commercial interior design 201001

Interior designCOM

MER

CIAL

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

Licensed by International Media Production Zone

January 2010 Vol.6 Issue 1

The essential guide for Middle East interior design professionals

An IT

P Business PublicationCO

MM

ERCIALInterior design

Jan Vol.6 Issue 1

ROSS LOVEGROVECatching up with the champion of intelligent, organic design

BEST OF BAHRAINExploring market opportunities on the island of Bahrain

Art and crystal collide in a brand new retail concept by SwarovskiArt and crystal collide in a brand new retail concept by SwarovskiALL EYES ON YOU

www.constructionweekonline.com Commercial Interior Design January 2010 1

CONTENTS

January 2010

27

06 DESIGN UPDATESporting success.

INDUSTRY SPEAKLeading designers outline their projections for the coming year.

DESIGN FORENSICSWhy the Rivington Grill is an example of great design.

WHITEPAPERExclusive extracts from Kenneth Laidler’s paper on the continual assessment of interior designers.

DESIGNER Q&ACID gets up close and personal with the champion of organic design, Ross Lovegrove.

CASE STUDYSwarovski unveils a new retail concept in the heart of Vienna.

DESTINATION FOCUSCID takes a closer look at the Bahraini market.

SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOWA handful of ooring suppliers that you can’t afford to ignore.

PRODUCTSA showcase of new products.

CLASSIFIEDSCID’s own directory of suppliers and manufacturers.

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

OPINIONModar Al Mekdad of Gulf Extrusions outlines the merits of extruded aluminium.

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COMMENT

It’s probably safe to say that no one’s sorry to see the back of 2009. It was a year brimming with uncertainty, instability, caution and contradiction. For the region’s interior design industry, it was a year

steeped in setbacks. Overheads remained steady while design fees plummeted. Clients

became more demanding, but less likely to commit – or pay on time. ‘Value engineering’ became an unavoidable and inextricable part of the design lexicon. Unsightly squabbling over contractual small print grew increasingly commonplace. And a summer exodus combined with Ramadan to wipe out the best part of a quarter.

All in all, not the best of years. But when we spoke to some of the region’s leading interior design rms for this month’s Industry Speak (page 9), we sensed an inkling of con dence creeping back on to the market. Nothing dramatic, of course, but de nitely the feeling that 2010 might bring some stability in its wake.

The past year has forced companies (the smart ones, anyway), to reassess who they are, what they do, and how they do it. Any interior design rm worth its salt has spent the last year taking a long hard look in the mirror. Maybe that’s the great lesson of 2009: know your-self, celebrate your strengths, do not shy from your weaknesses.

As an upshot of all this introspection, many rms have come int0 2010 smarter, leaner and far more agile. And maybe, just maybe, the industry is better off as a result – no matter what the balance sheets say. After all, as the straight-talking Ross Lovegrove pointed out in an exclusive interview with CID (page 17): “Things needed to become more ef cient. They were terribly obese”.

Selina Denman, [email protected]

BATTLING OBESITY

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ol.5 Issue 9Septem

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Interior design

COM

MER

CIAL

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

Licensed by International Media Production Zone

January 2010 Vol.6 Issue 1

The essential guide for Middle East interior design professionals

An IT

P Business Publication

CIALInteriordesign

Jan Vol.6 Issue 1

ROSS LOVEGROVECatching up with the pioneer

of intelligent, organic design

BEST OF BAHRAINExploring market opportunities

on the island of Bahrain

Art and crystal collide in a brand new retail concept by Swarovski

Art and crystal collide in a brand new retail concept by SwarovskiALL EYES ON YOU

Registered at Dubai Media CityPO Box 500024, Dubai, UAETel: 00 971 4 210 8000 Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080Web: www.itp.comOffices in Dubai & London

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DESIGN UPDATE

6 Commercial Interior Design January 2010 www.constructionweekonline.com

Sporting successIn light of last month’s Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, CID speaks to John Rabone of R&R Design about the challenges of designing a world-class stadium from scratch

UAE: Converting a patch of desert into a multi-purpose stadium capable of hosting a world-class sporting event – over a period of only 18 months – is no straight-forward task.

When R&R Design was brought on board to prepare visuals for Emirates Airlines’ IRB World Cup 7s bid, the intention was to stage the event at the existing ‘Exiles’ site. This would be extended to include two new pitches, a back-to-back

stand with 15,000 seats, a multi-storey car park and a medical/press block, all in time for the IRB World Cup in March 2008. In terms of a time frame, they were already cutting it thin.

Soon after, and somewhat out of the blue, it transpired that the existing Exiles site was in fact going to be demolished to make room for the impressive Meydan develop-ment. For all involved, this pre-sented a whole new set of issues.

“We now had 18 months, no site and one of Dubai’s biggest global annual events to stage,” noted John Rabone, managing director of R&R Design, and lead designer on the project. “By the end of June 2006 a site on the Al Ain road had been located and a new brief had been de ned by Emirates. Initially we needed to get two pitches ready by February 2007 for the local rugby teams to use, as the Exiles ground was due

to close in December 2006,” he explained. “By the end of July, we had the draft masterplan and ini-tial concept sketches of the main buildings complete.

“The Al Ain road site was now a vast area of desert with no power or water available, and the development was to consist of six rugby pitches, a clubhouse for local teams, including 12 changing rooms, a bar and banquet hall, a grandstand to seat 15,000 and

Commercial Interior Design January 2010 7

DESIGN UPDATE

www.constructionweekonline.com

contain ten world-class changing rooms, and VIP facilities, including executive boxes,” Rabone said.

The aim was to create a facility that would lend itself to most major sports. It had to be able to comfort-ably host intimate ‘local’ events, as well as large-scale, international sporting extravaganzas.

“The design, whilst being a functional day-to-day venue for local rugby, netball and football, which caters for around 2,000 people some nights, also had to be designed around the running of the Sevens and be able to cater for 50,000+ spectators.”

Emirates wanted the new site to retain the feel of the old Exiles 7’s venue, whilst simultaneously

representing a ‘step up’. The club-house, for example, blends ‘old rugby club charm’ with contempo-rary chic. Warm, vibrant colours are combined with high-end nish-ings and xtures.

A members club was put on hold until February this year and will consist of a gymnasium, sports hall, four squash courts, a res-taurant, a health spa, kid’s gym, crèche, dance studios, a 50m lap pool, outdoor pool and bar, jacuzzi and four tennis courts.

The extremely condensed timeline had a signi cant impact on how the project unfolded. “A timeline like this means there’s no real review time. It’s discuss the problem, make the change and

build it. I’d be a liar if I said there weren’t mistakes but this is the inevitable fact given the speed of the project,” Rabone said.

“The main change in the design was, after the costs were found to be unrealistic, we decided to only construct the lower tier of the grandstand, with the option to build the upper tiers in the future,” he noted.

