position that it held until a few years ago. “Toshiba was the ﬁrst into market; it still has a strong brand but there’s been a process of attrition from other competitors. “It has still got a very good heritage and brand values, but it’s a case of reestablishing the trust that the consumer has with the brand. Trust is a key word because that’s the target with this store and our overall campaign – to refresh and revive the trust that already exists.” The Festival City store is designed to facilitate a re-engagement with various consumer groups, whether it be end users, distributors or dealers. It is essentially a ‘ﬂag in the ground’ but also a practical venue that can be used for distributor events or cocktail receptions. “When we were looking at the space, we looked at how you communicate trust. Trust is a prediction of reliance. If you trust someone you predict they won’t let you down. Within a retail environment, there are different things that will back that up – we have broken it down into value, service and innovation,” he said.

1. A clean, uncluttered space allows customers to comfortably interact with the products.

2. A 2.4m Toshiba robot is the store’s signature feature.

3. A top view perspective in 3D.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

CASE STUDY TOSHIBA FLAGSHIP

In practical terms, the service part of the equation is covered with a dedicated ‘service’ area, along with staff who give customers the space they need to engage with the products on show. In terms of value, products are presented alongside their full specs, ensuring that consumers know what they are looking at. “The tagline for Toshiba is ‘leading innovation’ so we wanted a clean, modern space. Products speak for themselves in terms of the innovation that they bring but it’s a kind of gallery to put them in,” Higton explained.

OPENING UP

4. The 2.4m robot was made in China.

The original space was a square block set into a corner of the shopping mall. Because it is not ideally located, one of the ﬁrst things that the Octopus team did was extend the entrance area. “The whole window is now an open space and as you come around the corner, you get immediate impact. And then you have our 2.4m blue robot in the window and a nice big doorway that allows you to ﬂow into the shop, rather than squeezing through. When you approach you can see a series of light boxes and you’ve got immediate impact, an invitation to come in,” said Higton. The brief called also for a space that would be long-lasting and relatively low-maintenance, so marble and Corian were favoured. Products are showcased

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

on a series of curved units that were custom-designed by Octopus. “For the units, we looked at the logo and broke it down into shapes and curves; we came out with core bits and then extended that into a nice shape that would work. That’s been taken across a whole set of modular items that can all fit together,” he continued. This modular approach will enable Octopus to adapt the design as it is rolled out across other Toshiba stores in the region. “This is the flagship store – not one of one. This is the brand DNA that we want to seed across various markets, which is now expanding to CIS, Middle East, Africa and Turkey. The remit is to take this core look and feel, and create consistency across this wider region.” The store’s signature element – and Higton’s favourite – is the 2.4m robot. An increasingly-recognisable brand ‘persona’, the robot is an Octopus invention that was relatively difficult to recreate in such towering dimensions. “Everything is difficult when you try it for the first time. We actually had him made in China. We’ve created the 3-D character that you see on all the football bumpers, so we’ve got the model in every detail. It was then a case of providing that to the manufacturers in the right format. We were very happy with the process. And now we’ve got the mould, it can be rolled out more easily.”

When it comes to colour, the robot is one of the few diversions from a red and white palette that links back to the Toshiba logo. While reinforcing the ‘Japanese ﬂavour’ of the brand, it also makes for a clean, ordered space. “For the consumer, it’s an uncluttered, unharassed environment to come into and just have a look around. And if, at the end of the day, they don’t buy anything here, it’s the positive attitude that they take away that is important. “It’s like how banks used to have big facades with these huge Doric pillars. They were there to make you feel like your money was safe in that place. Now, everything is done electronically but they still have those big facades. With a ﬂagship store, just having a place that says ‘we are here and we are committed’ instils trust,” Higton concluded.

PROJECT OVERVIEW Size: 154m² Favoured materials: marble and Corian Challenges: The size of the store was smaller than anticipated. In addition, it is tucked away in a corner of the shopping mall, so Octopus had to look at ways of capitalising on any passing traﬃc Highlights: The 2.4m blue Toshiba robot in the window. The increasingly-recognisable brand persona was brought to life in China

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CASE STUDY TATA OFFICES

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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CASE STUDY TATA OFFICES

Open to change With its new head ofﬁce, Tata International was keen to promote its green credentials

or its new head offices, Tata International, India’s leading exporter of leather and leather goods, wanted an interior that was contemporary, classy and, most importantly, green. Tata International, which is a member of India’s best-known industrial group, wanted a space that would project the company as professional but, at the same time, fun. “The company wanted an office next to the shop floor to serve all of its top-of-the-line buyers with world-class amenities. “The space had to be refreshingly different from the boring image of a manufacturing set-up but had to be classy at the same time,” said Prasoon Shrivastava, project manager and LEED AP at Arkiplan, the Dubai-based consulting architecture and engineering firm appointed on the project. The aim was to appeal to a younger generation of company employees, with selected features of the space making

PROJECT OVERVIEW Size: 15,000ft² Favoured materials: glass, veneer and wooden flooring Challenges: Time restraints – from start to finish, the project was completed in eight months Highlights: Sustainability was a key consideration in this design. More than 50% of construction waste was diverted from landfill and recovered through recycling; energy-efficient, CFL-based light fixtures are used throughout; reconstructed veneer is used for finishing and 50% of plywood was replaced with eco-friendly MDF board

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an obvious detour from the established ‘manufacturing-sector’ office interior. “For example, the table in the conference was a mammoth 30ft long and we did a completely organic pattern on top, breaking away from corporate sensibilities of seriousness,” Shrivastava said. “Part of the process of making a great office space is having the right client brief; the projects department at Tata International was spot on with its quantifiable and non-quantifiable requirements. A change of image was important so a lot of top executives devoted a lot of time providing their input,” he added.

OUT COLD Also particularly high on the agenda for Tata was having a space that was warm and relaxed. “The idea was to make clients, as well as staff, feel comfortable and welcome. They wanted an office which looked relaxed.” In keeping with this, the office was flooded with natural light – and a feng shui expert was consulted to ensure that all staff were facing the right direction. In order to further reiterate the open, welcoming feel of the place, Arkiplan favoured glass wherever possible. “Maximum glass was used to give a very accessible and open feeling, as opposed to closed cabins for privacy, which are still common in most manufacturing sectors. Even the conference room has a 50ft-long and 14ft-high clear glass façade,” Shrivastava explained. The new office covers an area of 15,000ft²; when combined with the shop floor, the total built-up space is 200,000ft². In terms of materials, veneer

1. The 30ft-long conference table marks a detour from convention.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

CASE STUDY TATA OFFICES

2,3&4. Tata wanted to move away from the traditional ‘manufaturing’ ofﬁce interior by making its ofﬁces fun and fresh.

5&6. Wood, glass and veneer predominate.

was favoured for its warmth and glass was used for transparency; laminated wooden flooring was selected because of its durability, along with PVC strip flooring, vitrified tile flooring and closed loop carpet. When it came to furnishings, Arkiplan selected ergonomic chairs with a suede-finish beige back, and black seats to minimise maintenance. Beige suede was also used for sofas. A mix of mood and task lighting was called upon to create the sense of warmth that Tata was so keen to convey. One of the key challenges that Arkiplan faced with this project was a highly compact timeframe. The entire project, covering the office and shop floor, had to be finished in eight months. “The tough schedule meant that work was on 24 hours per day,” said Shrivastava. “And because of the timeframe, pre-engineered building was the chosen method of construction.” There were also a series of technical obstacles to contend with. “The 36ft height on the first floor meant that the projected AC load calculated was too high, so the height had to be reduced via a false ceiling. “Being a PEB structure,

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

with no place to screw supports on the ceiling, the whole upper ﬂoor conference and display have been made like an axo skeleton where the walls actually support the false ceiling, not the roof.”

