An IT

ITP Media Group Publication Vol. 15 Issue 06 | June 2019

FUTURE
FUNDER
UAE FIT-OUT KART GROUP'S
FIRMS ISSUE KHAMASH UNVEILS
LATE PAYMENT SCHOLARSHIP PLAN
WARNING SHOT FOR TOP DESIGNERS

An ITP Media Group Publication Vol. 15 Issue 05 | May 2019

PANEL

Joakim de Rham is ready to

THE RISE OF
PRODUCT TALK
DESIGN EXPERTS DISCUSS
DISCOVER THE THE ROLE OF
REGION'S 20 TECHNOLOGY IN
HOTEL INTERIORS
Raybnam
why
d
ma ter
h
itstiGe
ioincrsp
sca
eha
sa
shar
and
lces
se e s

MUST-KNOW
TALENTS

take Swiss Bureau to the next

level of stylish design
An ITP Media
M Group Publication Vol. 15 Issue 04 | April 2019

Omar Ghafour's minimalist

DESIGNMENA SPECIAL
QUIZ NIGHT REPORT
MEET THE LIGHTING DESIGN
SPONSORS OF EMBRACES BOTH
THE SMARTEST CULTURE AND
EVENT IN THE TECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY

HOT HOTEL

philosophy takes cues from his

THE NEW
ZABEEL
HOUSE
PROPERTY
PANDERS
TO ITS
COMMUNITY

HUMANISING
DESIGN
BRANDS
BOOST THEIR
COMMUNITY
CACHET

FIRST LOOK
W DUBAI
MAKES A
DAZZLING
DEBUT
An ITP Media Group Publication

Kristina Zanic discus ses why

she doesn't give in to the
pressures of quoting lower fees
SPECIAL
REPORT
WORKSPACES ARE
MORE FLEXIBLE
THAN EVER
Vol. 15 Issue 03| March 2019

MAKING
BIG IMPACT
THE REGION'S
TOP 20
BOUTIQUE

New
ARE
ON
A

PRACTICES

FIRST

of design
LO OK
THE
DAVIG
N
LOOK
AMMAN’S
MODERN SPIN
ON HERITAG E

realms
FID/
TERE
THE
THUTU
OBL
NI
NE
LCO
W
CK
ASKIDS SP
R EP
EO
CIA
RLT
David Lessard
Lessa rdbrings
minimalism
to hospitality
br ings
anddesign
wellness
A n ITP Medi aGrou p Pu blication

SPECIAL
REPORT
EXPERIENCES AND
BRANDING DRIVE
HOTEL PROJECTS
Vol.51 Issue 02 | F eb ruary 2 019

KHADIJA AL BASTAKI
IS DETERMINED TO TAKE d3
TO GREATER HEIGHTS

obsession with perfection

 CONTENTS

June 2019
VOLUME 15 ISSUE 06

12

8 18

8 DESIGN NEWS
24
Read about the latest news and
developments from Broadway
Interiors, Depa Group, and
British sculptor Richard Hudson.

12 INTERVIEW
After growing from 18 to 50
people in just three years,
Joakim de Rham outlines Swiss
Bureau’s growth plan for the
UAE and Saudi Arabia.

18 INTERVIEW
Mustafa Khamash of Dubai-
based Kart Group reveals
how he is supporting the next
generation of talented designers
with his inaugural scholarship.

24 CASE STUDY: EASG

DESIGN HUB
Step inside the Dubai Design
District workspace and
showroom that is home to eight
interior design and lifestyle
companies at the UAE’s Easa
Saleh Al Gurg Group.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 3

CONTENTS

34
30 39

30 CASE STUDY: AL FAYA

LODGE
Anarchitect has created an
interior design for Al Faya
Lodge in Sharjah that blends
seamlessly with its natural
desert surroundings.

39 PANEL DISCUSSION
Product designers discuss the
confluance between culture
and commerce at an event
hosted by Cosentino.

43 SPECIAL REPORT
Payment delays are becoming
an increasingly worrying
issue for fit-out firms, such as
Dubai’s Alec Fitout.

53 GUEST COMMENT
Eddy Abou Khalil, Cosentino’s
general manager, says Saudi
Arabia’s Vision 2030 is a
mission that local designers
and suppliers will benefit from.

58 DESIGN AGENDA
Renata Balzam, senior
architect at Binchy and Binchy

58
Architecture, shares five of her
favourite design items — from
a gorgeous coffee table to a
French leather sofa.

4 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

EDITOR'S LETTER

PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 4 444 3000
www.itp.com
A new chapter begins
Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London & Mumbai

ITP MEDIA GROUP

CEO Ali Akawi Welcome to the jrst issue of Commercial Interior

Managing Director Alex Reeve
Group Publishing Director Ian Stokes Design since highly respected and talented former
Group Editorial Director Greg Wilson editor, Shweta Parida, parted with the title to
EDITORIAL
return to Singapore with her family.
Editor Oscar Rousseau
Shweta has been a talismanic ambassador of
Tel: +971 4 444 3358 email: oscar.rousseau@itp.com the brand during her tenure and someone whom
Digital Editor Aidan Imanova
I have personally looked up to during my time on
Tel: +971 4 444 3497 email: aidan.imanova@itp.com
sister title Construction Week. I’m sure artists,
ADVERTISING architects, and interior designers across the
Group Sales Director Mark Palmer
creative space will join me in wishing Shweta all the
Tel: +971 4 444 3398 email: mark.palmer@itp.com
Sales Manager Laura Collinder best as she embarks on the next exciting chapter of
Tel: +971 4 444 3576 email: Laura.Collinder@itp.com her career.
As the page turns on Commercial Interior Design’s next phase, I am delighted
ITP DIGITAL to take on the responsibility of leading this title onwards and upwards –
Advertising Director Riad Raad hopefully. All of the creativity, charm, and deep-rooted passion for artisanal
Tel: +971 4 444 3319 email: riad.raad@itp.com
craftsmanship, beautiful design, and innovation that you have come to expect
ITP LIVE from the magazine will remain moving forwards. But, in the coming weeks and
General Manager Ahmad Bashour months, you will start to see a sharper focus on generating original content and
Tel: +971 4 444 3549 email: ahmad.bashour@itp.com
exclusive business-focused news stories.
PHOTOGRAPHY Commercial Interior Design will continue to be an unparalleled champion
Senior Photographers Rajesh Raghav, Efraim Evidor, Adel of design, but there is an aspiration to break more news, develop stories, and
Rashid
produce the quality journalism that provides true insight and intelligence to help
Staff Photographers Aasiya Jagadeesh, Fritz Asuro, Ajith
Narendra, Yuliya Petrovich, Jessica Samson your business thrive. We want to dig deeper into the issues affecting interior
designers in the Middle East and explore how businesses – from start-ups to
PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
behemoths – are performing in what remains a complex and challenging region.
Group Production & Distribution Director Kyle Smith
You can expect to see a greater focus on digital content, and we have some
Production Manager Basel Al Kassem exciting things in the pipeline that we look forward to sharing with you in the
Production Coordinator Manoj Mahadevan
future. We will continue to produce high-calibre journalism with a creative kair
CIRCULATION across print and digital, but with a greater focus on the business of design.
Head of Circulation Vanessa D'Souza I have already been lucky to have met many of you at the DesignMENA Quiz
Circulation Executive Loreta Regencia
(what a great night!) and during various interviews and catch-ups since I joined
MARKETING on 12 May. I look forward to meeting many more of you as we work together to
Director of Awards & Marketing Daniel Fewtrell champion the region’s dynamic interior design community. As always, please do
Events Manager Teri Dunstan not hesitate to get in touch and share your thoughts.
ITP GROUP Thank you.
CEO: Ali Akawi
CFO: Toby Jay Spencer-Davies

Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions

The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions
Oscar Rousseau
contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained
in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised oscar.rousseau@itp.com
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

On the cover: Joakim de Rham
part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
Cover image: Aasiya Jagadeesh
transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An
Cover design: Rita Ghantous
exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.
ITP Media Group Publication

Receive CID every month. To subscribe, please visit:

www.itp.com/subscriptions
Published by and © 2019 or download the free CID app and be the jrst to
ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC.
read the latest issue on your mobile device.