One of the most striking features of the overall design, according to Rabone, is a central, grass bank that anks pitch two. “When we looked at the master plan, we wanted to create a family feel to the area between pitch one and two, where you can relax, meet friends and just escape the

grandstands for an hour or so. “When looking at the concept I’d just returned from the cricket World Cup and had seen the successful grass bank in Antigua where they’d even incorporated a small pool for fans to cool off,” Rabone revealed.

“This was a big in uence when we created the banking around pitch two where fans could sit and enjoy the games in an informal at-mosphere. Its incorporation would also allow the pitch to be used for concerts,” he continued.

“Seeing the response at the Sev-ens and World Cup to this area was really pleasing – and for once I new exactly where to nd my 14 year olds when it was time to leave!”

INDUSTRY SPEAK


Fortunately, the nal quarter of the year brought some respite. A slight pick up injected an inkling of stability back into the market and has left interior design rms marginally more upbeat as they move into the New Year.

“Quarter four was optimistic, and we saw an increase in enquiries and new business. Existing clients were also making decisions that were previously on hold. We anticipate that 2010 will bring much the same as quarter three and four of 2009. The summer months will be down, but the year ahead in general should be much more consistent than 2009,” said Corrigan.

“We are more con dent, but very cau-tious at the same time. 2009 was incred-ibly unpredictable, and we seem to be returning to a (albeit still dif cult) more consistent level of business heading into 2010,” he projected.

The rst half of the year will be crucial, warned John Rabone, managing director, R&R Design. The challenges experienced by design rms will have to work their way through – and out – of the market. “Survival will be the word for everyone! I think the rst six months will be critical for the industry

Consistency and stability are the two things most businesses need in order to perform effectively – and 2009 was noticeably lacking in both. An inabil-ity to differentiate fact from ction compounded the problem, and made for truly murky market conditions.

“The key challenge was reading the market and sifting genuine facts from speculation,” noted Ben Corrigan, man-aging partner, Bluehaus. “Consistency is key to the success of a business and the turbulence of 2009 made it dif cult to make fundamental decisions.”

In practical terms, the economic cli-mate translated into a series of everyday dif culties, highlighted Ellen Bishop, owner, Bishop Design Associates. For one, overheads stayed the same while design fees spiralled downwards, result-ing in slashed pro t margins. Projects were terminated midway through, and clients became skittish about commit-ting and, more crucially, paying.

“Also, clients started going directly to contractors and not appreciating the value of professional design services. Interior design is viewed as a luxury ser-vice and people, in general, are looking at cutting costs by going directly to the architects or contractors,” Bishop said.

To make matters worse, the sum-mer slowdown was more pronounced than ever. A veritable exodus combined with Ramadan and unstable market conditions to create the ‘perfect storm’, rendering the best part of a quarter essentially obsolete. This catastrophic combo was particularly damaging when it came to developing and securing new business, Corrigan noted.

in Dubai. 2009 has been especially quiet compared to previous years for all design and architecture practices, and this will have a knock on effect for the contractors who follow behind the design companies, so tend to suffer in the second wave.

“It feels much the same as the UK in 1989/90 when the government nally realised there was a recession on and the construction industry ground to a halt overnight. Certainly there will be problems for the contractors and shop- tters who concentrate on the Dubai

market, and you can see this already with rates becoming dif cult to predict.

“All this will lead to some companies failing, so it will be survival of the ttest – which Dubai needed to return to some degree of sanity,” Rabone detailed.

If there is a silver lining to be found in the struggles of 2009, it is this ‘matur-ing’ of the market. “I see last year as be-ing a good thing for Dubai as the market needed to be shaken and some of the deadwood removed,” said Rabone.

This ongoing cleansing process will leave stronger, more competitive rms in good stead, Corrigan agreed. “We believe that this recession will mature

Leading interior designers talk to CID about the lessons they learned in 2009, and cautiously outline their expectations for the coming year

“The key challenge was reading the market and sifting genuine facts from speculation. Consistency is key to the success of a business; the turbulence made it dif cult to make decisions”

Looking forward

INDUSTRY SPEAK

www.constructionweekonline.com10 Commercial Interior Design January 2010

1. Ellen Bishop.

2. Ben Corrigan.

3. Chuck Wood.

the consultancy market, and ultimately improve the quality of organisations in the region,” he said.

“The organisations with a genuine, long-term commitment to the region ‘should’ survive, and come out stronger and better equipped. The less profes-sional, ‘quick-buck’ organisations will be pushed out. Long-term, this will mean that consultancy businesses will need to look inwards at who they are, what their market is and what makes them different or better.”

This process of introspection is the key to survival, insisted Chuck Wood, managing director, Rockwell Group Middle East. “I feel that rms need to take a hard look at how they deliver services and at the quality of what they offer, as there is a real need for an over-all improvement in both areas.

“Firms that have an ability, and a real interest, in deeply understanding their clients’ needs, and that are able to de-liver great ideas and design that serves their clients’ needs, will succeed. Those that can’t, won’t,” he warned.

Design rms will have to be agile, nimble, willing to adapt and quick to re-act. Intelligent diversi cation is the order of the day, and companies that remain committed to uncovering new opportuni-ties will nd 2010 far easier to bear than those that are resistant to change.

“During the current climate, diversi- cation has become more of a prior-

ity than growth, as we feel this is a much more stable business model and

something which excites us,” said Cor-rigan. “We have just completed a joint venture with a reputable residential organisation, as Bluehaus’ strength has always been commercial, leisure and re-tail. We feel that with the right partner, Bluehaus can add genuine value to the residential market. We are also looking at opening further regional of ces in unexpected markets.”

Rockwell Middle East is also broad-ening its geographical scope, Wood explained. “We are focusing on regional markets that have strong economies and sound development models. We are also looking at ways that we can strate-gically partner with other design rms where what we do best complements what they do best, and where we can offer clients a more compelling overall solution for their needs. Finally, we are looking to broaden our reach more deeply into healthcare and transport, where we believe our unique approach can add a lot of value,” he revealed.

Bishop Design Associates, meanwhile, will be exploring ways of offering more holistic design solutions. “We will imple-ment a strategy to offer full turnkey solu-tions,” said Bishop, who anticipates that “clients will be more focused on budget and will want full turnkey solutions, so there will de nitely be a stronger rela-tionship between interior designers and contractors, as they will start teaming up to offer a ‘one stop shop’.”

The consensus? Companies that were able to evolve and adapt to the

uncertain, unstable market conditions of 2009 should be cautiously con dent coming into the New Year. After a year of questioning their business models, pro-cesses and practices, they are stronger than ever – even if their pro t margins suggest otherwise.

“I would say that we are more con- dent coming in to 2010 than we were

going into 2009 because we have a bet-ter understanding of what is happening with the economy and what we can do to adapt,” said Wood.

“We also have a year under our belts of re-evaluating how we work and of mak-ing adjustments so that we can deliver projects more ef ciently and competi-tively, while at the same time remaining true to our DNA as a rm. I think that it is important to keep in mind that reces-sions create opportunities, for both our clients and for us as designers.”