ALL GREEN Adding further pressure on timeframes, the space had to be ‘green’, and in order to control this, the Tata team opted to

ensuring that indoor air quality is controlled. More that 50% of construction waste was diverted from landfill and recovered through recycling. Energy-efficient, CFL-based light fixtures are used throughout and water conserving products were selected for the bathrooms. Reconstructed veneer is used for finishing and 50% of plywood was replaced with eco-friendly MDF board.

The space had to be refreshingly different to the boring image of a traditional manufacturing set-up custom-make all furniture to speciﬁcation, onsite. “Tata has always been a very responsible corporation and it wanted to be sure that the set-up had a minimal footprint on the environment.” To this effect, 75% of the total area offers access to natural daylight and external views. High performance glass has been used for the windows and the building follows a no smoking policy,

Low VOC paint, coatings, adhesives and sealants were also used, as were recyclable materials such as steel frames, glass, aluminium and gypsum. All of the pine wood used for the project was sourced within a 100km radius of the ofﬁce . “The idea was to make a space which doesn’t look too different or isn’t crying out for attention – but works differently,” Shrivastava concluded.

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DESTINATION FOCUS: QATAR

Think big Small but stable, Qatar offers a range of opportunities for interior designers willing to take the plunge into new markets

1. Doha.

atar is quietly establishing itself as a regional force that cannot be ignored. “Its basic dynamics and economy are driven by different factors than those of the UAE,” highlighted Chris Barnes, managing director, Broadway Interiors, Dubai. “At this point in time, that makes Qatar a very interesting proposition. It is deﬁnitely an emerging market that all serious interior designers should be looking at and carefully assessing.” In a report released earlier this year, Proleads Global highlighted the relative buoyancy of Qatar’s construction industry. The report determined that there were 191 projects classiﬁed as ‘major’ underway in the country, amounting to a total value of some $82.5 billion. “While the Qatari economy is not immune to the global economic slowdown, it is expected to maintain a reasonable rate of growth this year,” said Emil Rademeyer, director, Proleads Global.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

“[This growth] is driven by the benefits of a long-term strategy to export liquefied natural gas from its vast gas field.” While the Proleads study revealed that 82% of projects were running late, budgets had not been enormously affected and all projects were progressing steadily. “There are a lot of projects coming up and now is the time when a lot of these are nearing completion. “I see particular potential in the hospitality sector, in schools, in universities and in sporting facilities, which are all fields that we are interested in,” said Rashid Yousif Al Aqili, operations director, Al Aqili Furnishings. The country is in the early stages of developing a comprehensive infrastructure and is working hard to create a unique identity for itself. “We see a great deal of potential in Qatar, certainly, and anyone who has visited there knows there is a real need for additional hotel and restaurant

capacity,” said Chuck Wood, managing director, Rockwell Group Middle East. “As with the other major centres in the Gulf, they are clearly trying to develop a unique identity – in their case, one that is more centred on education, wellness, art and culture, and global affairs. Relative to interior design, we see that the primary opportunities will be, at least for us, in hospitality, education, culture, wellness, and retail and/or entertainment environments,” Wood said. Cultural heritage is playing an important role in guiding the development of Qatar’s infrastructure – and will guide the country’s evolving design identity. Qatar is taking a more considered approach than many of its neighbours, which has been key to instilling market conﬁdence. The country is currently viewed as a stable, highly-attractive proposition, particularly when set against the volatility plaguing many other markets across the globe.

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DESTINATION FOCUS: QATAR

“What we have seen is that Qatar is taking a much more measured approach in planning how they will develop their country,” said Wood. “Looking in from the outside, this also translates, at least perceptually, into much longer decision making cycles. Considering where we are right now in terms of the global recession, they have probably been moving along at just the right pace.” Qatar also has the luxury of learning from the successes and failures of its neighbours, Wood pointed out. “Qatar has been sitting back and studying lessons learned from places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and I think you are starting to see some of the results in places like Souq Waqif and The Pearl, which are both very thoughtfully executed examples of creating vibrant public spaces that are true to the identity that Qatar is trying to establish for itself.” Rockwell is currently working on two projects in Doha, one of which is a new free-standing Nobu restaurant on the grounds of the Four Seasons Hotel. Al Aqili Furnishings, meanwhile, has been focusing on the Qatari market for the best part of this year. “Whatever

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steps we have taken are producing results and I’m happy with what we have achieved,” Al Aqili noted. The company has joined forces with a local partner and is focusing on promoting its core strengths. “We started with our ﬂooring business and our projects department – and our projects department got an AED40 million project last week. It is a turnkey job for a big palace in Doha,” said Al Aqili. There is deﬁnitely opportunity to be had in Qatar, Al Aqili explained, but the market is relatively small, particularly

Recruiting the right kind of talent also presents a challenge in a market that is only just beginning to mature. “We are trying to recruit and it is taking time,” Al Aqili said. “They have quotas for some nationalities. We are trying to recruit locally but the knowledge and expertise is not always available.” Like any market, Qatar presents its own set of challenges and idiosyncracies. Companies would do well to do their homework before they rush in to exploit unfolding opportunities, Wood warned. “As with any of the Gulf

They have probably been moving along at just the right pace when compared with the UAE. It is also increasingly expensive, he added. “The only shortfall in Qatar today is that prices are skyrocketing. This is particularly true when it comes to rent and there are not enough warehouse facilities available. It is extremely expensive, which is not good for business.”

markets, relationships are the key to succeeding, and that means generally that you need to be there on the ground. “The commercial aspect of working in Qatar is also different than in other Gulf markets, so you will need to become familiar with how that will affect how you would operate there as a ﬁrm.”

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESTINATION FOCUS: QATAR

ON THE WAY... 1. NOBU DOHA

Client: Nobu/Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jaber al Thani Designer: Rockwell Group Completion date: Autumn 2010 Size: 26,000ft² Details: The new Nobu Doha is the second Middle Eastern venue for the world-renowned restaurant group. The freestanding, three-story restaurant will be located on a peninsula on Doha Bay, at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha. The prominent position of this new, dramatic structure will anchor the northern end of the city’s grand Corniche. While exhibiting the iconic Nobu elements of natural, rich materials that reflect the cuisine and rural Japanese roots of Chef Nobu, this location will also reflect the specific history of Doha, and feature many one-of-a-kind art installations that Rockwell Group commissioned specifically for this project. As the city is famous for pearl diving, Rockwell Group is referencing this past in many layers of the design. The lofty double-height main dining room is framed by woven abaca panels custom-made by the Philippine artist Ken Cobonpue. Featured throughout the space are end-grain wood floors, columns clad in white sea-shells and a field of spherical glass light fixtures of various sizes custom-crafted by the Canadian artist Ken Gangbar.