6 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

American hardwoods.
Endless possibilities.
Architects: Kimmel Eshkolot Architects

Architects and designers all over the world have embraced

Photography: Amit Geron

American hardwoods for the range of colours, grains and

Project name: L28

ƭĞǓƭƵƙĞơƭľĞǔŲȅĞƙɏóơǎĞśśóơĶŲƙƭľĞŃƙĐŲŦơŃơƭĞŦĐǔŃŦķƙóėĞɏ
quality and supply and their sustainable credentials.

For more information visit www.americanhardwood.org

INDUSTRY NEWS

8 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

10 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

INTERVIEW

GROWING
UP
FAST
JOA KIM DE RHA M’S S WISS BURE AU H A S MORE
T H A N DOUBLED IN SIZE IN T HREE Y E A RS, A ND A
SHA RPER CORP OR AT E REBR A NDING H A S BEEN
CRE AT ED. A S T HE COMPA N Y T URNS 15, WE F IND
OUT WH AT IS NE X T...

WOR DS: OSC AR ROUSSE AU

PHOTOS: A A SIYA JAGADE E SH

12 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 INTERVIEW

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 13

INTERVIEW

O
ne of the best things demonstrated how far his company has anymore. The Dubai-based business
1 that happened to interior come since its inception 15 years ago. has just completed a long-awaited
Room of the Emirates, design studio Swiss “We were very proud to reach the rebranding in-house to commemorate
United Nations Ofjce, Bureau last year may jnal and be at the same level as Wilson its 15-year anniversary.
Switzerland. have been losing a Associates, because they’re a very In the last three years, the company
coveted competition. In a rare moment strong jrm specialised in hospitality. has more than doubled its workforce
2 for the company, Swiss Bureau found [The competition] triggered us to from 18 to 50 people, recruiting highly-
Hira Industries, Ras Al itself in a head-to-head race with Wilson develop our hospitality and residential skilled designers from jrms such as
Khaimah. Associates to win a design competition tower arm, which is something we have Perkins+Will to bolster its team, its
for The Westin in Ras Al Khaimah. It did done this year,” he says. capabilities, and the scope of work it
4 not win it. But the company’s co-founder Nearly winning the hospitality project can carry out. Swiss Bureau has grown
Men's toilet, Hira and CEO, Joakim de Rham, says he is is, however, the tip of the iceberg for so fast in such a short period that it has
Industries, Ras Al “proud” to have been pipped to the Swiss Bureau’s transformation – a outgrown its 515m² creative ofjce in
Khaimah. post by global interior and architecture company that has changed so fast Bay Square, Dubai, Rham says.
jrm Wilson Associates because it has that Rham says he barely recognises it “Every seat in our ofjce is full and

14 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


Here in Dubai
we are very happy to
push the boundaries
of design, but not all
clients are open to it,
so it can sometimes
take a bit of time to
be appreciated
by everyone.
we’re super packed. It’s a good issue,
but we’re now looking to expand and
we’re looking for a new ofjce in the
same building, so we can breathe a
little bit and open different departments
to have more creative space.”
Rham credits the steady growth in
headcount and work to Swiss Bureau’s
growing “credibility” in the UAE and
Saudi Arabia. “We’ve grown signijcantly
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
INTERVIEW
and I think the reason why we are where
we are today is that we have improved
our services, our processes, our kow of
communication, and that rekects in the
satisfaction of our clients.”
Following a slowdown in work
last year, Switzerland-born Rham is
“enthusiastic” about the future, having
picked up some signijcant projects
in Saudi Arabia. In April, the company
signed a contract to design the
headquarters of a luxury accessories
company in Riyadh. Due to the high-
projle nature of the project, the name
cannot be disclosed, but this is by no
means the only project Swiss Bureau
is working on in-country. It is working
alongside long-standing client Emirates
NBD on a “big ofjce” in the kingdom,
having delivered similar ofjce design
packages for the UAE bank’s branches
in Dubai and Singapore. Deals in Saudi,
Rham says, came after it completed the
interior design of Mastercard’s head
ofjce in Riyadh.
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 15
INTERVIEW

16 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 INTERVIEW

the case with the former logo – Rham

opted for an acronym of SBID. Never call
the company by this name, though.
“We want to be known as Swiss
Bureau, but the logo is SBID with Swiss
Bureau Interior Design written on the
side. People call us Swiss Bureau, our
clients call us Swiss Bureau. It’s not
SBID. It’s not Swiss Bureau Interior
Design. It’s Swiss Bureau,” he says.
To rekect the company's sharper
focus, the top of the ‘I’ in the logo is
designed to look like it has been cut
with a knife – a small detail Rham is
particularly fond of. Another “little 7
touch” is a nod to his homeland of Hira Walraven ofjce,
Switzerland, with a small red square Dubai, features
at the foot of the logo symbolising the exposed MEP
country’s kag. elements.
When Rham is not immersed in details 8
of design, he sails a trimaran, built The horse at the
by a friend in the UAE, and admits his United Nations ofjce
“favourite spot is out on the sea”. He’s is a nod to the UAE's
equally happy pushing the boundaries equestrian history.
of creativity, challenging conventional 9
concepts of ofjce space. And after The elevator lobby
growing Swiss Bureau to more than of Property Finder's
double its size in three years, a fair wind ofjce in Cairo, Egypt.
8
is behind the jrm as it turns 15.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 17

