An ITP Business Publication July Vol.

8 Issue 7

VOLUME II

New head United front

MEHMET AKTASH PRINGLE BRANDON AND
BLANCHARD MD PERKINS+WILL MERGER
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Abu Dhabi, UAE

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 CONTENTS

JULY 2012
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 7

6 DESIGN UPDATE
A round up of the latest design
news in the MENA region and
abroad, including a report on the
inaugural Beirut Design Week.

17 INDUSTRY SPEAK
The number of art gallery
openings in the Middle East
have increased over time.
Interior designers weigh in on
10 22 29
which ones are their favourite,
and whether they are useful in
specifying objects for projects.

22 DESIGNER Q&A
Mehmet Aktash takes over the
reins of Dubai-based Blanchard
Interior Design, after its MD
Marie-Noelle Swiderski is leaving
the UAE. He talks about the
firm’s ongoing projects and its
plans for the future.

29 CASE STUDY
The Asiana Hotel in Deira, Dubai,
is designed by WA International,
with inspiration taken from the
five elements of wood, fire, water,
earth and metal, to give guests
the feeling of entering the abode
of an ancient civilisation.

35 BATHROOM SUPPLIERS
YOU SHOULD KNOW
A handful of bathroom suppliers
you need to know about.

41 PRODUCTS
What’s new on the market.

48 OPINION
Maggie Moore, event director,
Boudoir Prestige interior design,
talks about the professional
meeting and networking event SUPPLEMENT: OBJECTS OF DESIRE
carried out in a ‘speed dating’ Commercial Interior Design launched Volume II of Objects of Desire on May 30, 2012,
style for those in the interior with the supplement showing a selection of the 100 design pieces that inspire.
design and hospitality industry. 026

www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 3

COMMENT

Thankyou
Registered at Dubai Media City
PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE
Tel: 00 971 4 444 3000
Fax: 00 971 4 444 3030
Web: www.itp.com
Offices in Dubai & London

W
ITP BUSINESS PUBLISHING
CEO Walid Akawi elcome to a special edition of Commercial
Managing Director Neil Davies
Managing Director ITP Business Karam Awad Interior Design magazine where we bring
Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell
Editorial Director David Ingham you highlights from our book Objects of
EDITORIAL Desire volume II.
Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews This month is a time of celebration as we thank those
Editor Jenny Eagle
Tel: +971 4 444 3363 email: jenny.eagle@itp.com who attended our event to launch the hardback glossy
Reporter Devina Divecha
Tel: +971 4 444 3502 email: devina.divecha@itp.com publication at the Ayyam Gallery, Al Quoz, Dubai.
ADVERTISING More than 150 people turned up on the night to show
Sales Director, Construction Group Yazan Rahman their support as well as our sponsors; Nakkash Gallery,
Tel: +971 4 444 3351 email: yazan.rahman@itp.com
Sales Manager Teri Clarke Roca, Larsa Lighting, Voglia, Preciosa and Bang & Olufsen
Tel: +971 4 444 3679 email: teri.clarke@itp.com
Business Development Manager, Saudi Arabia who exhibited their own inspirational piece at the venue.
Rabih Naderi
Tel: +966 1 2068697 email: rabih.naderi@itp.com
In other news, congratulations to Cannon Design for winning Best Hospital
STUDIO
Design (Future) for the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, KSA at
Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott the 2012 Hospital Build Awards recently.
Senior Designer Michel Al Asmar
The announcement was made at the Hospital Build and Infrastructure Middle
PHOTOGRAPHY
East Exhibition and Congress where the UAE scooped j ve of the eight award cat-
Chief Photographer Jovana Obradovic
Senior Photographers Isidora Bojovic, Efraim Evidor egories including Best Sustainable Hospital Project; Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
Staff Photographers Lester Ali, George Dipin, Juliet Dunne,
Murrindie Frew, Verko Ignjatovic, Shruti Jagdeesh, Stanislav Kuz- by HAAD & ITS. The Hospital Build conference discusses advances in hospital
min, Mosh Lafuente, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav
design such as kooring specijcations and interior-jnish materials. Exhibitors in-
PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION cluded; Finasi, Forbo Flooring, Burkett Design, HKS Architects, Modular Concept
Group Production & Distribution Director Kyle Smith
Deputy Production Manager Matthew Grant and Naga Architects.
Production Coordinator Nelly Pereira
Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn For those of you looking for a different kind of inspiration, Feng Shui expert,
Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami
Raymond Lo is visiting Dubai to host several workshops from July 8-14 at Fortune
CIRCULATION Executive Towers, JLT. In partnership with Illuminations wellbeing centre Dubai
Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati
with Raashi Sadana, Lo will talk about Feng Shui design for the home and ofjce.
MARKETING
Don’t forget, nominations for the Commercial Interior Design Awards 2012
Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell
Marketing Manager Michelle Meyrick close on July 25, so it’s your last chance to submit your entry online at www.
ITP DIGITAL constructionweekonline.com/cidawards
Director Peter Conmy
Internet Applications Manager Mohammed Affan
Web Designer Meghna Rao

ITP GROUP
Chairman Andrew Neil
Managing Director Robert Serafin
Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies
Board of Directors K M Jamieson, Mike Bayman,
Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin

Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 444 3000

Certain images in this issue are available for purchase.
Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit
www.itpimages.com

Printed by Atlas Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai

Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions

Audited by: BPA Worldwide

Average Qualified Circulation JENNY E AGLE, EDITOR
6,150 (July – Dec 2011)
jenny.eagle@itp.com
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 An ITP Business Publication April Vol.8 Issue 4

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.

Receive Commercial Interior Design Etch Shade by Tom VOLUME II

Dixon lighting as
Published by and © 2012 ITP Business
Publishing, a division of the ITP every month. To subscribe, please featured in Objects
Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the
B.V.I. under Company number 1402846. visit: www.itp.com/subscriptions of Desire volume II. Less is more
THE FARM
Design meets Rock
MILAN FURNITURE FAIR