2. HOTEL AT SHUYOUKH PORT Client: Conﬁdential Designer: Focus Design Partners Size: 30,000m²

Located on the Corniche, alongside iconic structures such as the Museum of Islamic Art and the Emir’s Palace, the Hotel at Shuyoukh Port has been dubbed as a ‘six-star’ property. The form of the building bears an obvious resemblance to a boat. The overall design proposes a highly contemporary form, varied in elevation and height, which nonetheless incorporates the local architectural spirit in an abstract but very recognisable way. The interior of the hotel is a five-story atrium space flooded with natural light that is filtered through a patterned brise-soleil which covers a large skylight. The four upper stories project progressively outward to create a very dynamic space. This also guides the eye towards a four-story waterfall, behind which two grand staircases lead towards the lower level café, with access to the outside pool. Interior materials that will dominate include Carrara marble, natural stone and mahogany wood, gold and silver-plated details, as well as ornamental and art glass.

3. ECQ D17 Client: Qatar Finance House Designer: Focus Design Partners Completion date: 2012 Part of the new Energy City in Qatar, ECQ D17, owned by Qatar Finance House, is a core and shell project that extends to interior design work for the lobby and core areas. QFH building is a 5-story (plus two basements) office building with a distinct architectural character. The project is aiming for LEED, Silver Level certification. The architectural design concept revolves around the notion of continuity, which promotes a certain element of both boldness and elegance. The choice and pattern of materials also carries the overall notion of curvilinear design and continuity. The lobby’s floor patterns build on the visual lines established by elements such as the interior garden, the outline of the mezzanine floor and the five-story front entrance curtain wall. Patterned tile in shades of grey is matched with wall panelling and finishes that give an ephemeral effect; that of water, waves andsails. The choice of materials carries the idea of coolness, of purity in the white on the exterior, of transparency in the grey-tinted glazing.

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

R U O Y FIND RATION INSPI

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DESTINATION FOCUS: QATAR

Journeying through The newly-opened Juala Spa at the Grand Hyatt Doha was designed to promote unique, culturally-speciﬁc, highly-memorable experiences. CID takes a closer look

he recently-opened Juala Spa at the Grand Hyatt Doha is deﬁned by its name, which translates from Arabic to mean ‘journey’. Visitors are invited to retreat fully into the all-encompassing folds of the spa. “Their journey always changes, and becomes an escape from the outside world as they move deeper and deeper into the core of the spa from their initial entry experience through to their private treatment experience. “Touch, texture and sound were essential drivers in creating this journey of retreat and respite for the guest, and in ensuring that they leave with new

memories that will last until the next journey,” explained Michelle Evans, managing associate, HBA Dubai, the company responsible for designing the hotel and all associated facilities. The project brief called for a focus on cleanliness – both literally and ﬁguratively. “Spa treatments form a fundamental aspect of life in Qatar, for both men and women,” explained Karunathi M, director of spa. “Great importance is placed on cleanliness as this is closely linked to spiritual cleanliness. The interior design of the facility reﬂects this important element through a simple interior – vast,

1. Water lies at the heart of the design.

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

DESTINATION FOCUS: QATAR

clean and immaculately white walls, minimal decoration and vast spaces.”

LOCAL FLAVOURS

2&5. The design draws upon local inﬂuences.

3. Open spaces and natural light promote a real sense of grandeur.

4. The spa features a whole range of facilities.

The exterior of the spa reiterates the overall architecture of the hotel. Grand, but infused with earthy colours, the entire structure is designed to blend into a desert backdrop. The aim, ultimately, was to create a structure that drew upon local cultural heritage and traditions – and treatments were designed to promote a similar blend of influences. “The idea was to create a unique spa experience that evokes the splendour and luxury of a bygone era with elements that reflect upon Qatar’s heritage, but also offers sophistication, while restoring harmony between mind, body and spirit,” said Evans. The 4,000m² sanctuary features a total of 12 luxurious treatment suites, including two couples suites, a relaxation area with a tranquility pool, a health club, a retail boutique and a ladies’ salon. Vast, open spaces promote a sense of luxury and grandeur, while floor-to-ceiling glass windows allow natural light to flood some areas of the spa, Karunathi M explained.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

When it came to materials, HBA favoured natural, light-coloured stones, river pebbles, rich, warm, wood-colour tones and ornate carved wooden panels, to reiterate an overall sense of tranquility. “A selection of rich silks and embroidery sheers were introduced to soften the natural elements, adding dramatic colours from the desert – reds and ambers – to the calmness of the interior,” Evans said.

JOURNEY’S END Water is a central theme and runs throughout the design scheme, she continued. “The element of water is the heart of this spa. It is strongly used throughout the space, which elicits many moods for the senses, such as sound, as it meanders through the interiors; sight, with the reﬂection pools in the relaxation areas; and touch, through the treatments,” Evans said. Magniﬁcent, calm, contemporary, escape and journey are the keywords that Karunathi M uses to describe the overall ambiance of the spa. “The rich Arabic architecture and interior provide a strong sense of strength and peace. The indoor garden and water features make it a true

sanctuary of luxury and tranquility. The building is a magniﬁcent tribute to the Emiri Palace, the earthen beige exterior offers a welcoming entrance into this private and secluded spa. “It is a contemporary interpretation of an emir’s palace that is linear and symmetrical, with hidden passages and areas of discovery. The entrance, with its wooden slatted roof and water feature, is my favourite part of the spa.” It is the effective blend of old and new that contributes to the overall success of the interior, Evans concluded. “We sought to create an elegant and timeless design by seamlessly combining elements of the old world and the new, while evoking all the senses. Each sense was carefully thought through to balance and blend with the interior as the guest moved through the spa.”

FAVOURED MATERIALS Natural, light-coloured stones, river pebbles, rich, warm, wood-colour tones and ornate carved wooden panels, along with rich silks and embroidery sheers, water features and wooden slatted rooﬁng, create natural, calming interiors.

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FEATURE BATHROOMS

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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FEATURE BATHROOMS

Intelligent

retreat

Technology is currently making a beeline for the bathroom, which is helping to enhance aesthetics and strengthen sustainability

he bathroom’s evolution into an everyday refuge has been well documented. What was once a totally ulitarian space has been converted into a haven of harmony and relaxation – and technology is playing an increasingly important role in creating and controlling the required ambiance. “Light and colour, for example, which have such an important inﬂuence on our sense of wellbeing, used to be an afterthought in the bathroom,” noted Toni El Kadi, UAE branch manager, Duravit Middle East. “Today, the latest lighting and electronic technology makes it possible to create a changing light experience,” he added. “The room can be bathed in light and colour, providing the ideal setting for spa products such as whirl tubs, multi-functional showers, pool systems, saunas, atmospheric light and spa equipment for bath tubs and pools, such as air nozzles, jet nozzles or rotating back and foot-massage nozzles.”

MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY Technology is making its way into the bathroom under number of guises – in the form of in-wall televisions, advanced audio systems and lighting controls, and in the less obvious forms of water-saving ﬂush systems and aerated shower sprays. Technology has essentially been responsible for transforming

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the simple faucet into a master of water conservation and the average bath into an oasis of wellness. Laufen’s Mimo series of bath tubs, for example, takes the simple tub and converts it into a bespoke spa – by adding coloured LEDs and a whirlpool system, noted Ivan Zupanovic, international sales and marketing manager, Laufen. “Instead of a conventional touch panel, Laufen and its partners have developed an innovative touch-sensitive control for the whirlsystem: the control symbols are simply lasered into the tub rim. This is a stylish, absolutely hygienic and scratch-resistant solution that can be cleaned easily and in no way detracts from the beautiful, curvaceous contours of the bath tub,” he continued. But, while enhanced comfort and aesthetics are obvious drivers in the uptake of technology in the bathroom, it is essential that practicality doesn’t fall to the wayside. “We feel that more than ever, aesthetics and technology will be inextricably linked,” El Kadi said. “But design should never be an excuse for lack of function. Every product has to be easy to assemble and of real practical value. We generally take a step back from products that are pure ‘monuments’.” 1. The Inipi

IN PRACTISE

sauna’s control

To this effect, Duravit has launched a number of attractive but ‘intelligent’

unit is shaped like a stone.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

FEATURE BATHROOMS

2. The Inipi sauna is built for two.

3. Kohler is developing a range of water-saving technologies.

products this year. The Inipi sauna, for example, which can fit two people but requires as little room as 235cm x 117cm, was designed by the Eoos group. “They have transformed the sweat cabin into a modern designer sauna which, thanks to judiciously concealed technology, presents itself in an exceptionally clean and transparent design,” said El Kadi. The basis is a wooden frame that is glazed at the front and back. “All units are mounted on a pull-out carrier that is fully concealed behind a wooden panel. As a result, the control system, heater with ventilation unit and evaporator are always accessible but never in view. “All that is visible is a small wooden flap on the front that opens to reveal a second ‘stone’, which is actually a firmly mounted operating element. This stone also houses an AUX connection and features a shelf for relevant devices.” Duravit has also launched a series of oversized tubs or ‘pools’ that include 40 nozzles and offer features ranging from a power massage to bubbling bath. Hidden within the pools is a powerful three-fold regeneration system. “The heart of the installation is its Emotion system, which features 24 Durapearl nozzles built into the tub’s floor. These multi-functional nozzles produce

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

both large air bubbles and a ﬁne gentle massaging water jet. The system can be switched from bubbles to water jet by means of the waterproof remote control or operating panel to suit and enhance the mood,” El Kadi detailed.

BACK TO BASICS Slightly less glamorous but equally advanced are Duravit’s Architec and McDry urinals. The Frank Huster-designed Architec has an electronic control

water-soluble substance with a specific gravity lighter than that of urine.” Kohler has also developed a waterless urinal and is concentrating on low-flow toilets and flushing technology, having developed a number of systems that use a mere 5l per flush. Some models, such as its Kohler Highline and Wellworth Pressure Lite models use as little as 4l. “Flushing toilets accounts for approximately 25% of a home’s water usage, so replacing one toilet can save a lot of

We generally take a step back from products that are pure monuments system which combines innovative sensor technology with intelligent flushing. These can recognise changes in the siphon and will then automatically trigger a flushing operation, based on three different flushing programmes. “With the McDry urinal, Duravit proves that water can be done away with altogether,” said El Kadi. “The way McDry works is brilliantly simple. The ceramic siphon of the urinal is filled with the special McDry Blue sealing liquid, especially developed by Duravit, a non

water,” commented Mohammed Nada, regional marketing manager, Kohler. Faucets are another hot-spot of water wastage so Kohler has launched its Insight Technology for wall-mount and desk-mount faucets, which analyses and logs feedback from its environment upon intital installation. “Insight technology is available on several of Kohler’s faucet lines, with a factory-installed 0.5 gallon-per-minute aerator for maximum water conservation,” Nada explained.

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FEATURE BATHROOMS

Laufen, meanwhile, has launched water-saving faucets ﬁtted with the Ecototal cartridge, as well as numerous toilets that incorporate a dual volume ﬂush system that uses 4.5l or 3l. Whether in saunas, taps, urinals, shower heads or toilets, technology more often than not has to serve the two-pronged purpose of enhacing aesthetics while supporting sustainability. “We need to continue to work very

intensively on a change in consciousness, on ways of perceiving the bathroom and water in a new way,” highlighted brand manager of Hansgrohe’s ‘designer’ brand, Axor, Philippe Grohe. “Alongside our innovative strength in technology, top architects and designers are helping us to shape new solutions for the bathroom.” Like its industry peers, Hansgrohe’s greatest challenge is creating mixers

TRENDSPOTTING: TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS 1. “In terms of design we have just experienced a long phase of rectangular designs. However, the design scope is now expanding and, in addition to the rectangular ranges, we now have products whose clean geometry is moving towards gently curved designs. This enables a softer, more feminine bathroom design.” Toni El Kadi, Duravit 2 . “There will be many solutions that help to create a more individual, more sensual and even more comfortable bathroom experience – new materials, touch-free features, electronic devices, light and sound will invade the bathroom. ” Ivan Zupanovic, Laufen 3 . “We need to continue to work very intensively on a change in consciousness, on ways of perceiving the bathroom and water in a new way. Alongside our innovative strength in technology, top architects and designers are helping us to shape new solutions for the bathroom.” Philippe Grohe, Axor 4. “The design of contemporary bathrooms is now more and more oriented towards a homely ambience. What used to be a separate wet room now opens up towards the bedroom and becomes more of an open living space. Bathroom and bedroom are being designed as one architectural unit and combined into a harmonious whole. In practice this means furniture elements in elegant wood shades, washbasin units with furniture veneers, the shower basin clad in a matching design, and the bathtub itself becoming an item of furniture.” Toni El Kadi, Duravit 5. “Within the next three years we’ll reduce the average water consumption of all taps sold by 30%, without losing out on any comfort.” Thorsten Bies, Villeroy & Boch .

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and shower heads that use water more intelligently, but do not sacrifice on design or showering pleasure. “Combining Hansgrohe EcoSmart and AirPower technology saves water by means of a dynamic flow restrictor, and the user is treated to an entirely new sensual shower experience compared with conventional shower sprays,” Grohe explained. In keeping with a clear, industrywide trend, Villeroy & Boch is taking concentrated steps to ensure that its products facilitate a reducation in water consumption. “In the future, all washbasin tap fittings from Villeroy & Boch will be fitted with an air bubbler which will reduce water consumption by an average of 25%. “And even more, within the next three years we’ll reduce the average water consumption of all taps sold by 30%, without losing any comfort,” said Thorsten Bies, regional manager, Villeroy & Boch Middle East – bathroom and wellness division. Looking forward, technology will continue to make itself at home in the bathroom, and will continue to be fine-tuned to strike the perfect balance between sustainability, functionality, comfort and aesthetics.

4. Hansgrohe is working with top designers and architects to shape new solutions for the bathroom.

5. Duravit’s ‘pools’ feature 40 nozzles.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Architectural hardware

suppliers you should know G

ood design is judged in the detail. Often, it is the smallest, least-conspicuous components of a space that speak of its true calibre. The difference between a remarkable project and an unremarkable one can sometimes lie in the least obvious of places – in door controls, locks, lever handles and hinges, for example. This month, we are looking at the architectural hardware industry, inviting key players to introduce themselves and highlight recent developments at their company. Architectural hardware is the ‘nuts and bolts’ of a space, the bits that

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hold it together and that you can’t do without. But the industry is becoming increasingly design-orientated too. More and more companies are coming up with solutions that are functional, durable and technically-advanced, but aesthetically appealing as well. Häfele, for example, is on the verge of launching a new range of luxury handles called The Platinum Series, which is designed by Paolo Pedrizzetti and enhanced with Swarovski crystals. The designs are highly contemporary and are available in a range of ﬁnishes, as well as different coloured crystals.