INTERVIEW

FUNDING 

WOR DS: OSC AR ROUSSE AU PHOTOS: FR ITZ A SURO

MUSTA FA KHA M A SH IS A M A N ON A MISSION

A ND WA NT S TO GIVE PROMISING YOUNG
DE SIGNERS A SPRINGBOA RD FOR SUCCE SS WIT H
HIS IN AUGUR A L SCHOL A RSHIP

18 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 INTERVIEW

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 19

INTERVIEW

Everything happens for

a reason,” Khamash
tells Commercial Interior
Design as he sits back
on a grey armchair
and rekects on the
opportunities life throws
up. The managing director and founder
of Dubai-based interior design jrm Kart
Group, founded in 2004, is dressed
sharply in a grey blazer complete with a
purple paisley pocket square. He carries
himself with a slightly professorial air
that’s combined with an infectious
enthusiasm for art, design, and the
education of the next wave of talented
youngsters set to enter the market.
He has already embarked on the
jrst major chapter of this journey,
as the Dubai Institute of Design and
Innovation (DIDI) will this year offer 2
two full scholarships to students in
collaboration with Dubai Design District
(d3). Dubai Holding will provide one of “one of the best architects in Europe at headquarters of Dubai Internet City, and
the scholarships, with the other coming the time”. the company’s portfolio also includes
from Kart Group. But to understand how Winning the scholarship gave the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for
Khamash got to this point, it’s important Khamash a solid foundation, paving Government Innovation and the Dubai
to look back at his past. the way for him to relocate to Dubai headquarters of Saudi Arabian chemical
1 Khamash won a scholarship to study and open up his own creative practice. giant Sabic.
Apple Super extra architecture in Venice as a student and The company name, he explains, is a After more than a decade of
plus and Pear in gold admits he was “lucky” to have learnt portmanteau made by combining the impressive work, Khamash felt it was
ceramic plated indoor from some of the most “phenomenal jrst letter of his surname with the word time to give something back. Inspired
by Bull & Stein professors” in the country. This allowed art. This is how Kart Group was born by Médecins Sans Frontières, also
2 him to hone his skills and work under more than a decade ago. known as Doctors Without Borders,
Kart Group's the likes of French designer Philippe Years of success followed the interior Khamash says he wanted to use this
multi-layer wooden Starck and Austrian-Italian mastermind design and luxury furniture importer’s concept to encourage architects and
reception counter. Paolo Piva, whom Khamash describes as inception. Its jrst project was the designers to offer something valuable

20 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 INTERVIEW

to the community. To give something

back, Kart Group created an installation
called 'Vision and Mission', a duo of
multidimensional sculptural portraits
rekecting leadership and the cultural 3
values of different generations. HH A prototype for Kart
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Group's Vision and
Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Mission installation.
Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, and HH
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of
Dubai, and Chairman of Dubai Executive
Council were the twin subjects of the
installation that went on display at
Dubai Design Week 2018. The artwork
was later acquired by a private donor
and the altruistic Khamash is using the
proceeds from this sale to fund a DIDI
scholarship for one designer.
A design competition is now open
for young people to try and win a
scholarship. Applicants have been
asked to make a game promoting 3
the physical and mental wellbeing

4
An intricate patterned
kimono in metallic
with brass braising
suspended over a
dark bronze base .
5
A collection of
hanging lights
4
illuminates the ofjce.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 21

INTERVIEW

of astronauts. It must help space and bring more people into the fold. becoming increasingly “competitive
explorers maintain muscle capacity Kart Group is already working on an and skilled”. The insatiable appetite for
and bone density, as well as promote installation that Khamash describes as awe-inspiring buildings that defy the
cardiovascular health for a team of an “overscaled item for a very useful rules of engineering and sustainability
astronauts that may have to travel to heritage marine object” that will be are giving rise to a demand for interiors
Mars. This test of creative that are as equally
design is in line with the WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE EDUCATION impressive as the exteriors.
Emirates Mars Mission, Talented designers will be
which will see the UAE’s
OF DESIGNERS. IT’S A VERY COMPETITIVE desperately needed, he
Hope spacecraft arrive at MARKET AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO BE notes.
the Red Planet in 2021, 50 SPECIALISED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. “The market requires
years since the formation of high skilled designers who
the UAE in 1971. exhibited at Dubai Design Week 2019, are very creative – not highly educated
The design competition will close between 11 and 16 November. designers but highly skilled designers
on 20 July this year. And a committee The methodology will be the same with knowledge of different aspects of
comprising Kart Group, DIDI, and d3 will as in 2018: create an installation that the industry from materials, technology,
select the “creative, talented, lucky” can be sold to fund an education for and colour themes, to traditional forms
winner in August before they enrol in a creative prodigy. Khamash also of building,” he says.
September, Khamash adds. hopes that other companies operating Up-and-coming interior designers
“Here in the design industry we in Dubai’s creative industries will be must boast a blend of traditional and
need to invest more in the education of inspired by the strategy to invest in modern techniques, with a knowledge of
designers. It’s a very competitive market youth education too. artijcial intelligence, 3D mapping, and
but at the same I believe you have to be “Our target is to follow the same how holograms can be used to create
specialised to be successful. The target method like last year to fund another spaces that challenge our perception
is to invest in a new generation to make scholarship. I hope other design of reality. Concluding on the purpose
them specialised rather than generic institutions will join us to support it of the scholarship and his mission to
designers – and this is why it is very in any way they can – whether that’s create a platform for future generations,
important to invest in skills.” logistically, by design, or jnancially – to Khamash says: “Knowing only how to
7 With work on the DIDI scholarships create education in the design world.” design is not enough. I am here trying to
Wooden top trambisi making good progress, Khamash is Khamash believes the creative push design a little bit by using all of the
from Indonesia with hopeful to use the momentum generated forces in Dubai and the wider region tools around us from modern technology
chicken cage base. by the initiative to broaden its scope are at a stage in which the sector is to traditional methods.”

22 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 Part of

17-19 SEPTEMBER 2019

DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

THE SHAPE
OF THINGS
TO COME.

Where the Middle East’s design community meets to shape the

future of design. Explore thousands of the latest local and Register to attend for FREE
international interior furniture and furnishings products at the
www.indexexhibition.com/visit
largest design exhibition in the region.
CASE STUDY

24 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


E
SAG Design Hub in Dubai Design
District (d3) aspires to be an
“experiential display” serving as
a workspace and showroom for
eight ESAG brands: La Cucina from AMF,
Al Semsam, Better Life, Mac Al Gurg,
Oasis, OFIS, Scientechnic, and La Cornue
from Al Gurg Lifestyle.
Design house Schwitzke & Partner
was tasked with creating a hybrid
space that creates a single narrative for
the eight interior and lifestyle design
companies that make up ESAG Design
Hub, and the variety of products and
services they offer.
The hub aims to “inspire our target
audience with endless possibilities
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
3 4
of blending their creative inputs with
design possibilities that stretch across
interior and exterior solutions for
residential or commercial projects,”
says ESAG’s chief executive ofjcer,
Abdulla Al Gurg.
“ESAG Design Hub translates
our wealth of retail and project
experience in the design space to
create a composite address that
offers architects, designers, and jt-
out specialists the option to look for
customised solutions in a convenient
location,” he adds.
At ESAG Design Hub, the Château
cookers from La Cornue are entirely
hand-made by craftsmen with no less
CASE STUDY
than 8,000 options available to design 2
one’s own 'bespoke' cooker. The meeting areas
Mac Al Gurg offers a portfolio of laid out with Interface
sanitaryware products, while OFIS carpet, can be
claims to be a leading modular expanded for larger
furniture and kooring provider, which events.
has worked with big-name jrms such 3
as HSBC, Huawei, and local real estate Brody WorkLounge
developer Dubai Properties. is designed to help
Scientechnic, meanwhile, offers cut out distractions
lighting solutions, while La Cucina while offering a
work closely with customers to help comfortable, secure
them select the right kitchen cabinets space.
to enhance existing aesthetic designs. 4
Al Semsam provides jre-tested La Cucina kitchen
systems and solutions based on the areas encourage
jre strategy of the building; Oasis declutter.
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 25
CASE STUDY
focuses on surface coatings and offers
customers a range of texture options
and colour tips based on customer
aesthetics; and Better Life offers
a range of small and large kitchen
Siemens and SMEG appliances.
Al Gurg says the ESAG Design Hub
5 mantra “is to facilitate the design
Rich metal trims and and conception of projects that are
customised ovens compelling and aspirational. This
from La Cornue. created a challenge for Düsseldorf-
26 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design
based Schwitzke & Partner as it had
to create a seamless venue that allows
seven unique brands to simultaneously
thrive, says the German company’s
managing director, Juan Hildebrand.
“We wanted to cultivate each brand’s
identity without compromising on the
general look and feel,” Hildebrand
notes. “This particular hybrid space
was designed to address business-
to-consumer customers, contractors,
landlords, as well as designers and
architects residing in d3. Our focus
was to highlight individuality and
also leverage the companies’ unique
strengths in a corporate milieu at the
same time,” he says.
The company created several
pavilions to provide each brand with
a frame – all within the guidelines,
needs, and objectives of each brand.
“We have managed to highlight the
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
 CASE STUDY