4 July 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

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DESIGN UPDATE
Pringle Brandon confirms Perkins+Will merger
PARTNERSHIP TO EXTEND THE INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT OF BOTH FIRMS
UAE: Pringle Brandon, architecture
and design practice, which opened
an ofjce in Dubai last year, has
joined Perkins+Will, international
design jrm.
The jrm’s London and Dubai of-
jces will become known as Pringle
Brandon Perkins+Will.
The partners, Jack Pringle, Chris
Brandon, William Poole-Wilson,
John Drew, Fiona Ballance and Linzi
Cassels continue to lead the com-
bined businesses in London. They
will also oversee the Dubai ofjce,
supported by managing director of
Dubai, Steven Charlton, and design
director, Diane Thorsen.
For clients in the Middle East
as well as those in Turkey, CIS
countries, and continental Africa
and India, the merger means cross
practice exchange with a collective
global knowledge and localised
expertise with greater access to
6 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
international talent and design
exposure.
“We continue to operate as
normal. This merger allows us to
pursue our strategic business aims,
while maintaining the standards
of excellence and innovative
design we are renowned for,” said
Charlton.
“We are able to offer more ser-
vices to existing and future clients
and deliver larger projects, thanks
to an increased team in Dubai and
support from a team worldwide.”
Perkins+Will provides integrated
design services including archi-
tecture, interior design, branded
environments, and urban design.
The combined list of clients include
corporate and commercial, educa-
tion, healthcare, hospitality, media,
science & technology, sports and
recreation and transportation.
Pringle Brandon Drew would
also operate as Pringle Brandon
Perkins+Will. This recently launched
practice, offering base build archi-
tectural services and strategic ad-
vice, is led by former Rafael Vinoly
and Foster + Partners architect John
Drew, and is currently working on
2.5 million square feet of commer-
cial and mixed-use development in
the UK.
By joining forces with Pringle
Brandon, Perkins+Will would con-
tinue its ongoing strategic develop-
ment in talent, services, markets,
and geographical presence. Pringle
Brandon and its 90 professionals
would benejt from being able to
offer existing and potential clients
a greater range of services across a
wider international jeld.
“Pringle Brandon’s stature in
corporate interiors, workplace
strategy and more recently architec-
ture, is a compelling complement
to Perkins+Will and enhances our
ability to provide local resources to
clients throughout Europe and the
Middle East,” said Phil Harrison,
president and CEO, Perkins+Will.
“Not least, Pringle Brandon has
been a vanguard for transforming
sustainable architectural practices
in the UK. This kind of enterprising
leadership exemplijes our shared
commitment to sustainable design,
research and innovation and is the
kind of talent that we’ve had great
success integrating and supporting
as we grow strategically.”
Jack Pringle, joint founder, Pringle
Brandon added after two years of
expansion and success through
the recession, the company needs
to keep developing is convinced
Perkins+Will’s combination of
design excellence, broad expertise
and ethos of social and environ-
mental responsibility meshes with
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ZLWKZDWHUVDYLQJGXDOƮXVKDFWXDWRUV
*HEHULWnVFRQFHDOHGFLVWHUQVXVHGDURXQGWKHZRUOGRƪHUXQVXUSDVVHGTXDOLW\DQG\HDUVRIWURXEOHIUHHSHU
formance and with a wide range of design solutions give you the aesthetic freedom to create the bathroom
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DESIGN UPDATE
Roberto’s Restaurant
EVOKING THE COOL AMBIENCE AND ENERGY OF A PORTO CERVO SUMMER, IN SARDINIA, DRAW LINK
GROUP HAS DESIGNED AN OPEN AIR TERRACE WITH A PRESERVED ORANGE TREE AT ITS HEART
UAE: Draw Link Group has created
Roberto’s Restaurant in DIFC taking
inspiration from the Mediterranean
and using a mix of simple and neu-
tral materials such as leather panel-
ing, wood and travertine marble.
The design jrm won the brief af-
ter designing four restaurants; Icho,
Al Mersat Gulf Seafood Restaurant,
Indo Thai and Celsius at the Radis-
son Royal Hotel in SZR, Dubai.
Roberto’s has four rooms alto-
gether; the main dining area with
koor-to-ceiling windows, Il Salotto
lounge with a cosmopolitan design,
combining Milan with Dubai, La Ter-
razza terrace, reminiscent of a Porto
Cervo summer in Sardinia with an
open air terrace, and the cellar.
8 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
“La Terrazza has a minimalist
design with stonewalls, structured
wood ceilings and a preserved
orange tree at its heart. The terrace
area is designed in a way that can
be divided into two zones, which
can be used for private parties and
events. The furniture is very simple,
matching the indoor style with the
outdoor materials. We have differ-
ent types of seating in the main
dining and casual lounge area,”
said Daousser Chennouj, general
manager, Draw Link Group.
The design team drew inspiration
from the Mediteranean, Dubai, and
feedback from the client with the
main challenge having to work with
a limited budget and the location in
DIFC, which meant a lot of work was
done in night shifts.
The indoor furniture was supplied
by Meridiani via Four Frontiers,
Dubai and the outdoor pieces came
from Manutti with lighting by Tom
Dixon and parquet kooring by R.F.T.
Raised Access Floors.
www.designmena.com
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+971 4 4274081, info@ae.duravit.com. Duravit Saudi Arabia LLC, Al Hamra district, Aarafat street, Shahwan commercial
center, 3rd floor – Office number 4, P.O. Box 9135, 21413 Jeddah, Phone +966 2 66 580 54
and +966 2 66 176 94, Fax +966 2 66 410 38, info@sa.duravit.com, www.duravit.com
DESIGN UPDATE
Beirut Design Week
LEBANESE DESIGNERS AND CRAFTSPEOPLE, INCLUDING RED DOT AWARD WINNER .PSLAB AND-
KASHIDA, ARE PUT UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT IN THE FIRST EVENT OF ITS KIND
LEBANON: The organiser of the
inaugural Beirut Design Week, Do-
reen Toutikian, said as a Lebanese
designer who has studied and lived
in Europe for six years, she very
much wanted to see the city as part
of the global design scene.
She successfully founded the
MENA Design Research Centre in
Beirut, a non-projt organisation
dedicated to examining the role of
design in the Arab world through
multi-disciplinary research and in-
ternational projects. Its jrst global
social design project DESMEEM was
exhibited during the last week of
June 2012.
“After much discussion, we
decided since we are having a full
week dedicated to the role of de-
sign in society, we might as well get
10 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
everyone on board. In a few weeks
we invited Lebanese designers to
participate, and organised talks
and outdoor jlm screenings. I got
my professors from Köln Interna-
tional School of Design, Germany,
Parsons The New School for Design,
USA, and Glasgow School of Art,
Scotland, to take part in a confer-
ence with local design institution
representatives,” said Toutikian.
In two months, Toutikian organ-
ised the jrst Beirut Design Week,
which took place from June 25-30,
2012, and encompassed over 50
events all over the city.
“Events related purely to the de-
sign industry are few in the Middle
East, and one dedicated only to
Lebanese designers has never been
accomplished before,” she added.
Unlike many collective exhibits
organised in one location, the event
gives local designers the opportu-
nity to engage the entire community
in all aspects of the design scene as
a collaborative festival in the city.
She added by exploring design in
its real urban habitat, visitors were
able to discover who the designers
were, where their shops were in
the city, get the chance to meet
them and participate in various
workshops with them.
“As a grassroots initiative aimed
at promoting newcomers and estab-
lished designers equally, we are not
curating; instead we are showing
what is out there objectively.”
Toutikian said the event’s aim is
to bring together the design com-
munity and have a unijed image or
identity of Lebanese design with its
various disciplines and styles.
“I think it will establish new
grounds, regionally and internation-
ally. Design will soon no longer be
known as only fashion and furniture
brands. Gradually, with the growing
development of our education and
economy we will be setting new
standards that are truly equal to any
design week on the international
level,” she added.
Toutikian said social media
helped generate excitement about
the event, with people journeying
from abroad for the week.
“We have also received a lot of
appreciation from the design com-
munity in Lebanon for initiating and
organising the jrst Beirut Design
Week,” she added.
www.designmena.com

A wide range of design jrms
and designers participated in the
event. Red Dot award winning
lighting jrm .PSLAB opened its
doors to visitors on the tour. This
gave the jrm the opportunity to
give guests a better understand-
ing of the company as a brand
and encourage face-to-face
discussions with them.
Kashida, a product design
company based in Beirut creates
furniture and home accessories
based on letterforms, with Arabic
script as the basis of its work.
Mirna Hamady, co-founder, said:
“Beirut Design Week is the jrst
event of the sort that features an
interesting range of local design
houses, and Kashida did not
think twice about participating.
Our ofjce was open to visitors
throughout the week, so they
could view our products up close
and hear about the story behind
each product.”
Ghida El Zein, furniture and
product designer, said: “This
event differs from other big fairs
in big cities, like Salone Del
Mobile in Milan, or Design Days
Dubai because it is showcasing
Lebanese talent; whereas the
others gather the talent from all
around the world and exhibit it
for a week.
“Beirut Design Week also
stresses a lot on talks and work-
shops in comparison to other
international design events; this
allows the communication of the
world of design to the Lebanese
people and broadens their under-
standing of it,” added El Zein.
www.designmena.com
DESIGN UPDATE
A Wide Selection of Designs and
Surface Finishes.
She said differentiation
between this week and others
could be made through its venue.
“Another interesting difference is
that in this event, there isn’t one BONDED LEATHER
space where all the participants
are exhibiting. The exhibition is
the city, so visitors walk in that
city to discover it, its architecture,
its designers and craftspeople.”
The design team from .PSLAB Bedienen Sie sich aus einer Vielzahl von
was in agreement with this and 'HNRUHQ XQG 2EHUÀlFKHQ HUKlOWOLFK LQ
added: “This type of event is YHUVFKLHGHQHQ3ODWWHQVWlUNHQ
more focused on showcasing
the city’s design scene and what
the city has to offer, through
the work of its locals. Fairs and
exhibitions, on the other hand,
are more focused on showcasing
POLYGLOSS.SR DECOR STONE 1
its participants work from all over
the world,” a spokesman said.
“This event will help in bring-
ing to light what the existing local
design scene is really all about. It
will bring to the surface the pool
of diverse talents, something
that, to this day, cannot be
emphasised enough. Our design
scene can be described as
eclectic — you can feel the multi-
cultural inkuence of the many
designers that have studied
or practised their craft abroad
before coming back to their own
DECORS WITH EDGE
country. This is not typical of a
European or Middle Eastern fair
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where the originating culture is
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sometimes overwhelming.”
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El Zein added: “I expect it to
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put Beirut’s talent out there, to
showcase beautiful craftsman-
ship and artisanal work. I am
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sure with years to come it will de- ^ƚƌĞĞƚϯͻ/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂůƌĞĂͻŽŚĂͻYĂƚĂƌ
velop into an anticipated event.” W͘K͘ŽdžϱϭϴϳͻнϵϳϰϰϰϲϬϰϭϬϰ
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 11
DESIGN UPDATE
Grosvenor House
ARCHITECTS WOODS BAGOT AND INTERIOR DESIGNER, ANOUSKA HEMPEL, WORK ON A PARK LANE
LANDMARK TO CREATE A NEW CHAPTER IN THE BUILDING’S RICH HISTORY
UK: Originally designed by archi-
tect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, in 1930,
Grosvenor House Apartments in
Park Lane, London, by Jumeirah
Living, has been refurbished by in-
terior designer, Anouska Hempel, of
Anouska Hempel Design (AHD), to
include 120-hotel apartment suites,
four penthouses and a courtyard.
The interior design of the apart-
ments combines classical British
jnishes, such as dark oak timber
kooring, with more contemporary
touches, such as tailored wall
panelling and oversized stone bath-
rooms. It also has bespoke furniture
and original works of art.
The site of Grosvenor House
was once a residence owned by
Lord Chetwynd. It then became the
home of the Duke of Cumberland,
and then the Duke of Gloucester
until the residence was purchased
12 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
by Lord Grosvenor in 1806. In 1808,
the Grosvenor family moved in and
the property became known as
Grosvenor House.
Lutyens designed the building
as we see it today, which was con-
structed between 1912 and 1918.
It was considered an icon of early
20th Century luxury in London.
A tower was added in 1927, us-
ing the French stone, Salamandre,
which contrasted with Portland
Stone, traditionally used in the
neighbourhood. The refurbishment
kept the historic façade and was
led by architects Woods Bagot
with Hempel as one of the design
consultants. The property’s 133
apartments range from studios to
jve-bedroom penthouses (over
4,800 square feet), providing the
largest serviced accommodation for
short or long stays in London.
“As you walk through the time-
less, classic exterior, a narrative
of the formal and the eccentric, of
modesty and pride, of the future
meeting the past, begins to unfold.
The best of British begins here,”
said Hempel.
“Walking into the building is an
Alice-in-the-looking-glass experi-
ence. Each step takes the guest
deeper into an ever-expanding
space, starting with the horizontal
simplicity of the lobby, whose
monolithic purity alludes to the
bigger reception hall above, while
all the time slotted walls reveal and
conceal the outside world – a veil to
privacy and curiosity. Strips of tiny
mirrors offset the strong masculine
lines, rekecting and enlarging the
philosophy of the lobby.”
Additional features include a
second-koor atrium with a seven-
storey high ceiling and a grand
over-sized jreplace. The atrium has
all-day dining and some residences
have Colonial-style shutters open-
ing onto the space.
The design team used granite
stone, grey-blue honed slate, and
mid-grey wools to silks and linens.
“Grey, white-washed teak
furniture can offer tactile surfaces
for room accessories as well as
guests’ personal belongings. Stone
granite koors can be broken up with
modern painted Sisel rugs edged
with Herringbone cotton trim, dark
or pale,” said Hempel.
“A quintessential English style
of dark rich mahogany and gentle-
man’s club colours compliment
the more traditional architectural
features of the setting. The rejned
stately functional spaces will have
socially intimate seating areas.
www.designmena.com
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Architectural water features from the premier maker of custom waterfalls.
DESIGN UPDATE