The technology behind the products is also evolving rapidly. Dorma has launched the latest version of its automatic sliding door operator, the CS80 Magneo, which features ‘SoftMotion’ safety features. Meanwhile, Häfele has created a new ‘economy’ version of its Dialock Hotel Locking Range, which features touchless card reading and has been used in many of the region’s ﬁvestar hotels. The new line offers features to suit three- or four-star hotels. Find out more about new launches, latest technologies and enhanced aesthetics over the next few pages.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

ASSA ABLOY Company background: ASSA ABLOY is a global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user needs for security, safety and convenience. Yale is the brand name behind locks of every design and function in over 125 countries, and is a part of the ASSA ABLOY Group. At ASSA ABLOY, we believe that freedom enriches people and that fear makes us poorer. To realise freedom, we must ﬁrst feel safe and secure. That’s why the ASSA ABLOY Group is committed to creating high-quality door opening solutions. Abdul Aziz & Saad Mohammed Al-Moajil is a Saudi-based company with a staggering 70 years of trading history in this region. It is the sole distributer of Yale products in the GCC. Locations: Yale Security Point, Alkarama, Dubai, Tel: +971 (0)4 3355587. Who to talk to: Younis Ali, business development manager. USPs: All over the world, people are actively securing all that they care about – their home, their family, their personal

belongings or their businesses – with the name they trust the most, Yale. Best sellers: Among the wide range of Yale products, door solution items like handles, door cylinders and closers are a favourite with our dealers and solution providers. The quality, service and professionalism that we offer are the main reasons behind our continued success. News: We are proud to announce the launch of our digital door lock, Yale Gateman. Yale Gateman is a unique hybrid of digital technology, cost-efficiency and luxurious finishings. Being integratable, smart and flexible, Yale Gateman has no limitations. You can integrate it with any automation system and then control, communicate and automate it easily. To keep our main business values and meet our client’s needs, we are providing a free-of-charge installation, a toll-free based service and an expandable one-year guarantee for our new product. Please visit our security centre in Dubai or visit www.yalegateman.ae.

DORMA Company background: A fascinating journey of 100 years of history, starting from a humble factory in Germany in 1908, to a current 71 wholly-owned companies in 47 different countries, 6,600 employees and a turnover of EUR882 million (fiscal 2008/2009, June 30). Dorma products are grouped under five divisions: Door Controls, Automatic, Glass Fittings & Accessories, STA (Security, Time and Access) and Moveable Walls, backed by a service and maintenance team. Location: The Middle East operations are controlled from DORMA Gulf FZE, the regional headquarters in Dubai, Jebel Ali Free Zone South, with a purposebuilt showroom displaying the latest products. In addition, there are branch offices in Abu Dhabi and Al Quoz. Offices in KSA, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan ensure efficient service at a local level. Who to talk to: Ahmed Sameer in the marketing department.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

USPs: DORMA provides solutions for literally every opening in a building, with the right balance of aesthetics, convenience, safety and security. Best sellers: The slide channel camaction door closers in the innovative Contur design, the KTV Atrium Glass revolving doors, the Moveo sliding and folding acoustic partitions, and the Beyond swing and sliding door ﬁttings for frameless glass doors. News: Dorma provided the new Dual Drive FST automatic sliding doors for all the Metro stations in Dubai, the security and access control products for Dubai’s Terminal 3, the Tornado Glass atrium feature and transparent facades for Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, and the huge Variﬂex acoustic sliding folding partitions for the exhibition halls in ADNEC Abu Dhabi. Our latest product is the CS8O Magneo, the automatic sliding door operator, with ‘SoftMotion’ safety.

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SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

HAFELE Company background: Häfele is a privately-owned company that has been in existence since 1923. It has subsidiaries in over 30 countries, as well as 40 sales offices linked to its headquarters in Germany. Locations: Häfele Middle East has been operational in the UAE for 25 years and, more recently, has opened direct sales offices in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Who you should talk to: Adam Taylor, general manager. USPs: One of Häfele’s greatest assets is its staff. The company employs a number of highly-qualified and experienced employees who are experts in the joinery field and are able to support the designers of large construction projects. Häfele is a member of the Door and Hardware Institute (DHI) of the USA, as well as the Guild of Architectural Ironmongery in the UK. Best seller: The Dialock Hotel Locking Range, which features touchless card

reading and has been used in many of the region’s five-star hotels. A new economical line was recently introduced with fewer features, to suit three- or four-star hotels. The Startec brand of hardware for doors is also popular among specifiers. News: Häfele will be returning to Big 5 in November, where it will be launching a new luxury range of lever handle designs called The Platinum Series. Häfele GCC is also pleased to introduce, as part of its Luxury Collection, a range of products enhanced by Swarovski crystals. Designed by Paolo Pedrizzetti for the Italian manufacturer Manital, the designs are practical and contemporary, and are available in different finishes as well as different coloured crystals. In a separate development, Häfele Bahrain is to supply the architectural hardware for the new Sofitel Zallaq Resort and Spa in Bahrain. The handle design selected for the project is called Barocco, which is also manufactured by Manital.

EUROSPEC Company background: Eurospec was established in the UK in 1997 to meet the demands of the specification and commercial ironmongery sectors, where proven performance and certification are essential. Eurospec Middle East was launched to support the growing number of direct sales in the GCC, with a region-specific product range available from stock, and technically-experienced staff on hand to offer expert advice. As a designer, manufacturer and distributor, we ensure that behind the aesthetics lies a functional and durable product that will keep performing for the next 25 years or more. Locations: We have representatives all over the GCC, as well as head offices and warehouses in Dubai and the UK. Who to talk to: Angus Grant, general manager (agrant@eurospec.ae) USPs: With our ‘contract’ and ‘architectural’ ranges we have products to meet

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differing specifications without compromising on quality or performance. We are proud members of the UK’s Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and Master Locksmiths Association and we invest heavily in BS EN and Warrington Certifire product testing so that you know you are specifying a product you can trust. We also understand the urgency of sample and project mock-up requirements and are fully equipped to satisfy these with next-day delivery. Best sellers: The ‘Easi-T’ lock range, with its patented latch reversal system, and the ‘Enduro’ hinge range are the best sellers in the region. We’re also very proud of our ‘Steelworx’ range of high performance levers which have been specified on some of the region’s most prestigious projects. News: The new Middle East range brochure is now available. Request your copy by visiting www.eurospec.co.uk.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

HAWA Company background: Sliding hardware systems from Hawa have been at home all over the globe for more than 40 years. The company from Mettmenstetten near Zurich is renowned internationally as a specialist in sliding systems and a leading manufacturer of innovative sliding hardware. The Swiss company has a high-quality solution for virtually any requirement, any material and any door weight, from sliding doors for furniture and buildings to sliding shutters and highly complex sliding wall systems. Locations: Hawa AG has had a subsidiary in Dubai since 2005: Hawa Middle East FZE, Jebel Ali Free Zone. Who to talk to: Adeeb Ghazal, regional sales director. USPs: Designers and installers alike appreciate our simple design ability, convenient installation, high functionality and quality. Over 60 international

patents show just how resourceful Hawa technicians are when it comes to developing new sliding hardware solutions. Best seller: The HAWA-Junior sliding hardware with plastic rollers and sliding bearings today belongs amongst the best-selling sliding hardware systems, thanks to continuous development and additions to the programme. News: Hawa has launched the HAWAPurolino 80, a puristic designer hardware system for all-glass sliding doors, with concealed suspension for surfacemounting onto walls or ceilings, or integrated ceiling installation. Hawa will shortly introduce another two innovations as part of its furniture programme: HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50, the sophisticated hardware for effortlessly pivoting and sliding in doors made of wood and glass; and HAWA-Antea 50-80/VF, hardware for glass and wood sliding doors running in front of the cabinet body.