6
6

7
7

6
Texture options and
colours from Oasis
Paints.

7
SMEG appliances that
7
add a design element.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 27

CASE STUDY

Limited space created a challenge for

8 uniqueness of every individual brand
With great by emphasising their most iconic
accessories and built- pieces. Blowing character into it is
in modularity, Bivi where the design really came to life,”
workstation makes remarks Hildebrand
it easy to add tables The welcoming open-concept
or rearrange your entrance of the hub rekects one of
collaborative space in the major themes the seven dynamic
minutes brands are keen accentuate: a lifestyle.
9 “As a red thread throughout the
Home appliances that space, we showcased the latest
jt the design milieu. products and materials offered by the
9 Al Gurg goes on to say that that
companies represented. In addition
to that we created pavilions that
have been arranged in a seemingly
random way to enhance the feeling
of dynamism and establish a casual
approach,” says Hildebrand.
Schwitzke ensured that the pavilions
are designed in such a way that
branding and logos are positioned on
the pavilion’s exterior sides, always
facing the entrance, to provide clear
guidance throughout the space.
Schwitzke & Partner, and it is one that
architects and interior designers are all
too familiar with. To ensure the seven
brands are able to co-exist and thrive
in one dynamic environment, rooms
are set up as modular to provider the
brands with various uses.
“We established a space that
not only addresses traditional
B2B customers, but also creates
opportunities for ESAG to explore
new ways of engaging architects and
designers, as well as end users in the
future,” Hildebrand adds.
ESAG Design Hub has seamlessly
incorporated various workstations to
create a stimulating environment to not
only help companies thrive but spark
conversations on the future.
“Besides being a one-stop solution
for products and solutions, ESAG
Design Hub aims to encourage
education, discussion and debate;
bringing together like-minded people
in the industry to discuss matters
that impact the community, such as
sustainability, craftsmanship.”

28 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


A WINNING MENTALITY
EMKAY INTERIORS IS RISING TO THE CHALLENGES IN THE MARKET, AS ITS STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO
QUALITY AND VALUE ENGINEERING KEEPS ITS IMPRESSIVE MOMENTUM ON TRACK.
D
ubai-based Emkay Interiors
acknowledges that its recent
award from TECOM Group for
the ‘2018 Best Performance’ is
a testament to the quality of performance
that its team has always been dedicated
to. The ‘Best Performance’ supplier awards
are a leading stamp of excellence for
companies that participate in TECOM Group
developments and, as a jt-out contractor
for various Dubai Media City (DMC) projects,
Emkay Interiors’ attention to high-end
quality, critical value engineering, and on-
time delivery are some of the factors that
have played a role in ensuring it qualijes as
the recipient of this prestigious recognition.
DMC building renovations
One of the key projects undertaken was
the renovation of j ve DMC buildings. As all
the buildings were operating as corporate
premises for various companies, the project
had its own set of unique challenges to
overcome. Within a given time period,
demolition of the lobby and public areas,
installation of new MEP services, reception
counter, kooring, and walls had to be
completed without any disruptions to the
daily functions of the corporate tenants.
With strong support from TECOM’s on-site
personnel, Emkay deployed a more than
200-person team to execute the 10,000m²
project to the exact specijcations and
budget with an early handover target on each
building. One of the biggest challenges for
the team was that all jve buildings remained
operational throughout the renovation.
Making certain that the tenants were
minimally affected, the team strategically
planned project completion over multiple
phases, minimising noise, disturbance, and
inconvenience to the tenants.
TECOM Management Office
The TECOM Management Ofjce was another
major project completed by Emkay Interiors
to the highest standards, raising the bar for
contract jt-out works. The concept designed
was done by well-known international
architecture jrm RMJM and developed by
the TECOM design team. This innovative
corporate ofjce had a complete jt-out scope
that started from demolition right up to the
ADVERTORIAL
customised furniture. Spread across more
than 1,100m², this contemporary ofjce was
completed ahead of schedule, showcasing
Emkay’s workmanship and capabilities in its
jve-star jnishes.
“Intelligent planning followed by a
methodical execution is our key strength”
says Michel Khoury, managing director of
Emkay Interiors.
Client satisfaction has always been of the
utmost priority since Emkay was established
in 2004. Emkay’s meticulous supervision by
the upper management ensures it follows a
simple formula in every project. This includes
attention to detail, adherence to exact
specijcations, use of high-end materials,
and partnerships with renowned furniture
suppliers. The response to this formula is the
constant inkow of testimonials – especially
from repeat clients – which in turn has
positioned Emkay as a trustworthy yet
professional interior jt-out company.
CASE STUDY

30 June 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 CASE STUDY

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | June 2019 31

CASE STUDY

“Corten steel, hardwoods, and stone region,” he says.

create a trio of tactile materials which
together tell a story of Sharjah and
its natural environment,” Ashmore
explains. “From the natural warmth of
the wood, the cool comforting feeling
of stone to the raw, rusted surface of
Corten steel, together, these materials
and the site – given the iron oxide
content in the surrounding crimson
dunes and the nostalgia of one of the
UAE’s jrst petrol pumps – connect your
mind back to the historic past of the
The core material selection can
be detected across all scales of the
project, right through to the bespoke
furniture – also designed by the
architects.
The fossilised limestone mountain
range backdrop inspired the use of
natural travertine stone for its colour
and tonality. The crimson iron ore
present in the surrounding sand dunes,
on the other hand, inkuenced the
use of Corten steel for the exteriors

6
The Lodge is a
renovation of two
existing buildings.
7
10
The guest areas
include a dining space 8 9
that looks out to while the teak-natural hardwoods
Sharjah's nature. were already present on site, although
8/9 Ashmore says they were beyond repair.
The interiors sees Architectural interventions have
an array of raw and also been designed to help the exterior
natural materials. protect the indoor spaces, keeping in
10 mind the extreme weather conditions,
A through-way such as harsh sunlight, wind, and
between the buildings infrequent rain storms.
creates a sense of The front of Al Faya Lodge features
urbanism. a building-wide colonnade, offering

32 June 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


shade as visitors exit their bedrooms
as well as protecting the walls from the
heat. The back of the building features
Corten steel extensions to further
protect the bedrooms from the heat
and other natural elements, as well as
framing the view from inside the room.
Corten steel was also used to dejne
the modern additions to the existing
buildings and as a means to facilitate
their new functional use. In order to
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
11
12
translate the texture and tonality of
the Corten steel used in the exterior
of the building into the interiors, the
architects continued the look and feel
of this material indoors, with large-
format porcelain tiles in an oxide jnish.
The bedroom koors are completed in
natural travertine limestone throughout
and the ceilings are crisp white to
emphasise the sky-light projections.
“For the guest areas including
CASE STUDY
the reception lounge, dining room,
concierge, library, and the exterior
colonnade leading to the guest
areas from the rooms, we recreated 11
solid timber beam ceilings to rekect Each guestroom
the historical past of the building,” includes a skylight.
Ashmore adds. 12
“For the restaurant, we had to Anarchitect said the
effectively double the size of the interior design and
original footprint of the 1960s clinic architecture was
building in order to allow for functional created holistically.
Commercial Interior Design | June 2019 33
CASE STUDY