CID ROUNDS UP WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE WEBSITE, T WIT TER AND BLOGOSPHERE

FIVE MOST READ STORIES ON THE WEBSITE COMMENTS OF THE MONTH

This is what we at Jaisim Fountainhead have been stating for over

five decades. Green and sustainability are only clichés and fads. All
architecture inherently has these values. If they do not then they are just a
composition of engineered buildings.
Prof. Krishna Rao Jaisim on ‘Architecture & sustainability go together: expert’

All of these are highly remarkable achievements. The overall

development of UAE in such a short timespan, and that too in a desert, is
truly amazing.
1 Qatar ‘gherkin’ named Middle East’s best Denzil Roche on ‘Designers praise 40 years of UAE architecture’
tower

Unplanned development. That summarises Dubai’s growth in the last

2 25 essential iPad apps for interior design
students
3 Top 5: Audacious stadium designs
4 Madinah wayjnding masterplan set to ease
access
5 Pictures: UAE University in Al Ain
decade. It lingers and is embedded in construction, road design etc. Good
quality roads, but lack of proper road names, lack of road signs that say
“you are here” “that way to this place” (not about main roads), illogical
road designs, lack of exits where you expect one, lack of easily viewable
building names (where else on earth do people have to identify a building/
office by the laundry at ground level).
J Krishnan on ‘Architect claims Dubai failed by trying to recreate Tokyo skyscrapers’

BLOGS AND DESIGNMENA ON FACEBOOK TOP TWEETS

Matt Fox | @Matt_J_Fox

A third of#architects failed to respond to#OJEU
notices (last 1.5yrs) ruling themselves out of new
public sector work http://buff.ly/KuKByM

VICK VANLIAN
Beirut-based interior designer Vick Vanlian
launched Envy Interiors jve years ago. He
designs interiors and buys furniture for members
of the Royal family in the Emirates, and Middle
Eastern pop stars. Blogging since December
2010, his posts give readers an insight on how
an interior designer thinks and gets inspired.
Vanlian writes about his latest collections and
what he’s working on, along with commenting
on industry events like Salone Internazionale del
Mobile, and sharing what inspires his creations.
vickvanlian.wordpress.com
OBJECTS OF DESIRE II LAUNCH PARTY
View photographs from the Objects of Desire
Volume II launch party, which took place on May
30, 2012 at the Ayyam Gallery, Al Serkal Avenue,
Al Quoz. The event celebrated the second edition
of the book, which features 100 objects selected
for their design and inspirational value. It was
attended by the region’s well-known interior
designers, who lauded the book as a useful re-
source. The space also displayed various design
objects of desire, some of which were featured
in the book.
facebook.com/designmena
Studio EM | @Studio_EM
Onsite: I’m sure there is a designer and
light bulb joke in here somewhere :) #dubai
#interiordesign
http://instagr.am/p/LuwSaxjOQ_/
susan lianti | @sansansyu
Design is in everything we make, but it’s also
between those things. It’s a mix of craft, science,
storytelling, and philosophy#design
Julian Rossi | @JulianJRossi
I mean it. Interior designers who don’t design
for function should be forced to live in their
creation.

14 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

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INFO CkORSCOM

Bersun Erturk
Nawwar Shmaies
Artistic kare
WITH A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF ART GALLERIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
WE ASK INTERIOR DESIGNERS WHICH ONES ARE THEIR FAVOURITE AND
HOW USEFUL ARE THEY IN SPECIF YING PIECES FOR PROJECTS
D
ubai’s art scene has
seen many develop-
ments in 2011 and
early 2012. The gallery
community continues to expand
in areas such as DIFC, where Cube
and Rira Art opened this year,
while Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz,
saw the launch of Etemad and
Lawrie-Shabibi, as well as non-
Daniel During
commercial space Satellite.
There are 136 galleries in Dubai
alone and Al Serkal Avenue’s sta-
tus as a contemporary art destina-
tion has grown, with the opening
of the Salsali Private Museum in
September 2011 and six galleries
and creative venues last month,
including La Galerie Nationale,
Grey Noise, Fayez Barakat, Show-
case Gallery, Lammtara Pictures
and FN Designs.
According to Alfred Johnson,
founder, Alfred Johnson Design,
the range of art galleries that
Mohamed Darwiche
Dubai has to offer rivals that of
Alfred Johnson most cities around the world.
The spectrum of art varies from
oil on canvas to acrylic, metal,
stone and wood sculptures, fu-
sion glass and various other new
media, which is a perfect setting
for a vast multi-cultural city like
Dubai as it gives a designer cre-
ative ‘food for thought’ to jnd
www.designmena.com
the perfect complimentary details
for any interior.
“From what started out as noth-
ing to hosting and curating work
from masters like Monet and Dali
to contemporary artists such as
Ahmed Mater, from Saudi Arabia,
art galleries in the Middle East
have come a long way over the
last few years,” said Johnson.
“They are a brilliant source
of material for any designer, no
matter what budget the client
has. It means as we prepare for a
brief, we have a wider knowledge
of locally designed pieces and
artwork, saving vast amounts
of research time and ensuring
the customer benejts from the
combined expertise of interior
designer and curator.”
With a steady growth and
support by local art authorities,
UAE-based artists now have a
multitude of platforms from which
they can gain exposure from,
including the interior design com-
munity, and can have their work
placed in numerous projects.
“Galleries such as Projle and
Lawrie Shahibi encourage and
bring in various regional and local
talent whilst Ayyam and The Third
Line support a wealth of Middle
Eastern contemporary artists that
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012
INDUSTRY SPEAK
integrate well with the fabric of
interior design,” added Johnson.
“Galleries like Cuadro bring that
depth to selected photographers
that they curate well, whereas on
a more commercial side, Gallery
1 always provides a wide range of
diverse material as well as a few
coveted copies of our favourite
people at their best.
“With the drive for creative
exploration often being a path
that is jlled with many surprises,
some terrible and some brilliant,
my favourite venue is Opera
Gallery. It is curated well, has an
immensely diverse and stimulat-
ing collection and whenever I’ve
visited, I have often left with that
wonderfully eclectic feeling that
all creative people get when they
are in the presence of like-minded
peers or in this case phenomenal
artists’ work, inspired. Pierre Mat-
ter’s sculptures are phenomenally
surreal and evoke a thought pro-
cess of combining materials in
an unusual and original manner.
Another favourite is the David
Mach tiger head piece which gives
you an insight into the depth of
the artists’ soul.
“The art galleries in Dubai have
within a short period of time,
brought with it a rather mature
17
INDUSTRY SPEAK
and diverse collection of art that
they present to us almost on a sil-
ver platter and the interior design
community applauds their effort
in emphasising new media and
balancing it out with conventional
works of art.”
Bersun Erturk, Dubai-based
interior and product designer
is impressed by the number of
galleries in Dubai and whenever
he has time, especially if he has
heard of a new opening or an exhi-
bition, he will go and visit it.
All things creative relate to each other. By visiting
art galleries, you can get inspiration and a new
perspective on a space
“As a designer, it is not only
about specifying products for the
projects that I am on, but taking
a ‘deep breath of inspirational
air’ which pushes me into a dif-
ferent world that assists me on
my current projects. That is why
I prefer to see not only canvases
but sculptures, 3D objects, instal-
lations and tech-based artworks,”
he said. “Apart from the inspira-
tional effect, based on the client’s
taste, I jnd them really useful to
specifying products but you have
to know what you are looking
for, otherwise it might end up in
chaos. Opera Gallery is top of my
list with its internationally wide
range that I try to visit very often
together with Trafjc, for its tech-
based installations. Outside the
Middle East, one of my favourite
institutions is Istanbul Modern,
which is in Istanbul, Turkey.”
18 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
Nawwar Shmaies, interior
designer, L’Anees furniture and
décor, also prefers Trafjc as well
as Pro Art Gallery, and Objects
and Elements.
“One of my favourite art gal-
leries is Pro Art in Palm Strip
Mall in Jumeirah. It always has
exhibitions for Banksy, and the
family that owns and runs it will
take you around each painting to
talk about it, and about the artist,
as they have a clear passion and
enthusiasm for art. I jnd it has
a diverse collection of paintings
and sculptures,” she said.
“One of the most affordable
places is Objects and Elements in
Al Quoz, its collection is amazing,
the prices are realistic and you
can jnd everything artsy there
from accessories, to paintings.
“Trafjc is also in Al Quoz.
There’s a magic in this creative
retreat, not so much for the
clients but more for me, their col-
lections are always inspiring and
provoking, the books they have
for sale are a real treasure, which
you won’t jnd anywhere else, and
they always have some kind of
social art event.”
Shmaies has never bought
anything for a client from an art
gallery, but, added that she thinks
it’s important for interior design-
ers to visit them because art and
design are intertwined.
“All things creative relate to
each other. By visiting art galler-
ies you can get inspiration and
new perspectives on a space.
A single painting can start off
the theme for a living room for
example,” she said.
Mohamed Darwiche, head of
design, Blue Camel, Dubai, has
designed and built a number of
art galleries in the region.
“Our favourite remains Cuadro
in DIFC. Working on this venue
was quite a challenge due to its
location, size and the number
of artwork it houses. We treated
Cuadro as a small museum rather
than a regular art gallery. Every
area in this space was function-
ally treated as a separate entity.
Working on art galleries for the
general public seems to be quite
easy as most of the area is all
about plain white walls but for
professional people having plain
walls is the biggest challenge
ever,” he said.
“We’ve rarely been asked by
our customers to go and buy art-
work on their behalf. We usually
advise them on how to choose a
piece and from where to go and
buy it. Owning a genuine piece
of art is a personal choice as
people have different tastes for
art styles and colours. I might like
a painting that others don’t and
vice versa. Some of our clients
request to have a space dedicated
for a specijc work that they own
while others don’t, and we usually
propose to have some spaces
dedicated to artwork.”
Darwiche agrees with Erturk
and said the number of art galler-
ies in the UAE has grown recently
and now industrial neighbour-
hoods are being transformed into
‘art squares’, which is a sign of
the increasing number of art col-
lectors and people who appreci-
ate art. “This is all thanks to what
Dubai and Abu Dhabi turned out
to be, a city of ‘A’ class living and
facilities,” he added.
Daniel During, principal and
managing director, Thomas Klein
International (TKI), said his team
does not get inspiration from local
art galleries but from overseas;
from a back street in Bali, to a
high street in New York or sailing
on a yacht in Chicago.
“We always get our inspiration
from places outside Dubai and the
UAE, to avoid being inkuenced by
the same things other designers
are inkuenced by locally. Ulti-
mately, it is our aim to be different
in everything we do, and getting
inspiration locally would defeat
that purpose,” he said.
“I don’t buy art in the region,
but, the number of galleries has
gone from zero to more than 100.
There were only two known places
in Dubai when I arrived 15 years
ago; Green Art and the Majlis
Gallery. My favourite ones are in
DIFC, as I enjoy both the set-up,
and the exhibitions. The area
makes it easy to stroll from one
venue to another as opposed to
Al Quoz, where you have to drive
to each one, making it more of
an effort to visit them rather than
taking a casual stroll.”
www.designmena.com
FREE