Seize new opportunities

Be sure to attend the industry’s most important annual event! • Discover all the latest products, trends and innovations. • Meet up with vendors, resellers, skilled tradespersons, architects, interior designers and business peers – all at one convenient time and place. • Gather fresh ideas and inspiration for the year ahead. • Check out the new “fliesen/tiles” show in Hall 4.

www.domotex.de

DOMOTEX asia / CHINAFLOOR in Shanghai, 23 – 25 March 2010 DOMOTEX Middle East in Dubai, 10 – 12 May 2010 Deutsche Messe Dubai Branch · Tel: +971 4 337 6072 · info@hf-uae.com

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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HEADING OUT

HEADING OUT… our monthly look at the outdoor design industry

WICKED SOLUTIONS Founded in 2007 to address a lack of indoor and outdoor entertainment venues in the UAE, Wicked Tents has introduced the Zendome.20 and 30 Home-Editions structural domes to the region. Wicked Tents, ‘The Alternative Structure Company’, specialises in offering unique and versatile venue solutions to the Middle East market, supporting clients in the creation of permanent,

semi-permanent or temporary venues for a multitude of purposes. Wicked Tents is the sole agent for Zendome structures in the region. The Geodesic domes are simple but solid and are proving particularly popular with the entertainment world. Suitable for short- medium- and long-term usage, the Zendome structures are celebrated for their creative potential.

They are available in a range of sizes and can enclose spaces varying from 30m² to 300 m². The Zendome.20 and 30 HomeEditions are now available in the region and are suitable for any type of event, providing an exclusive space for special occasions, as a roof for the swimming pool, as a temporary guest house or even a garden house.

INSIDE OUT Blurring the line between indoors and out, French designer Philippe Hurel has joined forces with Sutherland to create a collection of outdoor furniture that incorporates the style and comfort more traditionally associated with interiors. Sutherland by Philippe Hurel is a collection of simple but bold teak furniture. The designs were created by Hurel in his Paris studio and then combined with Sutherland’s established craftsmanship with heirloom teak. Hurel’s design aesthetic combines a classic European ethos with up-tothe-minute craftsmanship and building techniques. He developed his unique contemporary ﬂair after extensive study of design techniques in the US, and the mid-century art deco and Bauhaus periods inspire his work to this day.

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

The meshing of Hurel’s design sensibility and Sutherland’s expertise is seen in the lines of the Tyrol Arm Chair, a sleek seating option. The smoothed square back of the chair pairs nicely with the deceptively simple Tyrol side chair and Datcha rectangular dining table. Each piece in the collection is constructed out of natural teak wood to ensure that it is sustainable. The collection includes the Tyrol stool and Tyrol bar stool, and the Ralph side and dining tables. The Sun arm chair and side chair perfectly accompany the Datcha rectangular dining table and its stone top. Meanwhile, the Wallis lounge chair and ottoman provide classically-inspired comfort, and the Volpi planter and Prater planter add architectural elements.

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HEADING OUT

CELEBRATING STREET ART Sushi Samba will present a selection of work by the world’s top street artists during Art Basel Miami Beach. Taking place between December 4 and 6, the Graffiti Gone Global exhibition will be curated by James and Karla Murray, authors of best-selling titles such as Store Front – The Disappearing Face of New York, Miami Graffiti, Broken Windows and Burning New York. The groundbreaking exhibition is set to take place within a 4,000ft² venue in the Midtown Arts District, and will be the largest of its kind in Miami. The opening VIP preview will take place on December 3. Extending beyond the typical white walls of an art fair, Sushi Samba has commissioned Miami-based architect HOX to design a sprawling, Brazilian-inspired favela structure for Graffiti Gone Global. HOX’s exhibition design consists of interlocking components of wood and steel that can be detached and sold as separate units, some of which will bear a signature graffiti piece. In addition, custom furniture designed by several of the participating artists will be available for purchase. Shimon Bokovza, concept developer of Sushi Samba restaurants, Sugarcane Lounge and Graffiti Gone Global, along with partners Danielle Billera and Matt Johnson, has consistently demonstrated his support for street artists. In addition to producing previous exhibitions such as Ginzatropicalia, he has commissioned site-specific street art in Sushi Samba restaurants throughout the country. The recently opened Sugarcane Lounge in Las Vegas, for example, features work from Brazilian artist ‘Flip’ Felipe Yung. “Bringing art to Sushi Samba is something that is a natural evolution in our whole concept and experience,” said Bokovza. “We would only call upon the best talent to execute a dream that was sparked with the inception of Art Basel.” Exhibiting artists include 131 Projects from Argentina, Aiko Nakagawa, Suiko and Shiro from Japan, Armogedon 2057 from Armenia, Billi Kid from Colombia and Crome from Miami.

Outdoor Furniture Children’s Collection “Lauralee”

Tel: +971 4 347 57 01 Fax: +971 4 347 14 71 Email: info@dubaikudos.com Web: www.dubaikudos.com

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

Can you afford to miss it? We are opening four hotels in the next year and it is through The Hotel Show that we are able to stay ahead of the game and source the latest and most innovative products.

Mike Scully Managing Director, Seven Tides Hospitality

Book now!

18-20 MAY 2010 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

PRODUCTS

New on the market TAE Viennese lighting design studio, Kaia is paying its last respects to the bulb with the launch of its TAE lamp. The lamp is a special design consisting of a heightadjustable suspension which skilfully puts the bulb at the centre. Four large light bulbs not only guarantee unique aesthetics but also offer a four-fold increase in durability. The TAE suspension lamp is made of polished brass and glossy nickel. Kaia +43 1319 60 10 www.kaia.at

FLAIR Designed by Peter Roth for Burgess Furniture, the Flair chair is suitable for a range of conference-related spaces, from the large congress hall to more intimate meeting rooms. Flair is available either fully upholstered or with a polished show-wood shell, in a choice of ﬁnishes including natural beech, cherry or walnut. The chrome-plated frame features a unique ﬂared leg detail and a foot incorporating a stacking buffer. Optional features include a retractable link seat/row number clip, recessed handle and a detachable tablet. The stacking trolley enables the chairs to be handled and stored with ease. Burgess Furniture +971 (0)4 304 2331 www.burgessfurniture.com

ANGORA The Angora is a modular design concept that can take on a range of configurations to suit any room. Available in any upholstery fabric or leather cover, as well as a variety of sizes, configurations or feet selections, the Angora is characterised by its flexibility. A solid timber frame is matched with foam that delivers the ultimate in support. Mobilia Australiana Designs +971 (0)4 323 6988 www.mobilia.ae

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

PRODUCTS

STACKED AND STRAPPED J+J/Invision’s Magnify collection found its inspiration in the nooks and crannies of the carpet mill – drawing on anything from a pile of ribbons to corrugated cardboard and cones of yarn. Stacked and Strapped form part of the collection. Stacked is inspired by a pile of carpet samples, and incorporates the different heights and textures found in the variations of backings and ﬁbers. Strapped is an eclectic pattern that livens up any space. This modular product was inspired by carpet strappings found in the mill and features a large-scale graphic with interweaving designs. Stacked and Strapped utilise Solutia Ultron yarn and feature ten colorways. Yalda Deco Tone www.jj-invision.com +971 (0)4 3413484