13 14

16

15

17

13/14
THe Lodge features
many areas that blur
the lines between
indoor and outdoor.
15/16
Large format
porcelain sheets in an space for kitchen areas, a dining room, within the space that now preserves Besides being a jrst-of-its-kind
oxidised jnish mimic and exterior terrace. To do this, we the past layers of history for all property in the UAE, Al Faya Lodge
the CorTen steel. designed a contemporary Corten-clad visitors to enjoy.” also seeks to challenge the common
17 extension across the entire rear of the The adjacent spa and pool is dejned perception of what “luxury” is within
The project is part property. This enclosure inherently by its dense cast-in-situ concrete form the region’s hospitality landscape –
of the Sharjah frames the historic façade of the and the statement use of Corten steel one that is hardly bereft of high-end
Collection, a venture original building within the public continues in this space in the form of hotels and resorts.
by Shurooq. dining room to create a unique feature perforated butterky doors. “Luxury is a term that can be

34 June 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 CASE STUDY

18

19

20

overused, not only in the region but

across the globe. The notion of what
truly is ‘luxury’ has rapidly changed in
the past decade,” Ashmore explains.
“For us, our clients and the Al Faya 18
Lodge visitors, time, comfort, and In addition to being an
serenity mean luxury. Being able to architectural feature,
disconnect from our busy work and the Corten steel is
social lives and connect back with used to shade the
ourselves, friends, families, and interiors.
nature. Interiors which aid that, are 19/20
comfortable, natural, reconnecting The interiors of Al
us to the sense of touch. These are Faya Lodge aim to
interiors which provide a safe haven bring guests closer to
and bring us closer to nature.” nature.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | June 2019 35

CASE STUDY

Office Furniture For

Fortune 500 Companies
)RXQGHGLQ6XQRQLVDQLQWHUQDWLRQDORIILFHIXUQLWXUHEUDQGZLWKJOREDOGHVLJQHOLWHVDQGVWURQJPDQXIDFWXULQJFDSDELOLWLHV$VDQH[SHUWLQ
WKHLQGXVWU\6XQRQQHYHUFHDVHVWRVHHNDQLQQRYDWLYHDQGLQWHOOLJHQWZD\WRSHUIHFWWKHZRUNVSDFHVDOODURXQGWKHZRUOG7RGD\ZLWKJOREDO
SUHVHQFHFRYHULQJFRXQWULHVDQGIODJVKLSVKRZURRPVLQ(XURSH$PHULFDDQG$VLD6XQRQKDVSURYLGHGRIILFHVROXWLRQVIRUDODUJHQXPEHURI
)RUWXQHFRPSDQLHV

36 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 CASE STUDY

)RUWKHSDVW\HDUVDODUJHQXPEHURIZRUOGIDPRXVHQWHUSULVHVDQG
SXEOLFLQVWLWXWLRQVKDYHEHHQVHUYHGE\6XQRQVXFKDVGoogle, Pepsi,
Coca Cola, Siemens, Unilever, Heineken, Huawei, Johnson &
Johnson, Tata, HDFC BANK, Alibaba, Samsung, Evergrande
Group, Fly Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim, Sharjah Transport Authority,
Saudi Aramco, etc.

6XQRQDOZD\VKROGRQWRLQGHSHQGHQWLQQRYDWLRQVWUDWHJ\DQGDWWDFKHV
JUHDWLPSRUWDQFHWR5 'LQYHVWPHQW(YHU\\HDU6XQRQLQYHVWVDWOHDVW
RILWVDQQXDOLQFRPHLQWR5 '1RZLWLVDUPHGZLWKWZR5 '
FHQWHUVRQHLQ+DQJ]KRX&KLQDKRXVLQJHQJLQHHUVDQGGHVLJQHUV
DQGWKHRWKHULQ%HUOLQ*HUPDQ\EHLQJKRPHIRULQKRXVHGHVLJQHUV
DQGDKXEFRQQHFWLQJFRGHVLJQHUVDQGVWXGLRVIURP,WDO\*HUPDQ\
+ROODQG6SDLQDQG-DSDQ

$VDSURIHVVLRQDORIILFHVROXWLRQSURYLGHU6XQRQ¶VVWDQGDUG
SURFHGXUHIRUSURMHFWVXSSRUWLQFOXGHVVSDFHSODQQLQJDQGUHQGHULQJ
SURYLGHGE\DSURIHVVLRQDOGHVLJQWHDPDQGZLWKWKHKHOSRIVXSSRUW
WRROVVXFKDV&(7'HVLJQHUDQGRQOLQH'VKRZURRP

,QSXUVXLWRIZRUNSODFHZHOOEHLQJ6XQRQDOZD\VIRFXVHVRQPRUH
KXPDQFHQWHUHGRIILFHGHVLJQWKDWIRVWHUVZHOOQHVVDQGVXFFHVV$OO
6XQRQSURGXFWVDUHFHUWLILHGZLWK*UHHQ*XDUG%LIPD,62DQG
FDUULHVDQLQWHUQDWLRQDOPDQXIDFWXULQJZDUUDQW\RI\HDUVRUPRUH

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 37

 2019
WEDNESDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2019
NOMINATIONS OPEN
DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY 18TH SEPTMEBER
Do not miss the celebration of the year for the
region’s architecture sector at the 12th annual
Middle East Architect Awards.

#MEA Visit www.middleeastarchitect.com/awards

for more information or contact one of our team today.

GOLD SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR

For sponsorship enquiries: For nomination enquiries: For event enquiries: For table booking enquiries:

David Bentley Rima Al Sammarae Teri Dunstan Lacie Curtis

Sales Manager Editor, Middle East Architect Events Manager Table Sales Executive
Tel: +971 4 444 3396 Tel: +971 4 444 3255 Tel: +971 4 444 3227 Tel: +971 4 444 3223
Mob: +971 50 454 1321 Email: rima.alsammarae@itp.com E-mail: teri.dunstan@itp.com Email: lacie.curtis@itp.com
Email: david.bentley@itp.com