Luce was awarded by

The Chicago Athenaeum:
Museum of Architecture
and Design.
AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL
Rave reviews for American walnut
at Geelong Playhouse Theatre
ARCHITECTS STUDIO 101 RENOVATES A THE ATRE IN AUSTR ALIA TO MAKE IT
MORE WELCOMING FOR GUESTS
T
he Playhouse Theatre at the Geelong
Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) in Vic-
toria, Australia, was once a dark and
almost claustrophobic place.
Now rejuvenated, American walnut is key in
a palette of materials rekecting the theatre’s
natural surroundings, and delivering outstand-
ing acoustic properties.
“Nothing much had been done since it (the
theatre) was built about 30 years ago and,
basically, it was just … brown,” said Jill Smith,
general manager, GPAC.
“The physical structure of the venue was
working well, but aesthetically, it was in des-
perate need of some TLC. The seats were falling
apart and there were access compliance issues
in the building.”
The initial brief for architects Studio 101 was
to brighten the space, to make it more welcom-
ing and to look at the acoustics.
“With theatres, you are always conscious of
acoustics - and timber is always a great way of
achieving that,” added Smith.
Confronted by the overwhelming ‘chocolate’
of the existing space, Studio 101 architect,
Richard Wiesbrock, said it would have been
reasonable just to give it a lick of paint and
change the carpets and seats. “Instead, we
chose a solution that became the identity of the
theatre: a heavy emphasis on a walnut jnish
on the seats, sound rekectors, balcony balus-
trades, boxes, doors, and throughout,” he said.
20 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
“Timber presented itself as an opportunity to
give this important 800-seat theatre some life
and get some extra warmth in there.”
It also needed even colour toning that
wouldn’t distract from the performance - some-
thing not too light or too dark.
“Walnut was always in our thinking, but we
had never used it before. We did quite a bit of
research and felt very conjdent we had the cor-
rect material. But the decision was made for us
while we were looking at seating options. They
are such a big thing in theatre design; people
touch and comment on seats before almost
anything else,” added Wiesbrock.
It had already been decided that the up-
holstery would come from local manufacturer
Geelong Textiles, but the search for a suitable
seating mechanism took the specijers to
Colombia. “It just so happened that they had
an overstock of walnut from a big job in the
United States. We had already decided to use
walnut, and that, plus the mid-century design,
inkuenced our thinking,” he said.
“We researched the colour toning, density
and acoustic qualities for the sound dekectors,
and everything was pretty much perfect really.”
Yes, an Australian timber such as blackbutt
or cypress might have been considered, but the
architects say the choice was much more about
‘honesty of expression in materiality’.
“If the timber has a colour, then it should
be represented most of the time as such -
particularly inside. But if you used something
like spotted gum, you would jnish up with
an uneven colour toning of reds, yellows and
browns. Other Australian hardwoods can
become quite lightish, and we didn’t want
bounced or rekected light. Whereas walnut,
with its mid-colour toning and warmth has none
of those issues.”
The nearby Otway Ranges State Forest is
the inspiration for the mid-range tonings,
emphasised by the natural timbers and green
fabric. Splashes of red at the rear add a theatri-
cal touch. All other surfaces were painted out
black to become recessed planes, allowing the
walnut to seemingly ‘push forward’ and interact
with the large spatial volume.
International experts, Marshall Day, recom-
mended acoustic improvements for parallel
downstairs halls, the back of the stage and
www.designmena.com

other pockets. “We needed to rekect the sound
back into the deep recesses of the theatre
for superior audio quality, and the walnut-
veneered sound dekectors have been very
successful,” said Wiesbrock.
Although jnishing and maintaining timber
elements can require a little extra work, Studio
101 says variability was a key factor in the
choice of the walnut: “It is not too inconsistent
and has a nice overall texture, plus each board
has its own texture and colour toning.”
The Geelong-based practice specialises in
timber-based design solutions and is drawn to
wood because 'what you can actually do with it
goes far beyond any other material'. It identijed
the following key benejts American walnut
brought to the GPAC project:
• select grade for visual consistency
• the right durability and hardness for verti-
cal linings and ceiling sofjts (Janka rating 4.5)
• rich, mid-range colour toning and tight,
delicate grain
• a wonderful tactile quality
• harvested from sustainably managed
hardwood forests
• readily available at the time of specijca-
tion in veneer and shiplap cladding
• excellent acoustic properties
• ‘deemed to satisfy’ jre hazard indices.
www.designmena.com
AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL
American walnut veneer was primarily
specijed on the new theatre seating, ceiling-
suspended sound dekectors and the theatre
entry doors. American walnut veneer on 12mm
plywood panels are carefully integrated as
sound dekectors suspended from the theatre
ceiling. The panels dekect sound to the upper
balconies and conceal the service catwalks
above. Along with excellent workmanship,
this allowed the curving form to fold and wrap
underneath to become the ceiling sofjt to the
stalls below, which koats delicately and adds
intimacy to the space. The curving walnut lining
was also meticulously faceted out to dekect
sound and improve acoustics. Elsewhere, se-
lect grade American black walnut shiplap clad-
ding was selected for its beauty and durability
on the balcony balustrade.
Plywood also allowed for a lightweight steel
substructure, reducing costs and construction
time. Screw jxings were set out and expressed
on standardised panels of 1,200mm widths to
reduce waste. This hierarchy of material was PROJECT PARTICULARS
enhanced with the strategic use of LED timber Project: The Playhouse, Geelong Performing
pelmet lighting that washes and highlights the Arts Centre, Australia
timber linings with a beautiful even glow. Description: Public Theatre (interior
“Essentially, the walnut-veneered ply panels refurbishment)
enabled an innovative suspended timber Architect: Studio 101 architects
ceiling element otherwise unachievable with Builder: Kane Constructions
solid timber, and added to the visual honesty Project Manager: GHD
and conceptual integrity of the project,” said Theatre Consultant: Marshall Day Entertech
Wiesbrock. “The consistent expression, detail Acoustics: Marshall Day Acoustics
and underlying conceptual use of timber and Lighting Consultant: Electrolight
the recessed existing wall planes have led to Structural Engineer: Arup
a jnely crafted and well received result in this Wood species: Solid American walnut
high-projle theatre redevelopment.” cladding/capping (balustrades, balcony
The Playhouse refurbishment project has boxes, stalls soffits, door hoods); American
rejuvenated the 800-seat theatre in the Gee- walnut veneer (theatre seating (arms, backs
long Performing Arts Centre bringing a new life and end panels), sound deflectors, doors;
to arts culture in the city. The theatre is now a Atkar plywood acoustic lining.
contemporary, warm, welcoming and exciting Photography: Tony Neilson
venue for performers, patrons and staff alike.
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 21
DESIGNER Q&A