The market has changed, probably forever. For many, this is both scary and exciting in equal measure. After all, it is often in times of turmoil that large-scale, lasting change comes about.

“Obviously, clients are less likely to experiment now, but will want longev-ity of nishes, so this puts a bigger emphasis on being cost effective and using more sustainable products, which really needed to happen,” Rabone maintained. “I still think you’ll see plenty of gold and marble, as it is a time-consuming exercise to change peoples’ tastes, but there’s no better taste de ner than budget!”

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there’s something for everyone, that we mention all the right people, in the right order, and remember to thank the sponsors, or the vicar, or Uncle Sid for the loan of his lawn-mower.

If we translate this practice into busi-ness parlance, what we are really trying to do is to make sure that we are ‘On Message’. Even with a wedding speech, we are taking our language to market, where it will be judged on its appropri-ateness, suitability, integrity, and how well it re ects the occasion.

It matters, and it matters a great deal. There’s no comfort in being told ‘Great speech, mate’, when half the audience are asleep, and the other half want you railroaded out of town. It can be a very unforgiving experience. It is the language that you choose to use that de nes you. And it’s exactly the same with interior design.

It’s dif cult not to wax pretentious at this stage, but the fact is that design is very much a language in its own right. And being a language, it is subject to misinterpretation. The clarity with which a designer can successfully communi-cate an idea is often where an interior space either lives or dies. The struggle to be “On Message” is still the same.

The language of interiors can be every bit as elegant, or witty, or dull and dreary, as the spoken word. It can be as inappropriate and offensive as any tired and emotional father-in-law. Or it can charm, seduce, and enchant. Just like the spoken word, it can appall and repel us, but it can also awe and inspire us.

When you design a restaurant, you are inviting your clients, and customers, to live with what you create. There is no room for apologies if it doesn’t work. Get it wrong, you won’t get a second chance. Get it right, and it can be the most rewarding, satisfying, and (let’s not beat about) pro table thing you can do.

If there is one thing that most of us have in common, it is that we’ve all been present somewhere when someone has made an inappropriate speech. Weddings are fabulous places for this, although I once stood at a funeral where the vicar began by lamenting that the promise of youth and vigorous manhood had been so untimely plucked by our Lord, only to be told his schedule was wrong, and the deceased had, in fact, been eighty-six. And female.

But weddings are still the most fertile ground when it comes to uncomfortable silences, shocked gasps, muted rage and, invariably, tears from Aunty Meg. And all this rst-class entertainment is the result of giving a microphone to somebody with unpracticed communica-tion skills, who ne-tunes those skills by shouting at the dog, complaining down the pub, or mumbling at the television.

Most of us have had to give a speech at some point, and we know how much time we spend making sure that

At its best, the interior design of a restaurant acts in seamless harmony with both the operation and the brand, and nowhere in Dubai is this better demonstrated than in the Rivington Grill at Souk Al Bahar.

Owned by the Caprice Holdings group in the UK, the restaurant is shamelessly British in its approach. But this is not exactly Ye Olde English Pub. Nor does it celebrate 400 years of colonial plagia-rism, and it couldn’t be further from the fussy Victorian styling that we have come to associate with off-the-shelf, off-shore ‘typically British’ interiors. On the con-trary, this is the unfussy, uncluttered and no nonsense interior of smart-city Britain.

Apparently, being educated in the UK at the moment is all rather ‘tut-tut, haven’t the Brits been naughty boys over the years’. Celebrating British-ness is very much frowned upon, and the apologists are very much to the fore. Not these guys, though. They have clearly decided NOT to throw the baby out with the bathwater. This restaurant seems to look you squarely in the eye and chal-lenge that most tittered at of oxymo-ron’s: British Cuisine.

And so it is. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding salad. Barnsley lamb chop with bubble and squeak. Game faggots (excuse me?). Sticky toffee pudding. And you know what? It’s fabulous. This is not a foodie review, but I really could go on.

This highly refreshing ‘hold-the-line’ British approach to the menu is equally re ected in the service offering. Walking in shortly after 6pm, three busy kitchen staff looked up at us and said “Evening, mate”, and I couldn’t help feeling that I was experiencing something of the restaurants City of London, Shoreditch roots. And that is very much the impres-sion that you get. There are no fawning waiters or subservient staff. Quality service has dispensed with any need

When Interior Design Works: The Rivington Grill, Souk Al Bahar

Gavin Mackenzie and Justin Penketh are the managing partner and senior design manager of Outcast, a Dubai-based company that boasts over 100 years of collective design experience in Europe, south-east Asia, the US and Caribbean, and the UAE.

If you are interested in nominat-ing a space ‘Where Interior Design Works’, or in contributing to this sec-tion, please contact Selina Denman at [email protected].


DESIGN FORENSICS


And it works. Not just as an inte-rior space, but as part of the overall Rivington Grill experience. The design is absolutely in sync with the service. The service is absolutely in sync with the menu. The menu is absolutely in sync with the interior. It’s on message, on brand, and it simply works.

But there is more to this than meets the eye. You can’t help but notice, as you approach the restaurant through the dimly lit passages of the Souk Al

Bahar, that there is something rather weird, red, and glowing at the end of the corridor. On getting closer, you nd yourself reading a sign that says “never let me go” in cursive neon strip lighting. What? It’s the same inside, where two equally inexplicable signs read “I love to boo hoo” and “fast fast slow fast”. They are so at odds with the rest of the interior that you’re left wondering what on earth is going on.

But you need to know something about the original Rivington in Shored-itch to understand what this is about.

There, you see, they have a strong YBA (Young British Artist) clientele. It’s chic, trendy, and very, very cool. And their neon sign reads Lu tuaeb Gnikcuf, which is meaningless, of course. Even with a mirror on the opposite wall.

So, a subtle echo of the original? A little in-joke, aimed exclusively at people ‘in the know’. I can almost hear Monty Python’s Eric Idle saying “Nod-nod, wink-wink, say no more, say no more”. How wonderfully British!

To get back to the issue of the lan-guage of interior design, what The Riv-ington’s interior tells you is exactly what they want you to know. It is concise, classic, appropriate, unfussy, ‘on brand’ and ‘on message’.

If this interior was a speech, it would probably be something like the Get-tysburg address. A mere 268 words. But my, my, what words they were. The difference would be that behind the lectern, Lincoln would be wearing Union-Jack board shorts.By Justin Penketh

for servility. This is good honest people serving good honest grub to good hon-est people. There’s a sense of equilib-rium among staff and diners and it feels, to be honest, good.

And here’s a question; how much can you learn about a restaurant from a three panel, collapsible screen? Well, perhaps more than you might think. Most designers in the Middle East are familiar with the concept of ‘localising’ their designs to be in keeping with the region. Again, The Rivington has stood by its guns and resisted the tempta-tion to be drawn into this. So even the screens, which would have been ever so easy to convert into an arabesque trib-ute, are resolutely plain and understated.

I suppose that is what appeals about this interior. It’s sleek, contemporary and uncomplicated. The layout works, with the kitchen protruding con dently into the space. It’s a diner’s restaurant, and you get the feeling it’s about the diner.