MATERIAL GAINS
HELD AT COSENTINO’S SHOWROOM IN DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT, FIVE CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY
TOOK PART IN COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN’S PANEL DISCUSSION ON PRODUCT DESIGN
L
eading product designers
in the Middle East agree
that combining culture and
commerce is a practice that can often
be a challenge to successfully pull off.
At Commercial Interior Design’s panel
discussion titled ‘Product Design: A
Confluence of Culture and Commerce’,
a team of experts examined the
1 balance between identity and value.
Product Design: A Held in the Dubai Design District
Conkuence of Culture showroom of architectural surfaces
and Commerce was business Cosentino, five leading
held in April 2019. names came together to discuss
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
everything from the balance between
craftsmanship and technology, to
natural materials, gender, and role of
technology in bespoke design.
Emirati product designer Khalid
Shafar, one of the five panellists, is
one of the most well-known figures in
the industry and says “validation” is
a challenge local designers from the
GCC sometimes face.
Local product designers do not
always get the recognition they
deserve from the international
community and there can be an
PANEL DISCUSSION
assumption that design is exported
to the region, rather than created
locally. Some people do not expect
product designers to hail from this
part of the world, he explains. And
he’s not the only one who believes
regional product designers face
challenges around validation. Juan
Roldán, associate professor of interior
design at the College of Architecture,
Art and Design, American University
of Sharjah, “agrees” with Shafar’s
assessment that some designers in the
Arab world have to sometimes prove
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 39
PANEL DISCUSSION
W Dubai - The Palm
themselves more than other designers
from other parts of the world.
Mehry El Mesry, co-founder
of Talata design studio, says the
challenge product designers face
in Egypt is slightly different. “It’s a
different kind of struggle and it’s a
struggle of working out if you are up to
the standard of the rest of the world,”
she says. “Yes, you’re producing
work, but is it as good as others and
are they going to pay the same price
for something locally produced
as they would pay for something
international?”
While some product designers have
to punch above their weight to prove
their worth, Shafar says it’s exciting to
see people combining interior design
with product design.
40 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design
2 3
“Most of [the designers starting
out] are interior designers and will
do projects which have to generate
revenue for their product design, so
they will integrate their products in
these projects, which is a really good
balance,” he says.
Shafar is not the only one to see
benefits in using interior design as
a way to integrate product design.
In fact, panellist Mona Ramzy,
co-founder of Talata design studio
alongside El Mesry, says this is how
she started out.
“I graduated with an architecture
degree and then started with interior
design, which is my main experience in
professional life. In one of my interior
design projects, I started to think
about creating products to service my
projects. That was the whole point and
I wanted to create some very specific
pieces to match what I couldn’t find in
the wider market,” she notes.
When it comes to inspiration, El
Mesry believes it is important for
designers to not only draw inspiration
from cultural projects, but to limit
their creative process. “By limiting 2
yourself to a time period, to a culture, Emirati product
to even a product itself, you are designer Khalid
forcing yourself to be more creative. Shafar participated.
So by default the item you’re going to 3
make is going to be different to what’s Senior jgures from
available. You can get inspiration Dubai attended the
from other designers, but you also lively product talk.
look at the past, look at nature, look at 4
whatever you need to look at to create Juan Roldán and
something that stands out or lets you Sergio Mendes took
create something different,” she adds. part in the discussion.
www.commercialinteriordesign.com

5 Roldán believes all designers need
Cosentino's to be intelligent in how they draw on
showroom in Dubai cultural heritage. “I think we’re really
Design District hosted responsible, intellectually responsible,
the panel discussion. for how the culture of our elders can
6 be interpreted. And I think that with
Esra Lemmens of Esra that exposure – and thanks to a more
Lemmens Agency was mature market – we can all build and
at the discussion. take inspiration from the regional
7 context and express it in ways that are
Sergio Mendes spoke less cliché.”
of his love for using Sergio Mendes, founder of the
brass in his designs. eponymously named Sergio Mendes
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
6 7
Design practice, was another panellists
at the product design discussion at
Cosentino's showroom. He believes
that product designers in the GCC
must be responsible for how culture is
translated through creative mediums.
“It’s very important that designers
are aware of what’s happening in
the world,” he says. “When we’re
designing a product we need to define
what the target is, but of course with
the awareness that by designing this
product we know that we will not
PANEL DISCUSSION
interfere with anyone’s freedom or
culture,” he adds.
Cultural considerations aside,
another challenge designers contend
with is materials selection . For
Roldán, natural materials such as
wood are a strong favourite. “In today’s
architectural style and interiors we
tend to do a lot of neutral spaces and
sometimes wood, for me, gives a bit of
warmth to the spaces,” he says.
Ramzy is also drawn towards
natural materials “I love all materials
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 41
PANEL DISCUSSION
but I gravitate to the earthy materials.
I think that’s very natural. When I’m
designing a product I’ll think about
that product – where is it coming
from? Where is it being manufactured
and how am I going to managing the
process of production?”
Mendes is a fan of brass. “One of
the materials that I use most is brass;
brass is a noble metal. Five or six years
ago it was very difficult for me to find
the right people to work with brass,”
he explains. One of the things Mendes
likes about Dubai is the abundance
of materials to play with – something
he says he was “amazed” by when he
relocated to the emirate.
When it comes to technology, Roldán
believes advancements are impacting
the approach to the creative process.
“I already see a lot of designers who
42 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design
are technologically-driven, with a lot
of products or gadgets that are related
to technology or sport … I don’t believe
technology will replace craftsmanship
in the future. If you look at art, for
example, we believe that the world's
big product houses still believe in
bespoke craftsmanship.”
While technology is unlikely
to replace bespoke, artisanal
craftsmanship, Mendes says
technology is making the design
process faster. “Technology is making
things a little bit faster when it comes
to creating difficult pieces that would
take around two weeks to do. Now
you can get the same pieces in around
three days. This is really good when
you’re in a fast-paced [environment].”
Perceptions of gender imbalance
also went under the microscope at the
9
10
Product Design: Confluence of Culture
and Commerce panel discussion.
Neither Ramzy nor El Mesry believes a
lack of gender diversity in the interior
design industry is a major, major issue.
When compared to other industries
design is well-represented by women
– just look at Commercial Interior
Design’s Power 50 list.
“I haven’t faced challenges as a
women in terms of my recognition has
a designer,” says Ramzy. “I might face
challenges dealing with my suppliers 8
or in the business world, so maybe this The event was an
is more of a challenge.” opportunity for
Al Mesry adds: “I don’t feel that networking and
being a women affects how I’m sharing ideas.
perceived or how the project is 9
Challenges around
perceived – I don’t see it as a problem validation and gender
at all. Women sometimes have more on diversity were hot
their plates than men. You’re expected topics at the talk..
to be the mother, you’re expected to 10
be the wife, you’re expected to be the Mehry El Mesry,
businesswoman, and you’re expected co-founder of Talata
to do them all perfectly”. design studio.
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
A Special Report from Commercial Interior Design

FIT FOR
INTERIOR
FIT-OUTS
THE FUTURE
WHILE OPP ORT UNIT IE S FOR COMMERCI A L F IT- OUT S A RE
ON T HE RISE IN T HE UA E A S DEM A ND FOR SUS TA IN A BLE
INDUSTRY FOCUS OF F ICE S SURGE , CONT R AC TOR S WA RN T H AT PAYMENT
CASE STUDY DEL AYS A RE BECOMING MORE - A ND MORE - COMMON
 WEDNESDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER
madinat jumeirah
Submit your nominations today!
visit www.commercialinteriordesign.com/cid-awards
Celebrating their 13th year, the Commercial Interior Design
Awards will once again see the leading figures in the Middle
East’s interior design and fit out community come together
to crown the most deserving projects, people and firms at
the design sector’s night of the year.