M
ehmet Aktash was born
in London in 1980 after
his parents emigrated
from Northern Cyprus in
the late 1970s. In 1984, they decided to
move to the suburbs and raise a family
away from city life using everything they
had to buy their jrst home.
“I remember the jrst day we moved
like it was yesterday, aged only four
years old, mid-November and not fully
understanding what was going on, I was
led to a cold, wet, damp room in what
turned out to be my bedroom. We had
no central heating, no running hot water
and no carpets. The roof leaked, and
the gaping holes in the walls used to
chill our bones during the night. It was
amazing. We survived on a brown sack
of potatoes each week, second-hand
clothes and relied on family friends to
baby-sit my brother and I while both
parents worked 15-20 hours a day.
“This may sound like a sob story but it
really isn’t. These experiences make me
appreciate the things I have today and
give me the drive I have to keep working
and expanding my career. My biggest
inspiration is my family. My father
started a career as a builder, with noth-
ing other than the skills he possessed,
and created a successful business in
construction; my mother started her
career in textiles, later moving to full-
time education as a mother-of-three
and ultimately completing her teaching
degrees. The house we lived in for many
years was slowly but surely renovated

Turning heads
by my father, became a beautiful home
but also my jrst introduction to what
building and design was about. I knew
from a very young age that this was what
I wanted to do; I wanted to build and
make beautiful homes.
M A RIE- NOELLE “From then on, every home we moved
SWIDERSKI, MD, into, my father would renovate and my
BL A NCH A RD mother would decorate, each becoming
INT ERIOR DE SIGN a project in its own right. I did every-
IS LE AVING DUBA I thing I could to be involved, holding
A F T ER SI X Y E A RS the spirit level, tape measure, joining
A ND PA SSING OVER in meetings with architects or building
T HE HEL M TO HER control during construction phases,
COLLE AGUE MEHME T then helping to select wallpapers, paint
A K TA SH colours, furniture and lighting with my
mother when the time came to decorate.
It was undoubtedly the reason I wanted
to become an interior designer.”

22 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com


Having been born, raised and edu-
cated in the UK, Aktash spent 11 years
working in the UK’s construction and
engineering industry, completing some
of the most iconic and prestigious resi-
dential and commercial projects, includ-
ing London’s infamous Knightsbridge
luxury apartments, Park Lane private
residential suits and The O2 Arena.
“Although this was not the career
path I had planned, I earned a great deal
of experience that ultimately led me to
working with Blanchard Dubai. I have
often asked myself why I did not start
my education in design and continue
into interior design at a younger age,
and the only answer I have is that my
interpretation of an interior designer
was architects; and interior design
education within small communities did
not really exist in the mid-1990s, and to
some degree was not socially expected,
especially among teenagers and the
older generation of a Mediterranean
family, who expected you to become a
doctor or banker.”
Aktash obtained an interior design di-
ploma at London’s KLC School of Design
www.designmena.com
DESIGNER Q&A
1
1
Abu Dhabi penthouse.
2
Abu Dhabi penthouse.
3
Colour and texture
accents in London.
2
3
and joined Blanchard Dubai in 2008. He
joined the team as project coordinator,
managing the synergy between the
architectural/interior design team and
various consultants and contractors.
“In joining Blanchard, I fuljlled my
long-term ambition of being part of a
team creating beautifully detailed, emi-
nently livable yet elegant and timeless
homes. Nearly jve years on, working
closely with the Blanchard team, I
will be taking on the role of managing
director this summer with great pride
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 23
DESIGNER Q&A

4 and honour, continuing the success of

Telegraph show Marie-Noelle Swiderski, who will be
installation. leaving Dubai but will remain a part of
the company. Marie-Noelle has truly
5 believed in my ability and has been my
Hollywood glamour in mentor, colleague and friend.”
central London.
WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON?
6 We currently have several projects. Our
Family lounge Abu longest-standing contract is a private
Dhabi. residence of stately proportions, in
Khawaneej, where we have designed
everything, from the space planning to
the architectural detailing, the art and
4
accessories. It incorporates several ele-
ments in contemporary design, with a
5
classical twist, using a variety of natural
materials and their more contemporary
applications. The second most impor-
tant project is a private villa in Ras Al
Khaimah, for which we designed the
building exterior as well as its interior.
Nothing was spared to provide the
utmost attention to detail, a selection
of up-to-date jnishes and jttings, to
create what promises to be a landmark
residential property. We are also work-
ing on an 800m2 lateral conversion of
two penthouses into one, on the Palm.
This project pushes the boundaries, as
it concentrates an inordinate quantity of
rejnement and sophistication within a
reasonably-sized residence.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT TO DATE

AND WHY?
Since joining Blanchard in 2008, I have
been heavily involved in the design, con- 6

struction and jt-out phases of a highly

unique, technically challenging, yet
beautifully detailed private residential
project. The newly-built 50,000 square
feet villa, in Dubai, has become dear to
my heart for many reasons. It is a true la-
bour of love that I continue to enjoy and
have great pleasure seeing come to life
as each day passes towards completion;
expected in early 2013. This project
was my jrst real introduction to the true
nature and scale of what interior design
within the UAE and Middle East can be
and what can be achieved from one
person’s ideas, vision towards achieving
a tailor-made family home.
After setting foot for the jrst time
on-site, on a barely dry concrete
slab, I knew this was going to be a

24 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

 Glass Fittings and Electronic
Door Control Automatic Movable Walls
Accessories Access Control
DESIGNER Q&A
7 project of epic scale and a testament to
Double height lounge Blanchard’s level of interior design and
Abu Dhabi. commitment; something I knew I wanted
to be a part of immediately.
8 I found my passion for design work-
Chic children’s room. ing on this project. What draws me to
work like this is the design process,
the team designing and detailing every
corner possible, building a scheme, idea
and vision in your mind that you feel
so strongly about and believe in. It is
this feeling, this excitement that drives
me to see a project to completion and
perfection, knowing the clients’ expec-
tations will be exceeded far beyond ever
imagined when implemented.
26 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
7
8 frustrating. Other challenging aspects of
From the start, it was clear my techni-
cal background experience and knowl-
edge would be put to the test.
This type of testing, due to the
complexity of the design and contractor
interface, remains undoubtedly reward-
ing while it also provides a wealth of
knowledge in return.
Almost closing on jve years since the
contract began I have seen its highs
and lows, built strong relationships
with widely varied cultures that would
generally not come together, and I was
able to share my experiences, joys and
tears in the same goal of collaborating
to complete an amazing project.
WHAT IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING
ABOUT YOUR JOB AND WHY?
People’s attitude towards interior
design is undermined greatly within the
UAE. Views have changed over the past
few years, as people’s perceptions of
what an interior designer is and should
be changes, but, it is still very early in
many ways as a society to understand
the benejts and advantages of using an
interior design professional.
Over the past 15 years, the UAE, and
Dubai in particular, has been at the fore-
front of design and design technology at
a commercial, retail level, fast exposing
people to the ideas of design/designers
without fully understanding the level
of professional resources, education,
coordination and detailing required for
any given project.
It is this lack of understanding and ap-
preciation for interior design that I jnd
this relate to retail suppliers within the
industry re-structuring their business
model in keeping with economic times
and growing competitors, to offer a
‘quick jx’ or limited design service that I
jnd misleads and miscommunicates the
true nature of a professional company.
This is not a concern of competitivity, as
each offering has its place and different
standards of service. My concerns lie
in the portrayal of a design service by
retail outlets to the mass population.
We are often faced with problems when
proposals are submitted to clients,
based on a set scope of works, and the
client cannot appreciate the time scales,
costs and commitments involved and
understandably so, when design is
being portrayed as something less of
a service. That said, it is very much the
responsibility of the design community
to raise awareness and help overcome
these issues. Exhibitions like INDEX are
great platforms for this and working with
organisers on show features allows end
users to see how a professional interior
design company works.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOME-
ONE WHO WANTS A CAREER IN INTERIOR
DESIGN?
I have always been very open and sup-
portive towards anyone who is looking
to change or begin a career in design.
www.designmena.com