In a region where we have all become almost immune to being overwhelmed by spectacular and awe-inspiring inte-riors, it is really nice not to be bullied by the interior designer. This interior is clean, comfortable, and welcoming, and you get the impression that it’s more about ‘you’, and less about ‘them’.

It is really nice not to be bullied by the interior designer

DESIGN FORENSICS

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Commercial Interior Design January 2010 15www.constructionweekonline.com

skills with both outside bodies and the team involved in the project.

Furthermore, the FF&E designer must appreciate the nancial implications of his or her selections, from the cost of supply, shipping, xing and delivery.

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERTISEWhile it is clearly understood that most designers dislike administrative duties, because of the complex contractual na-ture of interior design, a company needs to formulate an effective administration system. Failure to do so will undoubt-edly lead to contractual problems with clients, contractors and suppliers.

All levels of personnel within the design team need to understand the de-sign process and how their deliverables t into the overall mix. However, it is

important that one person co-ordinates these matters and ensures that the chain of communication is understood, unbroken and, most importantly, moni-tored and up-to-date. A design manager or administrator’s responsibility is to follow the project through from receipt of initial enquiry to handover of project, by monitoring letters, transmittals and all other communication.

CONSTRUCTIONAL EXPERTISENaturally, everybody involved in the design process must have a high level of expertise in construction issues at the stage of design implementation.

COMPETENCE IN SPECIFICATIONThe evolution of a quali ed designer into a fully conversant, materials-selec-tion adviser has in recent years given birth to the FF&E designer. The selection of furniture, ttings and equipment must be initiated from the design con-cept stage by, or in conjunction with, the concept designer. However, in most cas-es the FF&E designer should themselves be capable of intuitive, creative design, as in the same manner that we can no longer have a draughtsman, we cannot accept a materials selection clerk.

The FF&E designer requires a full knowledge of historical and period de-sign, as well as geographical relevance, to ensure that the materials they are selecting and proposing are in harmony with the design concept or theme.

Perhaps one of the most important roles of the FF&E designer is to know the technical speci cation of the materials that they are selecting, from weights, pile height and tufts/m² in carpets to absorption rates of liquid into natural materials such as stone and granite.

Given the huge and ever increasing list of materials available for interior speci cation, the FF&E designer must be constantly researching, cataloging and ling information for instant retrieval.

The FF&E designer is the interior design consultant’s face to the world of sup-pliers and manufactures and, as such, must have excellent communication

Traditionally, in architecture, a clerk of works or contract manager in the employ of the architect would supervise on-site works. In recent times, project mangers tend to be the main point of contact for contractors, consultants and clients.

As interior design implementation becomes a more complex issue, requir-ing co-ordination of MEP services, audio visual and room management systems, to mention only a few, it follows that the specialisation of site supervision becomes increasingly important. To this end, a design construction manager – who is distinct from the project manager – has become an integral part of the design team. Note that this is a specialist service which may not be included within the normal scope of design services.

The interior design contract manager is required to fully comprehend the design concept, and know the logic of the selection of all materials and fur-nishings. He or she must be involved in total co-ordination, delivery procedures, completion deadlines, contractor’s pay-ments, architectural parameters, techni-cal speci cations and xing methods of all nishes and ttings.

It is clear that the role of the contract manager is pivotal to the successful completion of a project. Next month, Laidler will highlight the importance of client awareness and cul-tural comprehension, and reiterate the need for continuous examination.

CID is publishing exclusive extracts from former APID president Ken Laidler’s paper on the need to constantly assess interior designers

The continual assessment of professional designers

WHITEPAPER

For further details please contact:MALLY CLARKE

GEZE Middle East FZEP.O. Box 17903

Tel: +9714 8833112, Fax: +9714 8833240Mob: +97150 6540632

www.geze.com


R oss Lovegrove is feeling con dent. Having championed organic, environmentally-

intelligent design for most of his career, he feels like his message may nally be ‘topical’. With people increasingly seeing innovation as a way out of the current economic crisis, Lovegrove’s philosophy of harnessing modern technologies to promote intuitive, sensitive, sustainable design, is resonating strongly.

The Lovegrove trademarks: using re-sources wisely, humanising design, and reaching, unapologetically, for a more viable future, are striking a chord.

“It’s the feeling that if I can stick with it, now is a good time,” he explained recently in an exclusive interview with Commercial Interior Design.

In Dubai to speak at the IFI Design Congress, Lovegrove sat down with CID to discuss the potentially positive repercussions of the economic crisis, and explain why the Middle East should be a region of rsts.

What are you working on right now?I’m doing Calvin Klein’s new perfume bottle and I’m working on a new yacht in Italy. From an interiors point of view,

I’m working a lot with Artemide and with Yamagiwa in Japan, on new lighting. I just nished Issey Miyake’s new watch and I’m working on new projects with Moroso. There are also new bathrooms – the work I do with Vitra in Istanbul is very important; and I’m working on some architectural projects.

That’s incredible breadth. Is there anything that you haven’t designed yet but would like to? I think perhaps I’d like to design an incredible house, out of brand new ma-terials, like carbon bre or something, 1. Ross Lovegrove.

Dodging irrelevanceRoss Lovegrove tells Selina Denman why it’s easy to be ‘different and stupid’, but extremely dif cult to be ‘different and intelligent’

1

DESIGNER Q&A

DESIGNER Q&A


where I could express the beautiful changes that could come about as a consequence of a material.

Just the idea that I could take my organic design out into a private space, where I would be given absolute carte blanche to express myself creatively, that is very interesting.

I’m not bullish, though. I’m not someone who has this incredible determination or aggressively goes for something. I mean, I’ve never called a client in my life, and I work with amazing companies. And although in a way I am a bit passive like that – I just see what comes to me – maybe that helps guide my life, rather than me guiding my life and being disappointed when it doesn’t happen as I expected.

What were the highs of 2009 for you?It was an unusual year and not just because of what happened in the global economy. I would say, on a positive note, what’s been good for me is that people are still interested in innovation, and they see innovation maybe as a way out.

With all of the work that I do environ-mentally, with the solar and the wind, nally there’s a wonderful synergy

between organic design, the natural en-vironment, and the technology needed to make things happen – harness-ing energy, sustainably, for free, for example – which is something that I’ve been talking about for a long long time. I’m not a designer that has just jumped onto that idea. I have been doing it since I was very young.

It’s not a speci c high point, but it’s the feeling that if I can stick with it, now is a good time. It’s a good time for everything that I’ve been talking about. Maybe this is my window.

I didn’t even take a holiday last year. I didn’t take a day off all year. I haven’t stopped travelling – I do two or three countries a week. I just want to keep my head down at the moment. Just keep doing what I do, and see how the future unfolds. There’s a lot of irrelevance in the world which doesn’t turn me on, and which I don’t crave to be a part of.