#CIDAWARDS Visit www.commercialinteriordesign.com/cid -

awards for more information or contact one of our
team today.

or sponsorship enquiries:
aura Collinder
ales Manager
el: +971 4 444 3576
mail: laura.collinder@itp.com
For nomination enquiries: For table booking enquiries: For event enquiries:
Oscar Rousseau Lacie Curtis Teri Dunstan
Editor, Commercial Interior Design Table Sales Executive Events Manager
Tel: +971 4 444 3457 Tel: +971 4 444 3223 Tel: +971 4 444 3227
Email: Oscar.Rousseau@itp.com Email: lacie.curtis@itp.com Email: teri.dunstan@itp.com

In association with

Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Category Sponsors Fit-out Social Media Beverage Sponsors
Partner Sponsor
E S T. M I L A N O 1 9 6 9
 WELCOME

ADJUSTING THE FIT

,QWHUVHFWE\/H[XV&XQGDOO
0DULQD*DWH$OHF)LWRXW

A
s businesses look to their balance
sheets at a time when many feel
a pinch in their pocket, jt-out
contractors are rising to the
challenge of low cash kow with characteristic
creativity. And terms like value engineering
and design optimisation are becoming an
increasingly prominent part of the industry
lexicon as a result.
Clients are looking for ways to trim their
interior design budget to keep their aesthetics
expenditure low without compromising
on quality. And who can blame them? It’s
business. But as many in the industry face a
cash squeeze, value engineering and design
optimisation are becoming go-to tools in the &XQGDOO
V'XEDLKHDGR൶
FH
jt-out contractor’s box of tricks that can be
relied upon to deliver a cost-effective and trend” in the jt-out market due to the pressure a jt-out package must be well-priced. But it
exclusive space. some companies face to keep costs down. needs to be brimming with originality, verve,
Take Alec Fitout, for example. The company When it comes to optimising design through and personality too. It must also have, as
is part of Alec Group, one of the largest value engineering, the business makes an the French say, a certain 'je ne sais quoi'
construction jrms in the UAE that has built important point: working closely with the that makes it stand out. Design is a constant
everything from Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi to client and consultant to meet tight budgets evolution, and jt-out contractors continue to
key components of Dubai International Airport. in a way that does not impact quality or the respond to this – and liquidity concerns – with
It believes value engineering is a “leading aesthetic jnish of the project is critical. Yes, characteristic ingenuity.

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 45

INDUSTRY FOCUS

&XQGDOOGHOLYHUHGWKH¿WRXW
IRU6$3
VR൶FHLQ'XEDL

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

FIT-OUT CONTRACTORS FROM DUBAI SAY THE DEMANDS OF THE TRADE ARE CHANGING – AND PAYMENT DELAYS
ARE ONE OF THE ISSUES THEY SAY MAY BE ON THE RISE
WORDS: OSCAR ROUSSEAU

T
he jt-out and commercial
refurbishment market in the UAE is
a creative and exciting place to do
business, but alarming issues such
as payment delays are becoming increasingly
prevalent, contractors are warning.
Alec Fitout is division of UAE construction
giant Alec and has a variety of five-star
luxur y hospitality projects in the pipeline.
While short timeframes, delayed access
to site, and frequent design changes
remain ongoing obstacles facing fit-out
contractors, the business believes late
and even non-payment is becoming an
increasingly serious problem.
“Now more than ever, late and non-payment
is the biggest issue that is really affecting the
supply chain and specialist sub-contractors,”

46 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


Tom Gilmartin, business development
manager, says. “Careful selection of projects
and clientele are very important to ensure
that work executed can be paid for in a timely
manner. Thankfully at Alec Fitout, and as part
of the Alec Group, we have strong jnancial
backing that can see us support a project and
our supply chain in the short-term to ensure
timely completion.”
Commercial Interior Design’s 2018 Fit-Out
Firm of the Year, Depa Group, adds that a
cash crunch in the construction market may
be trickling down to jt-outs.
“Cost is now a driving factor in this space
for the majority of new build projects,
which poses signijcant questions for main
contractors and jt-out contractors alike,”
Depa Group tells Commercial Interior
Design. “Where the interior contractor is not
nominated by the client, main contractors are
choosing to self-deliver interior works in a bid
to enhance their project margins by saving
on the additional preliminary costs of an
interior contractor. New procurement models
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
being adopted by the major developers also
lean towards individual trade contractors –
rather than full jt-out – in a bid to reduce the
costs,” the company adds.
Depa Group has a solid mix of ongoing
GCC fit-out projects, including three jobs
at Expo 2020 Dubai – one of which is with
renowned Spanish architect Santiago
Calatrava, who designed the UAE Pavilion.
Its other projects include two “iconic”
metro stations in the GCC, one of which
was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the
firm behind Riyadh Metro’s King Abdullah
Financial District station.
With a number of important fit-out
projects gaining speed across the region,
Depa says it is important for businesses to
demonstrate value engineering capabilities,
as cost remains a key consideration for
companies across the supply chain.
“We have noticed that the specifications
and/or material selections are not complying
with the client’s budgets and thus it’s
important that a fully-researched value
INDUSTRY FOCUS
0DQGDULQ2ULHQWDO-XPHLUDKLVD¿YHVWDUKRWHOLQ
'XEDLWKDW'HSD*URXSKDVZRUNHGRQ
engineering offer is submitted, giving both
the client and consultant options to meet the
aesthetic and overall budget,” it adds.
While the purse strings may be being
tightened in the region, UK consultancy
Cundall, which is working on fit-out
projects for Microsoft and PwC, says there
has been a “significant increase” in the
volume of work.This may be partly because,
in the last 24 months, business have been
looking to move from older developments
to more modern and attractive business
hubs, such as Dubai Design District,
Dubai World Trade Centre’s One Central
Development, and Dubai International
Financial Centre.
“We have also seen a change in how
clients approach the initial building
selection process, with a key emphasis
now on how the design team can adapt
and address the space to suit things
like the working environment, wellness,
future flexibility and adaptive office
configuration,” it adds.
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 47
BRANDVIEW

Summertown Interiors has worked on several phased projects at Daimler’s regional ofjce in Dubai –
the latest is an industrial cafe design that paid homage to Daimler’s commercial cars and vehicles.

A SUSTAINABILITY FIT
SUSTAINABLE OFFICE FIT-OUTS ARE PAYING DIVIDENDS FOR SUMMERTOWN INTERIORS, WHICH LOOKS SET
TO SURF ON A WAVE OF DEMAND FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY-CONSCIOUS SPACES THAT HELP PEOPLE THRIVE.

B
uoyed by an international focus
on health and wellbeing, jt-out
contractor Summertown Interiors
has seen its revenue rise by
double-digits as its looks to the future of
sustainable ofjce design. Last year was a
positive one for the company. It wrapped
up a score of important commercial jt-outs
for government entities and private jrms,
such as Daimler, Deliveroo, Mediclinic, and
Dutch accountancy giant TMF Group. Its
strong work on the ground was rekected in its
revenue, too, which increased by 13% year-
on-year. Revenue at Summertown Interiors is
already 15% above the company’s jve-year
average and there is little sign to suggest
growth cannot be maintained, as its forward
momentum gathers pace.
While challenges in the jt-out market
persist, as demands for projects that are
competitive on price and uncompromising on
quality rise, Marcos Bish, managing director
of Summertown Interiors, admits 2019 has
been “great” so far.
In May, the Dubai-based company
strengthened its commitment to
sustainability by unveiling a three-point
sustainability strategy, which includes a
trio of critical business goals. They are: to
deliver projects that are 100% sustainable,
improve workplace happiness, and generate
zero waste by 2030. Crucially, Summertown
Interiors’ Journey2030 strategy to deliver
projects that are sustainable from start to
jnish includes a client offer of free LEED-
certijed level certijcation for all projects
bigger than 2,000m².
“Sustainability is embedded into all of
our jt-out projects,” Bish says, adding
that Summertown Interiors adopts a LEED
certijcation framework for all projects of
this scale. When the project is smaller than
2,000m², the company has its own green
standard known as the ECO Summertown
Sustainability Initiative, or ECO-SSI for short.
Summertown Interiors has always focused
on sustainability. But Bish believes clients
are now increasingly looking for ofjces that
emphases employee health and wellbeing.
This bodes well for the business.
“We believe jt-outs that focus on employee