Blanchard continually supports local
and international education centres or
universities each year with our intern-
ship programme. It is a professional
design company’s duty to develop up-
and-coming designers as it keeps you
in touch with new ideas, continuing to
educate ourselves through others.
Having come from a working class
background, with little education until
later in life and further into my own ca-
reer, I found it extremely important to be
able to work with others that I could con-
tinually learn from and who were willing
to teach. Having reached the point when
I can start to live out my ambitions I feel
I am now in a position to help others.
My advice is don’t give up on what
you believe in; there are always, options
for you to achieve your goals. I am living
proof of this and interior design has
changed my life in so many ways. Design
opens many possibilities and directions
that will only expand your creative mind
www.designmena.com
9 show you can.
and key working skills that can be used
in life experiences as well as in your
chosen career.
Speaking from my own experience, it
is important to express your ideas even
when this does not come naturally to
you or you feel your ideas are not good
enough; you have to push yourself and
the boundaries of design but fully un-
derstand possibilities by exploring uses
of different materials.
More often than not, professionals
jnd themselves so caught up in their
own design that it becomes over-engi-
neered, un-buildable and over budget.
It is realising these mistakes and being
able to take a step back that sets apart a
well-rounded designer.
As the industry grows, more career
opportunities are available and created
to suit the needs of projects or company
requirements. You do not have to be
an interior designer to work within the
profession, the industry requires many
DESIGNER Q&A
10
skill sets such as project management 9
or CAD technician, and 3D renders, that Central London listed
all contribute to the profession. building.
People should not be put off by the
idea of working in this industry just be- 10
cause they have not done it before or do Rejnement in detail
not know how to, you just have to trust and craftsmanship.
you are capable of learning something
new and give everything you have to
WHAT’S NEXT?
To really continue what Blanchard has
successfully been doing for the past six
years in the Middle East and past 25
years in London; to focus on design ex-
cellence, and beautifully detailed, time-
less and elegant tailor-made homes.
It is important for me that we do not
detract from who we are, what makes
our designs successful, and our ability
to set ourselves apart from others. It is
so easy to ‘follow the grain’ and take the
easy route out, but at what cost to the
project and the client? In design there
should be no compromises and what
Blanchard provides is peace of mind for
our clients, in our ability to profession-
ally undertake, coordinate, manage and
complete projects in the best practice
and highest standard possible.
It is this focus and dedication that we
will continue to dedicate to our clients
and the reasons why they put their faith
and trust in us.
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 27
 HP recommends Windows® 7 Professional.

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 CASE STUDY : WA INTERNATIONAL

Far East
WA INT ERN AT ION A L IS INSPIRED
BY T HE F I VE ELEMENT S OF WOOD,
F IRE , WAT ER , E A RT H A ND ME TA L TO
DE SIGN A HOT EL INF LUENCED BY
A NCIENT CI VILISAT IONS

T
he Asiana Hotel, in Deira,
is owned by two entrepre-
neurs, who own bespoke
interior jt-out companies
in the UAE. WA International worked
with the partners on other hotel proj-
ects over the years and because of
their relationship, was asked to cre-
ate the interiors for its new venture.
The project took three years to
complete, with Joey Samera, associ-
ate, WA International heading the
design team.
1 “The client’s brief was to create a
contemporary fusion of Far Eastern
hospitality by incorporating various
regions of Asia in the hotel. Situated
in one of Dubai’s oldest areas Deira,
the venue was designed to appeal
to the Asian business and leisure
market, as well as the Western client
who has an appreciation of 5-star
Asian hospitality,” said Claire Craig,
design director, WA International.
“We wanted to draw upon the
inkuences of the ancient civilisa-
tions across the Far East region so
we brought together the jve ele-
ments – wood, jre, water, earth and
metal – and introduced them into the

www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 29

CASE STUDY : WA INTERNATIONAL

2 3

1 reception, guestrooms and other public 4

Spa treatment room. areas. By fusing these themes with con-

temporary design principles we created
2 a number of unique spaces and focal
Oasis Lobby Lounge. points. Upon entering the lobby, the 12
metre back wall, adjacent to the recep-
3 tion features huge Asian lilies embossed
Sonamu restaurant. in plaster. Teak wood and bamboo are
generously used throughout the recep-
4 tion and lobby.”
Spa sauna & steam Craig said the preserved trees in
room. the reception are evergreens imported
from Korea while hundreds of glass
bubbles koat throughout the space
representing the heavy tropical rains of
Asia. The team continued to incorporate
numerous water features in the public
areas, carrying the tropical rain theme
throughout the space and creating an
almost Asian garden ambience.
The 136-guest rooms carry an throughout Asia are used to separate In each of these outlets, the walls and
element of oriental elegance into the the bath giving privacy when required in koors of wood and stone are reminiscent
interiors with transparency and simplic- the suites. The glass screens and divid- of the sea, the landscape and ethnicities
ity, with horizontal and vertical lines ers are etched with a delicate oriental of the cuisine.
balancing each other – Yin & Yang. pattern,” she added. Ancient artefacts and authentic
“Blending warm colours such as red Although the majority of the jt-out Asian art decorate the surfaces of
and olive, the rooms are suitably neutral and furniture was crafted and built in each restaurant. Sculptures from the
adding a touch of the orient with dark the UAE some pieces were sourced from ancient Terracotta Army stand on pillars
wood furniture and glass screens, divid- the Far East. overlooking Jade restaurant, while the
ing the bathroom and bedroom. These Asiana boasts jve restaurants rang- Chinese restaurant’s four private dining
glazed screens create an open-plan feel ing from Japanese to Chinese, seafood, rooms are adorned by panels featuring
and allow natural light to enter the bath- Filipino and Korean cuisine, as well as a Chu Chi style poetry, an ancient mix of
room. Sliding screens commonly used rooftop barbecue and pool venue. prose and verse.

30 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com


Ancient poetry has also been trans-
posed into a decorative piece of art in
the hotel's Korean restaurant, Sonamu.
A collection of backlit glass panels
are scribed with 15th century Korean
poems, while full size and miniature
authentic pine trees from the country
add an element of nature.
Japanese restaurant Hanabi incorpo-
rates Japanese traditions such as Bonsai
and Samurai swords as well as wall
displays showcasing authentic Japanese
Kimonos and Obis. An informal sushi
bar is juxtaposed by the four private
dining rooms, which combine a mix of
bamboo and slate with formal seating
and a drop koor, giving the illusion of
traditional Japanese koor cushions.
Distinctive design features across the
venue’s remaining outlets include the
stacked timber block wall in SeaWorld,
the seafood restaurant and galaxy jbre
optic lighting in the Boracay nightclub.
www.designmena.com
CASE STUDY : WA INTERNATIONAL
5 7
6 8
One of the challenges the design
team faced was the site location.
Both Samera and Craig, who are both
architects, were brought in during the
early stages to do a lot of concept work,
such as the master planning and façade
treatments. Asiana is wrapped around
an existing building so to ensure an im-
pressive frontage to the hotel the main
entrance and porte-cochere is located everything. They are also keen travellers 5
on the side road rather than on the busy and were able to source sculptures, Superior King
Salahuddin main road. artwork and lighting during their trips guestroom.
Another restriction was that because back and forth to the Far East.
Asiana is close to Dubai Airport, build- “We have designed a lot of Asian 6
ings in this area have height restrictions. restaurants but this is our jrst Asian SeaWorld seafood
Therefore, it was a challenge for the themed hotel and we are really pleased restaurant.
team to jt the correct number of rooms with the results.”
and the desired number of outlets into WA International is currently working 7
the building. on two 5-star ski resort hotels in Shah- Junior suite.
“In terms of sourcing, we had no is- dag, in Azerbajan, a three hour drive
sues whatsoever,” said Craig. from Baku, and is developing a whole 8
“The clients own jt-out companies ski resort which it hopes to complete in Jade Chinese
in the UAE so they were able to produce 18-months time. restaurant.
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 31
IlBagnoAlessi One (sanitary ware, bath tubs, shower enclosure and furniture) is produced and distributed by Laufen Bathrooms under License of Alessi Spa Italy

HEART MADE.
HAND FINISHED.
LAUFEN bathrooms are created with Swiss precision and high quality demands.
Combined with the love for detail, exceptional bathroom concepts come to life:
ILBAGNOALESSI One, design by Stefano Giovannoni

LAUFEN SHOWROOMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Kuwait: Enterprises Sanitary Ware & Cont. Co. W.L.L. +965 2261 7175/6 entersanitary@gmail.com
Lebanon: Georges Nassr +9611 482 462 georgesnassr@georgesnassr.com
Oman: Ahmed Mohsin Trading L.L.C. +968 248 17 019 sware@amtoman.com
Saudi Arabia: Articasa +96 6 2252 4402 (Jeddah), +96 6 1480 0720 (Riyadh) info@articasa.com.sa
United Arab Emirates: German Home for Bathrooms & Kitchens +971 4 268 9993 info@germanhome.net
Yemen: Al Dhayani Est. For General Trading +967 1 236 182 dhayanicorp@yemen.net.ye
 SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