Do you think that irrelevance is particu-larly prevalent in the design world?There’s so much. And everybody thinks it’s easy these days. It might be easy to

2. Cosmic Leaf

for Artemide.

3&4. Cosmic Angel.

5. Aqua Cil.

6&8. Droplet.

7. Lovegrove

also works

closely with

Vitra, in Turkey.

2

3

4 6 8

5 7


DESIGNER Q&A

9&10. Lovegrove

has a long-

standing

relationship

with Artemide.

11. He designed

Freedom for Vitra.

be different and stupid, but it’s really dif cult to be different and intelligent. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t have joy in it. The thing is that one has to keep a very broad perspective.

It’s interesting that you see a potential-ly positive outcome from this crisis.Well, there has to be. Things need to become more ef cient. They were terribly obese and we need a level of tness. Dubai, for example, is an environment where I see incredible materials being used – materials that are rare. They are so rare and yet they are thrown around so easily. I don’t see the point, really. I have a deep respect for how we use materials.

I think design has become a trend within itself. It’s not a bad thing because it means there are more people who are aesthetically tuned, so maybe they have a better understanding of beautiful things. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just that people that go into design think it’s really easy. They only really see the glamorous side of it.

There must easily be a million design-ers out there. And if you are in the top ve or ten, it’s a pretty signi cant thing.

It’s signi cant in that you have to stay vital and you have to stay relevant, and

you have to push forward with ideas. You have to lead from the front. And the unfortunate thing, often, is that people don’t do that. They nd a formula and they keep churning it out. Well, that’s ne but, personally, it doesn’t do much

for me. I nd that quite vacant.

So, how are you evolving?That’s a good question. I’ve kept pace with the potential of how you create, meaning that I’m somebody who was taught geometry with a compass and then I did all my ink drawings; I draw beautifully and I can illustrate and visua-lise – I can do all of that. And now that’s all gone through and we’re embracing the age of the computer, with amazing programmes and things to visualise with. That’s the feat that everybody was faced with. And your average kid from Vladi-vostok with a computer can do that now.

So, what is it that you are offering that nobody else can offer? I think it’s a phi-losophy. I’ve been around long enough, I think, to try and establish a very strong and relevant philosophy, and to know how to work with companies.

I am somebody who can, in a mature way, be solidly behind certain ideas. I like to work with people and feel as if

I’m not a one-night stand and they’re not a one-night stand. You’ve got to develop with people – and everyone bene ts. That was the old model.

The new model seems to be that you can pick up anybody and pay them noth-ing and get them to design for you. And that’s ne but you wouldn’t want to buy art that way, would you?

Do you think that the design industry is suffering as a result?Well, there’s a bit too much of every-thing these days. But everything hap-pens naturally, so if there is too much design, there is a reason for it. So many more people are buying more design, so maybe there’s a need for that.

There’s certainly been a massive transformation in the way people live and in the quality of things around us.

What are your thoughts on design in Dubai?I haven’t seen much of it, to be honest. Everything is new so it’s a little bizarre. It can feel really soulless. It sometimes doesn’t feel natural to me.

I’m interested in contributing to countries, as a kind of cultural transla-tor. Often when I go to new places, I

9 10 11


DESIGNER Q&A

or something. You could do it here if there was somebody wealthy enough to say, ‘Why not?’. That doesn’t happen in other parts of the world. I don’t mean to sound so direct but that’s the way it is. You need the patronage. To do extraor-dinary things, you need extraordinary people and extraordinary belief.

So, the thing is, if you take this region, it should be a region of rsts. Because they have the nancial power, they should be accessing really incred-ible, vital ideas. The solar trees that I designed for Artemide, for example, they should be everywhere.

They are a symbol of modernity and the environment and giving something back to people, as well as functioning in a really important way. These are the things you should see. You should see incredible vehicles that respond to the heat. We have a global condition where the world is heating up, and they should use this as a test bed.

This is a place in the world that is ghting against nature to survive –

and it’s taking incredible resources to do that. So this is a time to use the resources wisely and to prototype new ideas for living.

12. Mercury for

Artemide.

12

think: ‘What could I bring, what could I do?’ And I’m not particularly interested in designing a skyscraper. I could do it, but just because it’s big, it doesn’t mean it’s important.

Maybe because there is an enlight-ened wealth here, I know people have come to these places as creatives to do things that they couldn’t possibly do in other places, because the nancial support is there.

They can be extreme – and I like the idea of being extreme. Like I was talking about building this incredible bubble, or this amazing organic villa, out of carbon


CASE STUDY SWAROVSKI WIEN

1. The new Eclectic

Panthers collection

is being showcased

at Swarovski Wien.

Swarovski Wien is an alluring testament to the diverse nature of the Swarovski brandSwarovski Wien is an alluring testament to the

All that glitters




P erched nonchalantly on Vienna’s Kaertner Strasse 24, Swarovski Wien is a dazzling celebration of

the Swarovski brand. Trademark gurines brush shoul-

ders with elaborate chandeliers by world-class designers. Jewellery of all colours, shapes and sizes mingles with mind-boggling works of art by Belgian artist, Arne Quinze. A collection of multi-coloured crystal panthers skulk in a hidden alcove. And a shimmering in-stallation by Japanese designer, Tokujin Yoshioka, towers overhead.

MORE THAN A STOREWhen he meets with journalists to mark the of cial launch of Swarovski Wien, Markus Langes-Swarovski, great grandson of the company’s founder, and a member of the executive board, is reluctant to refer to it as a store.

“It is a store – but not really a store. Yes you can interact with products nancially but we have really tried to

show Swarovski’s various facets. People normally associate Swarovski with jew-ellery and gurines and, in some cases, architecture as well, in a more business-to-business context.

“Here, we have really tried to link Swarovski with the world of art and ar-chitecture, which is why we have, for the rst time, introduced our architectural

element for the exterior, the Honeycomb façade, which you can use as a more formal architectural element, rather than just a decorative element.”

Swarovski is keen to highlight that it is more than just a ‘company of techni-cal invention’ – and the new ‘store’ is a physical manifestation of that mindset. This is a space where people can learn about the brand, interact with its vari-ous product lines, and appreciate its

diversity. “We have one over-arching goal and that is to create amazement and inspiration in people. We are trying to show that we are more than just great jewellers or great producers of crystal. For us, it’s very important to empha-sise the poetry, and the amazement. Any kind of touch point with Swarovski should be enchanting and, therefore, inspiring,” said Langes-Swarovski.

The company called on Innsbruck-based architects Hanno Schloegl and Daniel Suess to transform the ground, mezzanine and basement oors of a 19th century industrial building into an awe-inspiring, crystalline playground. The building, which is set on one of Vienna’s busiest thoroughfares, is also home to a hotel.

BOXED OFFThe architects opted for a radical transformation of the 1,000m² space, rather than a run-of-the-mill renovation. “A traditional renovation wouldn’t have been spectacular enough,” noted Daniel Suess. “So we have built a building within a building.”