WATER-TOWERS UK-based artist and lighting designer, Bruce Munro unveiled his latest installation, WaterTowers, in prototype form, at The Eleventh Fuel Cell Symposium in September. Munro conceived Water-Towers as a visual representation of pure water power. It is also an exercise in creating something magical out of simple recycled materials: rainwater, discarded plastic bottles and laser cut recycled plastic sheet. Bruce Munro +44 1985 845 228 www.brucemunro.co.uk

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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LIGHTING

Showrooms in Jeddah and Riyadh

and

JEDDAH (HEAD OFFICE) Rawada Street Omnia Center P.O. Box 12679 Jeddah 21483 Saudi Arabia Tel. +966 2 669 3241 Fax +966 2 668 3069

CONTRACT FURNITURE

aralazem@technolight-ksa.com

RIYADH Tahlia Street Olaya P.O. Box 17420 Riyadh 11484 Saudi Arabia Tel. +966 1 462 1150 Fax +966 1 465 5406 www.technolight-ksa.com

Technolight was established in 1980. Over 30 years, Technolight has become one of Saudi Arabia’s leading suppliers of lighting ﬁxtures, lighting control systems, wiring devices, contract furniture and security systems with branches in Jeddah, Riyadh and Khobar. We take pride in being the ﬁrst lighting company to enter the Saudi market and to offer a professional lighting concept solution, marking a landmark in the right direction. Not only did we introduce some of the most prestigious lighting brands and lighting solutions to the Saudi market, but we have also set a professional lighting standard in the Saudi Market.

Our outstanding performance could not have been realized without the family team of Technolight. In fact, our family consists of 57 highly trained sales engineers and installation staff. In addition, we have two showrooms in Jeddah and one in Riyadh all of which are superbly located right in the heart of the city.

Technolight is run by a management team. The managing director and ﬁve managers representing different administrative areas of expertise who convene periodically. They run analysis with never-ending improvement cycle. Technolight has several departments. There are lighting design dept, sales dept, marketing dept, ﬁnancial dept. pricing dept, and other various activities. Technolight sales stock policy is to keep running items always in stock. We have about $4 million in stock which gets updated on regular basis.

Some companies we represent exclusively in KSA are as follows: ERCO (Interior & Exterior Lighting) • WE-EF (Exterior Lighting) • BTICINO (Wiring Devices) VITRA (Office & Home Furniture) • CLIPSAL ( Diming Systems) • COOPER CONTROLS (Diming Systems)

PRODUCTS

TRIBAL POETRY Danish carpet manufacturer, ege, has launched a new collection concept called Design Spot, which showcases the company’s ongoing interpretation of the seasons’ hottest trends. The initial offering from Design Spot is the Tribal Poetry collection, which includes a selection of rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting, all inspired by life in the woods and on the steppes. The collection uses inspiration from a variety of sources, including traditional Scandinavian embroidery, Lapp knitting and Russian peasant designs. Tribal Poetry offers a unique, raw, contemporary and, at times, humorous addition to any space. Egetæpper +45 97117457 www.egecarpet.com

MÓZ TIDES In an innovative approach to customised wall decor, Móz Designs has introduced Móz Tides, visually-dynamic, decorative aluminum panels packaged in easy-to-assemble modular kits. Ready to install in high-profile public areas, the Móz Tides ‘kit in a box’ features hand-etched and single-curved, rolled, 16-gauge aluminum panels, along with mounting hardware and step-by-step instructions. Ocean Waves, the first set of panels in the Móz Tides collection, creates a multi-dimensional experience that mimics the ebb and flow of the ocean. Kits contain both concave and convex panels to create a floating effect, rising approximately 37” off the wall. Móz Designs +971 (0)4 364.3936 www.mozdesigns.com

COUTURE The One is promoting its eye-catching Couture collection. Available in gold, the collection is a nod towards vintage chic. With its plush velvety upholstery, studded backs and ornate legs in dark wood, the Couture collection exudes charm and sophistication. The collection comprises a 3.5-seater sofa, daybed and oversized armchair. The One +971 (0)4 4273157 www.theoneplanet.com

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

PRODUCTS

NEW COTTAGE Villeroy & Boch has introduced the New Cottage tableware series. Subtle, unpretentious and uncomplicated, New Cottage relies on tradition and timelessness rather than shortterm trends. The aim was to develop a form which focused on nature’s harmonising characteristics but also incorporated modern lifestyle themes. The collection boasts a particularly delicate, light and modern design and conveys the idea of the countryside in a subdued but sensual fashion: in soft, lightly organic forms with leaf motifs in slight variations. Villeroy & Boch Middle East +971 (0)4 3642613 www.villeroy-boch.com

LG LG has launched a new side-by-side refrigerator that offers maximum storage with minimal impact on the environment. Speciﬁcally designed with large capacity storage and top-level energy efﬁciency in mind, the new fridge boasts an enormous 617l capacity but does not extend beyond the depth of a standardsized refrigerator. Using its expertise in technical innovation, LG developed a slimmer mechanical system to create more interior storage space while maintaining the refrigerator’s overall dimensions. Furthermore, with a door-mounted ice maker, home bar and additional drawers and shelves, the refrigerator features neat and organised storage options. LG +971 (0)4 8812191 www.lge.com/ae

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

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Commercial Interior Design October 2009

CONTRACTS

PROJECT FOCUS Commercial Interior Design is committed to helping its readers grow their businesses, so we have teamed up with Ventures Middle East to bring you the latest tenders from around the region on a monthly basis.

OMAN PROJECTS DATABASE - Building Projects Focus

PROJECT TITLE

CLIENT

CONSULTANT

MAIN CONTRACTOR

VALUE / (US$. MN)

PROJECT STATUS

PROJECT TYPE

Buraimi University College Building

Buraimi University College

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed

31 - 100

project under design

Educational Facilities

Renovation of Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat

Omran Ofﬁce

Pentago Spowers International

Not Appointed

16 - 30

project under design

Hotel

Dhofar University in Salalah - Pack 1

Dhofar University

National Engineering Ofﬁce

Al-Hashemi & Al-Rawas Company

project under construction

Educational Facilities

New Television Studio Complex

Ministry of Information

Austro Consult

Bahwan Contracting Company

project under construction

Others

Headquarters Building for Bank of Muscat

Bank of Muscat

Atkins

Galfar Engineering & Contracting

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Development of Jabal Al Akhdar Resort Hotel

Omran Ofﬁce

AW2

Not Appointed

31 - 100

project under design

Hotel

Commercial/Residential Building at Wadi Kabir

Al Taqdeer

Al Saqf Consulting

Not Appointed

2.5 - 15

award awaited for the construction contract

Mixed Use

Residential Building at Al Walja

Al Taqdeer

Al Saqf Consulting

Technical Trading Company

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Residential Buildings

Hospital in South Salalah

Ministry of Defence

Ibn Khaldun

International Contractors Company

16 - 30

project under construction

Hospital

Psychiatric Hospital at Al Amerat

Ministry of Health

Khatib and Alami

Bahwan Contracting Company

107

project under construction

Hospital

Renovation of Sheraton Oman Hotel

Al Hasher Group

Atkins

Zubair Furnishing

project under construction

Hotel

The Malkai at Barka

Al Maeen Real Estate Services Company

Triad Oman/AW2

Not Appointed

250

project under design

Mixed Use

Ofﬁce Building at Al Khuwair

Ministry of Housing Electricity & Water

Al- Hatmy Engineering Consultant

Burj Oman

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Bone Marrow Transplant Unit Block