BATHROOM
SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
T
he importance of
the bathroom sector
in interior design is
increasing, with the
INDEX International Design
Exhibition launching the jrst
dedicated Kitchen & Bathroom
sub-category at its show in 2011.
According to statistics released
by the organisers, dmg :: events,
17% of visitors to INDEX 2011
worked on projects involving
kitchen and bathroom jttings.
Muhammed Kazi, who was the
project manager at INDEX Kitchen
& Bathroom 2011, was happy with
the show’s result in its jrst year.
“In the past, INDEX had a
great level of interest from the
kitchen and bathroom industry
to feature a dedicated section, so
the decision was an easy one for
us, as we are backed by leading
international brands and manu-
facturers,” he said.
“The show’s design-led
positioning has now boosted its
status amongst suppliers and
buyers, providing them with the
ultimate ‘one stop shop’ for the
latest trends and themes in the
kitchen and bathroom sector.”
Roca showcased its Armani/
Roca bathroom concept at the
show. Victor Schoone, country
manager, Roca Sanitario said:
“INDEX Kitchen & Bathroom
proved to be the right place to
showcase our new bathroom
concept. The number of visitors
was satisfactory with most being
professional designers from the
UAE and abroad.”
Among trends in bathrooms,
usage of ceramics, tiles and wall-
papers is prevalent.
Stefan Schmied, managing
director and head of Gulf region,
Geberit, spoke to Commercial In-
terior Design about upcoming and
current trends in bathrooms.
Schmied explained the rela-
tionship between acoustics and
interior design of a bathroom.
“Building quality has dramatically
improved so acoustics within
buildings is of utmost importance.
People now look to upgrade and
renovate bathrooms using acous-
tic pipes and quiet jll valves in
the toilet cisterns which allow
acoustic levels in living spaces to
be reduced dramatically.”
In 2011, there was a movement
towards sanitary areas being as
aesthetic as other rooms in the
space. Schmied said this trend
will continue with an extra empha-
sis on using technology.
“Sanitary is increasingly disap-
pearing behind the wall with
pre-wall technology, installation
is faster and creates appealing,
aesthetic living spaces. Bath-
rooms now have sleek smooth
lines, surface-even products and
digitalisation of products is also
having a big impact in today’s
modern bathroom with innova-
tive new technology emerging
forward,” he added.
Designers, thinking about
sustainability, are using technol-
ogy to promote water and energy
savings, with LED bathroom light-
ing, smart heaters and faucets
that help save water.
With trends moving forward in
the world of bathroom design,
Commercial Interior Design
speaks to bathroom suppliers you
should know.

www.designmena.com Commercial
CommercialInterior
InteriorDesign
Design| APRIL
| JULY 2012 35

By Stefan Schmied, managing director
& head of Gulf region
Tell us about your company?
Geberit has led the sanitary and piping
sectors in sustainability for decades
and proves economic growth and long-
term successful business is compatible
with environmentally friendly, social ac-
tion. Begining with R&D of its products
to daily use and responsible recycling,
Geberit products are durable and eco-
logically efjcient, and signijcantly help
lower water consumption.
What projects have you worked on?
With over 25 years in the region, Ge-
berit is present in numerous projects.
Selections of recent ones are: Jabal
Omar Mecca with the Conrad, Hilton,
Hyatt and Marriott Hotels, KSA; King
Abdulla Financial District, KSA; New
York University, Abu Dhabi; Rocco Forte
Hotel, Abu Dhabi; Mafraq Hospital, Abu
Dhabi; Salam Tower, Dubai; Jumeirah
Park Villas, Dubai.
What sets you apart?
Geberit leads the way to provide water
solutions with reduced consump-
tion, energy saving, low-noise and
durable products which enable kexible
construction and correspond to sus-
tainable building standards, reducing
carbon footprint in manufacturing
whilst never sacrijcing design quality.
www.designmena.com
SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Geberit
Its products are easy to install, easy to
maintain and have a long life-cycle. The
jrm focuses highly on training and has
staff on the ground in the GCC region
to ensure when it supplies to a project,
Geberit’s technical consultants assist
with training the MEP contractor’s
workforce on site. Geberit spare parts
are available for 25 years even after
product lines are discontinued.
Any news?
Its latest products excited the markets
at exhibitions in Milan, Italy and Bir-
mingham, UK. Winning universal praise
was the new Sigma80 actuator plate,
with a shiny black or metal-coated
glass plate that appears to koat in front
of the wall, which utilises touchless
technology. Introducing the touchless
Geberit lavatory taps type 185 and 186
with generator (SSPS) — environmen-
tally friendly products awarded with
the WELL label that ensure economical
water and power consumption in a sus-
tainable way. The Monolith for Bidets
rounds off the Geberit Monolith family.
This sanitary module can be combined
with most koor-standing or wall-hung
bidet ceramic appliances.
Contact details?
UAE: +971 4 447 0914
KSA: +966 2 668 3468
Kuwait: +965 6 672 8102
Qatar: +974 4 495 4605
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 37
SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Delta Faucet
By Ross Jackson, general manager
Tell us about your company?
Founded in 1954, Delta Faucet Company
is a worldwide leader in faucets and
related accessories selling products in
more than 53 countries. As a company
that delivers water every day to residen-
tial and commercial buildings, the jrm
places a high priority on products that
address environmental concerns, such
as water conservation and water quality.
What sets you apart?
Innovative technologies, proven durabil-
ity and functionality, and a wide spec-
trum of styles and designs. The jrm
continually develops products with tech-
nologies creating smart solutions for
the bathroom and kitchen. The Diamond
Valve has a cartridge that requires no lu-
brication, eliminates wear on seals and
ensures “like new” operation enabling
a lifetime guarantee on the cartridge. In
2008, Delta Faucet introduced Touch2O
Technology on the Pilar pull-down kitch-
en faucet. Touch2O Technology allows
the user to turn the water on and off
with just a tap anywhere on the spout
or handle making it easier to turn on the
38 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
water kow when hands are messy or
turn off the water when it is not needed
between tasks, potentially saving water.
It also helps keep the faucet cleaner
while helping to reduce the potential for
cross-contamination.
Best-selling products?
Proximity Sensing Technology leads the
way in commercial washrooms, with
its easy operation and reliable perfor-
mance. Touch2O Technology continues
to prove popular with customers who
want to conserve water. Its extensive
range of contemporary bathroom and
kitchen products continues to prove
popular throughout the region.
What’s new?
2012 sees an extension to the range
of showering products utilising Delta’s
H2Okinetic Technology. The jrm also
introduced new bathroom ranges, Com-
pel, Trinsic, Cassidy, and Talon and in
the kitchen, the Fuse Collection.
How do we contact you?
www.deltafaucet.com
MiddleEast@deltafaucet.com
+971 50 122 9906
www.designmena.com

Laufen
By Ivan Zupanovic, head of
international project sales & export
Tell us about your company?
Founded 120 years ago as a pottery
factory, the Laufen brand took its name
from the small Swiss town where it is
based and has since developed into
a signijcant global manufacturer of
bathroom ceramics, producing beauti-
fully crafted ceramics, furniture and
brassware. Offering a holistic approach
to bathroom design, Laufen offers a
whole range that draws inspiration
from contemporary trends in architec-
ture and lifestyle. Working with some of
Europe’s leading architects and design-
ers, the jrm offers complete bathrooms
designed from the faucet to the bathtub
as well as modular concepts that can be
integrated into any bathroom space.
What sets you apart?
As well as investing in product develop-
ment, Laufen has also developed a
business infrastructure that has made
it into a global brand, with an export
team that ensures its products and high
levels of customer service can be en-
joyed the world over. Our latest product
designs cater for the requirement for
customisation and individualisation in
the bathroom, and offer huge opportu-
nities for the Middle East market, where
there is a strong focus on luxury and
uniqueness in the bathroom.
www.designmena.com
SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Best-selling products?
For the commercial market in the Mid-
dle East, bathroom design very much
focuses on creating luxurious, spa-like
environments. With this in mind, collec-
tions such as our Il Bagno Alessi One
range which features elegant curves
and statement pieces in its Tam Tam
freestanding basin, Tuna countertop
basin and oval bathtub are proving par-
ticularly popular in this market. Other
best-sellers include our Palacewash
basin which has an extended counter-
top space and an easy to wipe clean
surface, while a simple ceramic slab
below the washbasin provides a practi-
cal yet stylish open shelving area.
What’s new?
Just launched is the new 2012 Palomba
Collection which includes a bathtub,
eight washbasins and a series of co-
ordinating accessories. The various
pieces are designed to be mixed and
matched to suit the particular require-
ments of the bathroom enabling a truly
individual look to be achieved.
Laufen has also recently welcomed
a new designer on board in the form
of Toan Nguyen, who has developed
an innovative water-saving urinal and
divider known as Antero and Cinto.
How do we contact you?
+44(0) 61 765 76 11
www.laufen.com
Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 39
SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Bagno Design
By Calum Stewart, group sales and
marketing director
Tell us about your company?
Bagno Design, a member of the
Sanipex Group, is a market leading
supplier of quality bathrooms, tiles
and plumbing materials. We have four
showrooms in the UAE and over 20
showrooms worldwide. With our state-
of-the-art logistics centre in the Jebel
Ali Free Zone covering a koor area
of 8,300m2 and the capacity to hold
6,614 pallets, this facility strengthens
our client relationships further, ensur-
ing that product supply whether for a
large project, or an individual client, is
delivered on time. It also strengthens
our capability to deliver to new mar-
kets across the region.
What sets you apart?
Firstly we focus on relationships not
transactions. We work with our cus-
tomers for the entire life of the project,
from design specijcation right the way
through to post-installation support.
Secondly, we have the widest range
of products available from a single
supplier enabling us to meet customer
needs irrespective of design aesthet-
ics and budgetary constraints.
Thirdly, our logistics centre located in
the Jebel Ali Free Zone enables us to
deliver to customer what they want,
when they want it.
40 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design
Best-selling products?
Stone and natural materials are in-
creasingly used in the bathrooms and
our collections of freestanding baths
and basins in these materials are prov-
ing to be very popular.
Bathrooms are increasingly viewed
as an area of relaxation and re-
invigoration and our Bagno Design
whirlpools and recently launched
Bagno Design spa and mirror TVs are
in great demand, both in the retail and
project segments.
What’s new?
On the product front we are currently
introducing under the Bagno Design
label, a signature collection of sanitar-
yware, mixers and bathroom furniture,
all exclusively made in Italy.
Regarding new locations, in May 2012
we opened a Design Centre in Qatar.
This new concept replicates a Bagno
Design showroom, but is exclusively
for architects, interior designers and
other industry-related clients.
This concept is being replicated in Lon-
don in July 2012, when we open our
Design Centre in Clerkenwell, a district
of London that is home to over 2,000
architects and interior designers.
How do we contact you?
info@bagnodesign.org
+971 4 507 6000
www.bagnodesign.org
www.designmena.com
 PRODUCTS