The original interior was ripped out and replaced with a giant cube struc-ture. The structure, which is covered with an outer glass skin, sits snugly within the boundaries of the building’s original columns, creating an interesting interplay between the old and the new.

The exterior of the cube is enveloped in the Honeycomb, a sparkling surface consisting of cut crystal and thousands of LED light points which can be controlled to create a variety of effects – from glow-ing lava to glittering ice. “The inner cube is dissolved by light and crystal. This is a novel type of façade,” Schloegl said.

Meanwhile, a series of smaller, irreg-ularly-placed cubes extend out through




CID SPOKE TO MARKUS LANGESSWAROVSKI ABOUT THE COMPANY’S NEW RETAIL CONCEPT

Is this a concept that you will be rolling out to other markets? Not necessarily. We chose Vienna because of its historical relevance for our company. The founder of the company, my great

grandfather, Daniel Swarovski, came to Vienna as a young boy – he used to live in Bohemia, which was the epicentre of glass

cutting, and he came to Vienna in 1883 to be exposed to the fi rst electric exhibition. This is where he got the inspiration to build

the machines that were able to create crystals, which were basically the foundation of our company.

We also wanted to place it in Vienna because today Swarovski is very much inspired by the cultural mindset of Vienna at the

end of the 19th century, where, for the fi rst time, they tried to combine diff erent creative disciplines – fashion, design, architec-

ture, furniture products etc. This is something that we’ve tried to permanently infuse into Swarovski. Obviously, if the concept

works well, we will try and fi nd new and strategic locations for it, but it would always be very specifi c to the city.

Are we going to see you moving more and more into architecture?Well, we are taking our fi rst steps here, with the Honeycomb façade concept. We wanted to create an architectural element

rather than something purely for décor. A lot of visionary architects have played with the principal of crystal in architecture,

and we have never leveraged on the principle of crystal, as opposed to the properties. The Honeycomb is a fi rst step, using LED

technology to create something that is beyond décor. We are trying to move there slowly. Lighting and architecture are very

important fi elds that we really want to engage in more in the future.

Are you looking to extend the brand into hotels and restaurants, or anything like that? Well, we had a concept ready for Swarovski Hotels but we said for the time being that we are going to hold back. We’re working

on diff erent kinds of entertainment formats right now. One potential is hospitality and hotels, but we are also looking at other

formats. We would like to take crystal to a more experiential level, rather than just a decorative level. We had a hotel planned

and ready – it was designed by Ron Arad and it was beautiful – but it hasn’t been built yet. It might be built one day.

2 3



the façade, breaking down the barrier between inside and out. Set at various levels, these clear glass cubes jut hap-hazardly into the streetscape, teasing passers-by with their curious contents. “The cube is a stage where artists can present their work and showcase their installations,” Suess explained.

These oating stages are currently home to installations by Belgian artist Arne Quinze. His ‘Japanese Stilthouses’ combine recycled materials with crystal to create a poignant commentary on the pace of human development.

“Much of my work is related to hu-man beings,” Quinze explained. “My stilthouses are like humans. They stand on their long legs and they look very fragile, but they are very strong and they will survive, just as we humans have survived. They are full of contradictions and that is so very human.

“Then you have the eyes. I didn’t want it to look like a human eye; it was impor-tant that you couldn’t tell whether it was human or animal. Today, we are living in this Big Brother planet, and everybody is watching everyone, and everyone is competing, and the streets are lled

with cameras,” he said. “For me, it was important to create the impression of Big Brother watching you from the top of this stilthouse.

“Then you have the crystals that are re ecting and absorbing light. Together, all these things make it very human. That is how I see my installations.”

Quinze was also responsible for ‘Bi-donville Wall’, a one-off piece of artwork that greets visitors as they step through the main entrance of the store. The ery red installation makes a striking rst impression and reiterates some of the themes introduced by the stilthouses.

Apart from this initial, intense splash of colour, the interiors of Swarovski Wien are characterised by a decidedly muted tone. Dark greys dominate, with a white oor chosen for obvious contrast. Lighting has been carefully selected and positioned to ensure that the crystals are presented in their full glory. “The inside is more muted so that the focus falls on the products themselves. The cube glitters on the outside but is darker on the inside,” explained Schloegl.

Tokujin Yoshioka’s Lake of Shimmer forms an arresting centerpiece, and is

a unifying element that extends across all three oors. The 88m² wall is made up of 16,000 small, independent mirrors to form a silvery, shimmery surface reminiscent of a lake. Each mirror can be individually controlled to create a variety of motifs and patterns of movement.

The overall result is what Langes-Swarovski refers to as a ‘multi-level’ experience. This is literal, of course, considering the three-storey space, but also metaphorical, referencing Swarov-ski’s drive to ‘democratise luxury’.

“Swarovski is not technically a luxury brand but, at the same time, it is a luxury brand. We have created a very speci c de nition of luxury, which we call a ‘modern luxury’ approach. It be-comes more and more important, even in times of recession, this understand-ing of luxury, because luxury is not only de ned by exclusivity or scarcity or price,” Langes-Swarovski detailed.

“For us, luxury is more about love of detail; of being inclusive rather than exclusive; of trying to offer the best pos-sible quality with each and every prod-uct that we create; while not excluding the elite,” he concluded.

2. The new

Honeycomb facade.

3. Bidonville Wall

by Arne Quinze.

4. The interior is

more muted.

4


DESTINATION FOCUS BAHRAIN


Bahrain is forging ahead with a number of large-scale projects

W hile Bahrain’s construction in-dustry has experienced an in-evitable slowdown, a handful

of large-scale, high-pro le projects are moving ahead – preventing con dence levels from dipping too dramatically.

One such project is a $4.7 billion ex-pansion of Bahrain International Airport, which will include two new terminals, new aprons, separate piers, a people mover system, car parking, road works and related infrastructure. There will also be an adjacent ‘airport city’ with hotels, conference centres, and retail and recreational facilities.

The design contract for the two new terminals is due to go to tender in the rst quarter of 2010. The rst phase of

the expansion will increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity from seven million people to 12 million.

Durrat al Bahrain, which includes 20km² of reclaimed islands at the south-ern tip of Bahrain, is also moving for-ward, with Atkins having recently been selected to undertake the architecture and infrastructure design of the third phase of the project.

Atkins will design and document the infrastructure works, landscaping and architectural engineering of villas and facility buildings for four of the 13

islands. Construction work is expected to commence this year.

The $2.5 billion Bahrain Bay mega-project is also proceeding, albeit slower than planned. The project is located off the north eastern coast of Manama and will consist of more than 40 build-ings and towers designed by leading architecture rms. Two of the anchor developments, Four Seasons Hotel and Raf es City Bahrain, have both suffered signi cant delays, but the third anchor development, the $150 million head-quarters for Arcapita Bank, is expected to be nished by the end of 2010.

Meanwhile, Dubai developer Ishraq recently announced that it had broken ground at the site of the 22-storey Holi-day Inn Express hotel in Manama. The 279-room hotel is due to open its doors in the third quarter of 2011 and marks the Holiday Inn Express brand’s rst GCC venture outside of Dubai.