Sultan Qaboos University Hospital

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed

16 - 30

project under design

Hospital

Dar Al Maha Residential Building - Phase 1

Sohar International Development & Investment

Engineering Innovation Design

Al Hajiri Trading

16 - 30

project under construction

Residential Buildings

International Maritime College Oman

Ministry of Manpower

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Al Khalili United Enterprises

project under construction

Educational Facilities

Housing Complex at Sohar

Mr. Abdulla Moosa

Al Hatmy Engineering Consultancy

Iskan Contracting Company

project under construction

Residential Development

Redevelopment of the Crowne Plaza resort Salalah

Ministry of Tourism

Consulting Engineering Services

Not Appointed

31 - 100

project under design

Hotel

Court Complex at Al-Buraimi

Ministry of Justice

Sundaram Architects

Not Appointed

2.5 - 15

award awaited for the construction contract

Others

Natural History Museum in Muscat

Ministry of Heritage & Culture

Not Appointed

16 - 30

award awaited for the consultancy contract

Recreational Facilities

Al Qurum Gardens - Phase 1

Alargan Towell Investment

Al Abraj Consulting Engineers

Jabal Heed

project under construction

Residential Development

150 Housing Units at Dhofar Region Mazyona-Centre of State Client

Ministry of Housing Electricity & Water

Al Waha Engineering Consultant

Naheez Trading & Contracting

project under construction

Residential Development

Khasab Family Resort

Majan Gulf Properties

Not Appointed

779

project in concept stage

Hotel

Multi-Storey Building at CBD area

Vision Investment Company

Rana Engineering Consultancy Ofﬁce

Arabian Technical Supplies

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Development of Duqum Beach Hotel

Omran Ofﬁce

KEO International

Not Appointed

101 - 250

award awaited for the construction contract

Hotel

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

www.constructionweekonline.com

CONTRACTS

Health Centre at Rahba Al Hayl

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Arabian Technical Supplies

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Hospital

Cardiac Centre at Sultan Qaboos Hospital

Ministry of Health

Asi Etudes

Galfar Engineering & Contracting

project under construction

Hospital

Showroom at Barka

Saud Bahwan Group

Kadri Consultant

Premier International Project

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Hotel Apartment Building at Al Khuwair

Shk. Musalam Bin Ham

Triad Oman Consultant International

National Construction & Trading

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Hotel

Sohar Airport Package No:3 - Terminal buildings

Civil Aviation Authority/Ministry of Transport & Comm.

Hamza Associates Middle East

Not Appointed

101 - 250

project under design

Airport

Residential / Commercial Building at Ghala

Al Fardan Real Estate

Dar Al Handasah

W. J. Towell Construction

project under construction

Mixed Use

Township at Wadi Kabir

Saud Bahwan Group

Kadri Consultant

Oman Shapoorji Construction Company

31 - 100

project under construction

Residential Development

Ministry Building at Ibri

Ministry of Manpower

Al Abraj Consulting Engineers

Business & Trade

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Oncology Wards & Day Care Centre at Royal Hospital

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Premier International Project

project under construction

Hospital

Qurum Environmental Information Centre

Ministry of Regional Muncipalities & Environment

Baalawi Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed

2.5 - 15

award awaited for the construction contract

Commercial Buildings

Common Teaching Block

Sultan Qaboos University

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

International Contractors Company

project under construction

Educational Facilities

50 Housing Units at Al Gazer

Ministry of Housing Electricity & Water

Al Saqf Consulting

Al Aetimad Contracting

project under construction

Residential Buildings

Development of Ras Al-Hadd Airport - Building Works

Ministry of Transport & Communication

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed

101 - 250

award awaited for the construction contract

Airport

Development of Fort Hotel

Omran OfďŹ ce

Maya Overseas SA/CES

Not Appointed

31 - 100

project under design

Hotel

Headquarters Building for PDO

Petroleum Development Oman

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Al Hajiri Trading

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Genetic Centre in Baushar

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Ay-Tek Construction

project under construction

Hospital

Extension of Health Centre at Sohar

Ministry of Health

Asi Etudes

Al Khalili United Enterprises

project under construction

Hospital

Commercial Building at Qurum

Suhail Bahwan Group

Cowi & Partners

Oman Shapoorji Construction Company

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Health Centre at Wadi Minqal

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Teejan Trading & Contracting

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Hospital

National Diabetic Centre

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Premier International Project

project under construction

Hospital

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 com/construction 86 arabianbusiness Commercial Interior Design October 2007

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Commercial Interior November 2007 101 wwwDesign arabianbusiness com/construction

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

OPINION

Fight the copies... By Michael Khouri, Fritz Hansen

Renowned for design icons such as the Egg™ and the Series 7™ chair, Fritz Hansen’s furniture designs are some of the most copied in the world. The luxury furniture brand has responded by launching its Be Original, Fight the Copies campaign, in order to protect its consumers, as well as its design rights. Every year, Fritz Hansen takes action to start more than 100 court cases against companies and individuals, mainly situated in the Far East, who infringe its design rights. It’s a big challenge for the furniture brand, as design and property rights are not respected in many parts of the world. However, with the Be Original, Fight the Copies campaign, Fritz Hansen is making a strong statement and striving to raise awareness of the issue. The campaign is designed to inform and educate consumers of the qualities of original design, as well as to protect our design history and heritage, which has been built up over a century and a half. With an original design, you not only buy world-class craftsmanship

Commercial Interior Design October 2009

that will last for decades, you also buy a historical and sculptural piece that should be seen as a ﬁnancial investment. In the current economic climate that we face today, long lasting, sustainable products are a more obvious choice for consumers. With a copy, you get low-quality, copycat design. Copies are accompanied by uncertainties of product lifespan, a lack of safety guarantees and also raise questions about the working conditions under which the designs were produced. You also have to consider company image and what signal its sends to customers when a company chooses a copy over an original design. Copies not only represent bad taste but act as a sign of disrespect to the designer and holders of the original design rights. With an original design, you not only buy a quality product, you also buy into a lifestyle that will enhance your image. Those who consider buying copies may be looking to save in the shortterm but in the long run, the cost of reinvesting in new products is huge.

As sustainability is already a growing concern for our clients in the Middle East, with an original Fritz Hansen piece they can be assured that the product’s iconic status will remain consistent with its durability – and last for a lifetime! These days, the well-maintained designs of Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm are selling at higher prices than what it would cost to buy a brand new version, as Fritz Hansen’s furniture designs are increasingly seen as a viable investment and a strong statement to their surroundings. Alongside other luxury brands, Fritz Hansen will continue to challenge those who infringe its design rights. And the future looks bright as we see that a growing number of countries outside of Europe are beginning to respect companies’ design rights – making it all the more difﬁcult for the ‘copiers’. Michael Khouri is the regional sales manager for the Middle East for Fritz Hansen. He can be contacted on mkh@fritzhansen.com.

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BEAUTY MEETS TRADITION

SCHRÖNO® upholstered furniture: The Number 1 brand for hotels and large building projects. ®

The premium upholsterer www.schroeno.com

CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT: +971 50 141 3078 SCHRÖNO® Middle East/Asia Prime Project UAE Mr. Michael Kriesten RAK Free Trade Zone P.O. Box 10559 Ras Al Khaimah UAE Tel. +971 7 2076137 Fax +971 7 2041010 mobil +971 50 141 3078 info@prime-project.de