48 June 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


W Dubai - The Palm
The Ahrend Healthcare Innovation and Inspiration Studio
will act as a healthcare knowledge and training centre.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Summertown Interiors delivered a new Deliveroo ofjce that is
fresh, funky, and modern with the energy of a startup business.
Making a move from multiple small ofjces into one consolidated workplace,
TMF Group chose Summertown Interiors to deliver their functional new ofjce.
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
BRANDVIEW
Mediclinic Dialysis Department allows for natural light
creating a bright atmosphere whilst maintaining privacy.
health and wellbeing will continue to be a
trend in 2019,” he says. “Employee health
and happiness leads to more productive and
high-functioning organisations, and as one
of the UAE’s leading ofjce jt-out contractors
– at the forefront of delivering green and
sustainable interiors – we can help our clients
achieve this,” he says.
A review of the jt-out projects recently
completed by Summertown Interiors suggests
that this is the case. It has just jnished the
Royal Ahrend Healthcare Innovation and
Inspiration Studio in Dubai Design District.
Bish describes it as a “state-of-the-art studio”
that lets healthcare providers experience an
interior space compliant with all healthcare
rules and regulations. It also “showcases the
latest equipment and sustainable materials,
rekecting the UAE’s journey towards
becoming an innovative global healthcare
hub,” he adds.
Summertown Interiors’ ongoing projects
include jt-outs for a large government
authority, a US-based multinational
technology business, and an ofjce for a
quasi-government education institution in
Abu Dhabi. While Bish admits the market is
“very competitive” due to rising pressure
on project cost and quality, the business is
in a strong position. It has a good bank of
projects, revenue remains healthy, and there
is a clear demand for sustainable ofjce space
that it capitalise on.
“In addition to providing quality, price-
competitive jt-out services, we seek to add
value to all our projects from a sustainability
perspective – more and more clients
are realising the importance and social,
economic, and environmental benejts of
a sustainable jt-out. We anticipate that
there will be a growing demand for ‘green’
certijcations in the coming years.”
Commercial Interior Design | June 2019 49
CASE STUDY

50 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com


2 3
government, which necessitated a
move away from its previous space
in Abu Dhabi’s Tourist Club area.
Head of projects in the UAE, William
Gorman, says the company felt the
old site was not “a true reflection of
Havelock One’s quality”.
The new ofjce and corporate
branding aims to address this. An
updated name and identity rekects
and reinforces Havelock One’s core
values of precision, foresight, and
5 1
www.commercialinteriordesign.com
4 6
drive. These attributes have been
strengthened with the addition of
the word ‘one’ in the company’s new
name. The word was chosen to rekect
that Havelock One, which operators in
GCC markets such as Bahrain, Kuwait,
Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, is a single
entity. While it works across different
geographic areas and time zones,
exporting bespoke jttings to other
regions, and supplying global brands,
it is an integrated outjt. It claims
CASE STUDY
3
to have one standard of excellence,
which does not change across sectors,
trades, or marketplaces. 4
In conjunction to the new ofjce in
Abu Dhabi and a change in corporate
branding, Havelock One is building a
second factory in Askar, Bahrain, that 2
will eventually double its capacity for Havelock One's ofjce
making bespoke joinery, metal items, in Abu Dhabi covers
and upholstery. approximately 340m².
While expansion may come at time 3
when Havelock One’s group managing Use of timber gives an
director, Kashif Akhtar, admits “the aura of strength and
market is quite challenging at the natural quality.
moment, Havelock One continues to 4
go up a gear. A new logo has
The business is driving forward with been created for the
a new ofjce in Abu Dhabi, its second rebranded jt-out jrm.
factory in Bahrain, and Akhtar believes 5
this growth is thanks to the trust the The company says it
company has from its clients. outgrew its former
“There is always a case for quality home in Abu Dhabi.
and commitment. We are quite 6
proud that our stakeholders trust The ofjce strikes a
us and our integrity – and keep on balance between
coming back with more business industrial charm and
opportunities.” a relaxed workspace.
Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 51
INTERVIEW

STAYING
ONE STEP AHEAD
VISHAL MOT WANI, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FIT-OUT CONTR ACTOR GDM INTERIORS,
E XPL AINS HOW THE FOUR-DECADE-OLD UAE COMPANY IS KEEPING UP WITH EMERGING
TRENDS, AND WHY IT MAY BE TIME TO DITCH THE 'L AMBORGHINI MENTALIT Y'.

How are the demands for kt-out projects

changing in the Middle East?
Well, the competition has increased
exponentially. Consumers are becoming more
conscious about each and every cost involved
in the procedure and they don’t blindly trust
the contractor to do what he deems best. These
trends are constantly changing and new market
players – who can satisfy every aspect of the
ever-changing landscape – are entering the
market every year in the hundreds.
Everyone adopts a ‘niche’ trend, but at the
end of the day, they want to be better than the
others. Everyone is competing with everyone
else in the same industry and, as such,
rendition and adaptation is key. While you
may be caught not having the latest ‘trendy’
item every year, your top priority has to be
maintaining stellar quality and practicality with
all the upcoming trends, at prices that make
the consumers feel comfortable.
What are some of the major trends in the
kt-out market and how can GDM Interiors
capitalise on them?
Value engineering has become a buzzword
nowadays. This means that customers want
what’s chic, in a price that matches their
budget. The kamboyance of the latest trend
has to be optimised to match the personality of
the customer and the practicality of the design.
You don’t have to be a walking advocate of a
repugnant trend, but a subtle incorporation
into the overall scheme can go a long way. The
goal is to convert every customer with a budget.
It is also important to drop what I call the ‘bull
wagon or Lamborghini ideology’.
How do you factor sustainability into your kt-
out work?
Clients are highly committed to making positive
changes to our ecosystem. This means that not
only do we have to be aware of the upcoming
eco-trends, but we also have to get used to
incorporating these newer, more sustainable
materials as our base staples in future
projects. Eco-friendly paints or sustainable
lights are a few examples that are now a
mandate in every new project.
Visual design is an intellectual property
right; how do you protect your designs from
intellectual property theft? Moreover, is this
an issue that needs further examination in
the Middle East?
You may actually be cutting yourself out of the
race if you’re not showcasing your designs on
digital platforms. Intellectual property rights are
jne as a concept, but you have to be aware of
how people brand themselves nowadays – and
it is increasingly by showing off what they design
William Brand
on social media. Maybe someone will recreatewith the
Flintstone
your furniture designs in a do-it-yourself lamp
style,
but so what? Trust the ethics of your relationship
with your client and you will be jne.

52 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 GUEST COMMENT

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 53

FABRIC SUPPLIERS YOUR SHOULD KNOW

NEW ON THE MARKET ALSO NEW ON THE MARKET

54 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

 FABRIC SUPPLIERS YOUR SHOULD KNOW

NEW ON THE MARKET

NEW ON THE MARKET

Linfano, 38062 Arco,Trento, Italy

+39 0464 581111 viola@eco-age.com
https://www.aquakl.com/

www.commercialinteriordesign.com Commercial Interior Design | JUNE 2019 55

DESIGN AGENDA

56 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

58 JUNE 2019 | Commercial Interior Design www.commercialinteriordesign.com