“We are very excited about our entry into Bahrain and the opportunities its hospitality sector holds,” said Sami Al Ansari, CEO, Ishraq Gulf Real Estate.

Dubai-headquartered Purity, a sup-plier of leading Italian brands, reiterated the growing attraction of the Bahraini market. “Bahrain has some interesting developments at present and it seems

to be growing at a great pace,” noted Laurence Dehlen, sales manager, Purity.

“There is also a lot of design work taking place there for projects in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, since it is strategi-cally located between these two larger countries. We have noticed that many of the design rms present in Dubai have been opening up of ces in Bahrain over the past few months, and there seems to be great yearning for design and knowledge about luxury brands in this small kingdom,” he said.

In response, Purity will spend the next three months refurbishing its gallery in Bahrain, in order to offer a larger space that features all of the brands currently offered in Dubai.

According to Afaf Ebrahim, direc-tor of Bahrain-based Inoui Designs, the standard of interior design in the kingdom is particularly high. “There is great competition in the Bahraini market when it comes to design. Most design-ers are equipped with great talent and the latest technologies and techniques, which result in unique and mature design solutions. To enter the Bahraini market you need to be aware of certain challenges, and of the nature of the market, in order to compete with these extremely talented companies.” 1. Bahrain.

Bahrain is forging ahead with a number of large-scale projects

Best of Bahrain

1. The Jade room

promotes a Chinese

design language.

The Capital Club Bahrain offersluxury in all itsdifferent guises

A s a general rule, if you can get people waxing lyrical about the bathrooms, it’s fair to say that

your interior design scheme has made an impression. And, clad in black marble, with unending views of the skyline and koi sh adorning the walls and ceilings, the whimsical bathrooms at the Capital Club Bahrain are the talk of the town.

They round off a project that pro-motes luxury in all its different guises. The company behind the interiors, Design Worldwide Partnership (DWP) was brought on board to create a facil-ity that was extremely high-end but still radiated a comfortable, homely feel.

The Capital Club s a general rule, if you can getpeople waxing lyrical about the

Club class“The brief was to create a club with a

residential feel, to meet the demands of those from the top echelons of busi-ness, nance and government, who are powering the city’s growth and turning Bahrain into the international business hub of the Middle East,” said Kristina Zanic, founding partner, DWP.

The 1,500m² facility is set over two oors, and encompasses a bar, two

dining rooms, private meeting facilities, a lounge and a library. DWP wanted to create a series of highly individual spaces that promoted a strong sense of character. “It was critical to give people variety so the club didn’t feel the same





2,3&4. Each

space has its own

unique character.

5. Bathrooms

are ‘the talk of

the town’.

6. The

library is

more eclectic.

in all the various rooms,” Zanic said. “The client, Russell Matcham, executive director of Signature Clubs International, was open to this idea, so we have rooms that are very light and luxurious, and others that are dark and intense. There is personality in each of the areas.”

In the lounge, shades of cream and taupe dominate, with splashes of aqua-marine and burnt orange for contrast. The Members Bar, meanwhile, is highly intimate. Ceilings and walls are clad in a dark walnut nish and enhanced with tan leathers. The bar is clad in a whisky coloured onyx, and low seating is mixed with high stools to break up the space.

The library is home to a more tradi-tional design style. Art sourced from Thailand and the US is coupled with rugs from Istanbul to create a cosy retreat. “The library is very eclectic and I guess it’s more my style,” said Zanic. “The art also makes a statement as there is a blend of modern and classical touches, with contemporary classical furniture. I think the eclectic direction of the design is very inviting,” she added.

The Signature Grill Dining is brim-ming with dark wood and black textured leather panels that line the walls. The

ceiling is part smoked bronze mirror and part tan-coloured suede fabric. The carpet is jet black, with a curved pattern to give it a softer edge. Booths are lined in red leather and a velvet curtain detail.

The design comes to a climax in the Anan and Jade rooms. The Jade room is shaped by an overridingly Chinese design language. “In the Jade room we used shades of green and gave this a very oriental and Chinese feel. Beautiful green onyx was used for the oors and table tops, and there are rich carpets in chocolate brown with Chinese patterns in a deep green shade, which were all custom-designed,” Zanic said.

“Silk green curtains were speci ed, as well as Chinese lattice screens, to give the room an overall oriental touch. We decorated the room with amber candle holders and Jade pieces. There was also a special Chinese seating area with antique furniture which was all in a rich dark timber. The intensity of the room is perfect and it gives a true sense of luxury,” she continued.

The Anan room promotes a far more regional feel. In stark contrast to its Asian-inspired counterpart, the Arabic themed space is almost entirely decked

out in shades of taupe and off-white. Mashrabiya-patterned stone wall panels divide the space and are brought into focus by light ttings from Istanbul.

“I also spent time going to Damascus and designed several pieces of mother of pearl furniture, which really helped to create a feeling of authenticity. The ceil-ing is an interesting series of triangular shapes in a 3D effect,” Zanic said.

“Shades of off-white and chocolate brown simply gave the room a serene contrast. The views are also very special and I always say that the inspiration of the room was to feel like you were a part of Bahrain, as you simply blend in with the city and its architecture.”

The only challenge was sourcing the necessary materials to create such sumptuousness, Zanic maintained. “Getting the materials was a challenge as these were all imported.

“Working with the contractor to achieve the quality and details was a task in itself. I guess with perseverance we got through it. Not everything comes out how you expect it and sometimes you have to compromise – but overall we achieved a new standard for Bahrain in terms of design.”

2

3 4

5

6


SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW


T he ooring industry has long been at the forefront of the sustainability movement, and

ecologically-sound business principles continue to guide its evolution. The major players have placed sustainability at the very top of their agenda and continue to focus on developing eco-friendly products and practices.

InterfaceFLOR, for example, has pledged to take its environmental footprint down to zero by 2020. ‘Mis-sion Zero’ is currently impacting every creative, manufacturing and business decision that the company makes.

Al Aqili Furnishings has announced that it will be making a point of promot-ing its eco-friendly product lines this year. This includes cradle-to-cradle carpets and carpet tiles from Shaw Contract Group, another leader in the sustainability stakes. Reiterating the trend is Instep, a local supplier of high-quality timber ooring, which is pushing its LEED-certi ed wood oors.

The other key trend impacting the ooring industry is increasing demand

for choice and variety. Interior design-ers are demanding heightened levels of freedom when it comes to their

ooring choices, and manufacturers are responding accordingly.

For example, Ege offers its popular Highline design bank, which incorpo-rates hundreds of designs. This enables designers to experiment with countless colours and combinations. The company has also launched its Modular Shuf e collection, which is interesting in that there is no recurrence in the pattern. Each tile is unique, making for entirely original ooring solutions.

We talk to some of the key players in the ooring industry to nd out more about what they have been up to.

Flooring suppliers you should know

32 Commercial Interior Design January 2010



S.V. Vanitha, business development manager, gives us the lowdown.