New on the market

SATELLITE
Absorb noise with these amoeba-looking acoustic pan-
els designed by Jon Gasca, and add an extra pizzazz to
any space. Satellite panels are jxed to the wall at two
different depths, in order to play with the shapes and
conceal them under each other. The acoustic panels
are made with noise-reduction foam, cladded onto a
wooden board and covered with fabrics from the STUA
collection. The back part of the panels is upholstered
to give it better noise-behaviour. The piece comes with
an easy suspension system that allows the product to
rotate once jxed.

STUA
+34 943 330 188
www.stua.com

www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design | JULY 2012 41

PRODUCTS

GROHE POWER&SOUL
The Grohe Power&Soul showers allow users
to account for different showering moods
and needs. This includes choices from the
Power Spray with active massage or the Soul
spray for a soft rejuvenating spray. Designs
range from minimalist modern Cosmopolitan
features to organically shaped showers in
Contemporary style, or nostalgic models
in a traditional Authentic shape. It includes
showers with diameters of 100, 130 and 160
millimetres, and has up to four different spray
nozzles. The product uses a technology called
Grohe AquaDirect, that allows users to select
the desired spray pattern by the push of a but-
ton located at the back of the hand shower.

GROHE
+9714 347 0334
www.grohe.com

FLOATING GARDEN

Budapest designer Gabriella Aztalos has created

hanging kower pots called “Floating Garden”. Due
to the 3D effect caused by the koating, the objects
manage to emphasise the spaces in every room. It
provides a way to decorate any space with plants
and kowers, in an elegant way. The Floating Gar-
den is not only a functional, but also an aesthetic,
contemporary item. The designer claims it is the
perfect balance provided by the combination of the
feminine shapes and masculine materials in one
minimalistic design.

GABRIELLA AZTALOS
info@asztalos.com
www.asztalos.com
PRODUCTS

DEER CHAIR
As part of the celebrations for its 90th anniversary,
Marzorati Ronchetti presents a chair designed by
Antonio Pio Saracino. The chair, launched during the
last Salone del Mobile at the Galleria Rossana Or-
landi in Milan, is produced in two different versions:
mirror-polished stainless steel and acid-treated car-
bon steel. Its shape is reminiscent of a ribcage and
antlers of a stag. Made of a single bended and rolled
plate, it is produced in a limited edition of 15 pieces.

MARZORATI RONCHETTI
+9714 319 9973
www.marzoratironchetti.it

BRITON COMPACT
DOOR OPER ATOR

The Briton Compact Door Operator for sliding

doors has been launched by Ingersoll Rand Secu-
rity Technologies. It is a self-contained electro-
mechanical drive unit ideal for surface-applied
applications of both new and existing sliding
doors; it combines simple functionality with subtle
elegance and robust construction. Manufactured
in high-grade extruded aluminum, the low-projle
design is suitable for use with most commercial ar-
chitectural systems, with an overall height of 10.5
cm and projection of 13cm. The unit is supplied
with a secure digital keypad.

INGERSOLL RAND
+9714 308 4286
www.britonautos.ae

44 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

PRODUCTS

SO.

SO., THG’s latest series, represents a collaboration between the brand and French designer Olivier Gossart, best known for his dramatic hotel and
residential interiors. Combining a traditional shape with a modern material, SO. puts a spin on a long-time favourite. The retro-modern waterfall
spout is paired with Gossart’s updated vision of faucet handles — elegant clear glass cubes laser-engraved with “Chaud” (French for ‘hot’) and
“Froid” (French for ‘cold’) — bringing a high-tech, whimsical touch to the bath. With 35 hand-polished jnishes, the suite is completed with a new
integrated thermostatic shower system, a Roman tub jller with integrated progressive-mixing hand shower, and a line of modernist accessories.

THG
+1 954 425 8225
www.thgstyle.com

METROPOLIS
Interface launched its product collection, Metrop-
olis, at La Triennale di Milano during Milan Design
Week 2012. Housed in the historic La Triennale,
the exhibition focused on the topical themes of
‘apocalypse’ and ‘rebirth’ that inkuenced the
design of the new collection. One-third of the Me-
tropolis collection (15 modern designs) contains
100% recycled yarn made from industrial waste
sources, such as used jshing nets and yarn from
used carpet tiles, recycled through Interface’s Re-
Entry 2.0 take-back programme.

INTERFACE
+9714 399 6934
www.interfacemiddleeast.com

46 JULY 2012 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

 OPINION
B
oudoir Prestige is an invite-only, two-
day business meeting and networking
event for people in the interior design
and hospitality industry. It will see
50 suppliers from around the world take part
in a ‘speed-dating’ style of format with chat
sessions, held for a minimum of 20 minutes
each, at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Dubai Creek, from
September 17-18, this year.
Companies who have conjrmed their atten-
dance include: Lelievre, fabrics; Tisserant and
Charles Paris, lighting manufacturers; Daum/
Haviland, French porcelain and crystal; and Ki-
netura, Belgian architect and product designer.
There is also a strong contigency from Italy
with 20 suppliers from the Monza region.
The guestlist includes 50 people from the F&B
industry, hotel procurement, interior architects
and designers, retail managers, and yacht
interior designers. They are all selected for the
potential of their future projects and their signij-
cant purchasing power.
This is the jrst time an event like this has
been held in Dubai. It is organised by Informa
Exhibitions and partnered with EPV (Entreprise
du Patrimoine Vivant), Faubourg Design and
APID (Association of Professional Interior De-
signers) in Dubai.
It is not the jrst time the company has organ-
ised events in the UAE. It held the b2b Spameet-
ing Middle East in Dubai, last October, for busi-
nesses in the spa and wellness sector, and this
will again take place at the Yas Viceroy Hotel, in
Abu Dhabi, from November 27-28, 2012.
The aim of the event is to give companies a
chance to present themselves to the market
here. It’s an interesting concept for brands that
want to target the Middle East because they will
be able to meet professionals face-to-face, look-
ing for the right buyers for their target market.
As it’s only held for two days it won’t take a
lot of time out of people’s work schedule. As a
new business starting out, this type of event is
Boudoir
Prestige
BY M AGGIE MOORE
invaluable for making the right contacts.
I have lived in Dubai for 15 years and worked
at dmg events for 12 years, I was event director
at The Hotel Show for six years and that brought
me into contact with the design sector in this re-
gion. The Hotel sector is of particular interest to
me because it was here we were able to develop
our reputation within this sector through the
Seven Star Conference that brought ‘designers
as speakers’, such as Karim Rashid, Paola
Navone, Gandia Blasco and Marco Piva, to
Dubai. Because of the nature of the conference,
we were able to further develop our connections
with the world of technology as it is involved in
the future of the hospitality industry and this,
combined with our contacts and networking
within the design sector, allowed us to discuss
trends and developments in this area.
At Boudoir Prestige, seating will be arranged
in desks around a centerpiece stand. It is not a
tradeshow. The rest of the format is based on
feedback we received from hoteliers and the
design community.
The overall impression we got was there
was a longing for a novelty in the sector and an
actual need for quality from suppliers. We select
the participants according to the designer’s spe-
cijc needs so that the participants save time in
prospect calls, and follow-ups before reaching
the right person. Each supplier that comes
along gets a minimum of 18 meetings and they
can select who they want to meet.
Each session will last 20 minutes, which is
enough time to start a business relationship. It
helps participants to focus on what’s important Prior to and after the event, we follow the
in their products and projects. There are plenty development of each participant. We give com-
of networking opportunities during Boudoir pany heads the opportunity to announce their
Prestige. We organise a cocktail evening before presence towards project holders, and they in
the event to get to know each other, an event turn brief us on what they are working on. This in-
directory, then there are coffee breaks, lunches, formation is key to the development of the show.
and dinner. It is the perfect opportunity to chat
socially about your company and a good way to Maggie Moore, event director, Boudoir Prestige
connect with interior designers. interior design, www.boudoirprestige.com
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