Tell us about Instep.For distinguished and superior-quality timber oors, take a step to Instep. Instep Trading Co. brings you excep-tional wood ooring sourced from around the globe.

We offer all kinds of wood ooring, for internal and external use. By offering the nest service, with genuine-quality wood ooring, for the past sixteen years, Instep has earned a reputation for being a specialist in this eld. This is also thanks to the impeccable knowl-edge and expertise of the owner of Instep, the man who turned his passion and inspiration into one of the nest wood ooring companies.

Instep’s core competencies and services range right from design to installation, and also renovation of hardwood oorings. We also design and bring to life beautiful nishing touches

like borders, medallions, and inlays to make your oors more distinctive.

What sets you apart?All our wood oors are manufactured in various countries around the world. We do our best to meet the requirements of our valued clients.

What are your bestselling products?Our bestsellers are specially treated wood oors which are completely resis-tant to moisture and water.

Have there been any recent develop-ments at your company?We aim to serve the environment by offering LEED-certi ed wood oors and have also introduced Ekotile, which is made of coconut shells. Where do we nd you?Warehouse #3, Al Hathboor Warehouse, Marrakech St, Umm Ramool, Dubai. www.instep- oors.com.

Instep

Ana Seixas, marketing director, MEA, on InterfaceFLOR’s eco-credentials.

Tell us about InterfaceFLOR.InterfaceFLOR is a worldwide leader in the production of innovative, environmentally-responsible modular oor coverings. The company invented

the concept of the carpet tile nearly 50 years ago and has been systematically developing it ever since. Today the company offers a wide range of com-mercial modular ooring, combining style, innovation and practicality to suit all kinds of buildings.

What sets you apart? We have a passion for design, innova-tion and sustainability, and we love to set trends. We were the rst carpet tile manufacturer to incorporate the concept of biomimicry into our designs and, through our Convert range (the only in the industry with post-consumer recycled nylon content) we can offer a total recycled content as high as 73%.

What are your bestselling products? With hundreds of thousands of square metres sold, Straightforward, an unusual micro-tufted carpet tile, and

recipient of the Red Dot Award in 2008, has to be one of the favourites of the design community in the Middle East. But, the Convert range – the rst to be manufactured with a full colour spectrum of post-consumer recycled yarn – has also been received with great enthusiasm; its variety of patterns and colours is amazing and its sustainability credentials have made it a favourite for green building projects.

Any recent developments? We are very excited about our new showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road. We have designed it as per LEED Gold standards and are looking forward to receiving designers and architects and showing them the latest trends in sustainable modular ooring. We have also reserved each rst Thursday of the month for what we call “Awarehouse Tours”, an open day for university students, in which we will highlight the sustainable attributes of the space and address sustainability topics through different workshops and presentations.

How do we contact you? Tel: +971 (0)504568436. Email: ana.seixas@interface or.eu

InterfaceFLOR




CID speaks to Rashid Youssif Al Aqili, operations director.

Tell us about Al Aqili.The Flooring Division of Al Aqili Furnish-ings is the premium oor covering prod-ucts and services provider in the retail, corporate and distribution sectors. We offer the nest design speci cations and quality standards, and are backed by 18 of the biggest brands in the industry. Our division services all scales of residential, corporate and hospitality projects, offering the full range of luxuri-ous wall-to-wall carpeting, rugs and hard oor materials in laminate, wooden parquet and vinyl.

What sets you apart?We have under our brand umbrella 18 of the most exclusive ooring suppli-ers, including Shaw Industries, Dixie Group, Nourison from the USA and Boen, Fischer Parkett and Beauliue from Europe. The group also possesses a strong team of over 500 trained layers and installers, and an enormous ware-housing facility.

What are your bestselling products?Due to the quality of the brands we stock, all our products retail very well. For the coming year, however, we are trying to promote our eco-friendly products and hope to become a commit-ted player in the region’s move toward environmentally-viable products. Our major focus in this group will be on the cradle-to-cradle certi ed carpets and carpet tiles from Shaw Contract Group.

Any recent developments?In the last few years, the Al Aqili Flooring Division has witnessed major growth, both vertically and horizontally. We have expanded the range of our offering and have moved ahead in our regional ex-pansion plan by launching operations in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. In addition, we will soon enter Oman.

Where do we nd you?We are based in the Pyramid Center, Oud Metha, Dubai. Tel: +971 (0)4 337 7717; Abu Dhabi: +971 2 677 7800; Qatar: +974 421 7938; and Kuwait: +965 2 482 2767.

Al Aqili Furnishings

Michael Bøgsted, director, Ege Middle East, promotes freedom of design.

Tell us about Ege.Ege is a leading European supplier of unique carpet solutions. We provide our clients with a multitude of carpet concepts, focusing on quality and free-dom in design.

We do not limit our clients; we provide possibilities. By means of ad-vanced production technology, only the imagination limits what is possible. This means that we are able to create the best-suited ooring solution for each individual client.

What sets you apart?The shortest delivery time in the busi-ness and total freedom of design. We own the world’s most advanced plant for colouring of textile oorings and can deliver within four weeks – also special orders down to 20m².

What are your bestselling products?The Highline concept from Ege is an exceptional carpet concept bringing

special attention to the importance of quality and freedom of design.

Wall-to-wall carpets, tiles, borders and matching corridors, for both large and small projects, the Highline collec-tion meets all demands. The compre-hensive Highline design bank consists of hundreds of designs. It is possible to experiment with colour shades and combinations to create an expression matching the individual project.

Any recent developments?The unique tile collection, Cityscapes from Modular Shuf e. The special thing about Modular Shuf e is that there is no recurrence in the pattern. Each tile is unique and when mixed together and randomly installed, unprecedented and varying oor designs are created. How do we contact you?Ege Carpet Middle East, Saba Tower 1, Of ce # 1006, P.O. Box 346017, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai.Tel: +971 (0)43756490, Fax: +971 (0)44270306. E-mail: [email protected].

Ege


PRODUCTS


New on the market

FEONIC F SERIES DRIVESMINDCo Middle East has launched an innovative new audio product, FeONIC F Series Drives, in the Middle East. The audio drives are produced by the UK’s FeONIC Technology and can transform a range of surfaces, from tables, walls, ceilings and oors, to doors and even bathtubs, into speakers. The drives are small in size and can be easily integrated. They have the capability to convert commonly-used, resonant building materials such as MDF, glass panels, plasterboard, plywood, metal sheet and structures, plastics, laminates, honeycomb panels, acrylic, breglass pan-els, wooden structures and so on, into speakers that provide superior quality audio while making the source of audio output completely hidden from view. Importantly, FeONIC Technology also minimises noise pollution, offering near perfect distribution of sound with no reverberation, bounce or echo.

MINDCo Middle East

+971 (0)50 554 8958

www.feonic.com

MÓZ DESIGNSMóz Designs, a specialist in decorative metal surfaces, has launched a dramatic new colour palette character-ised by earthy, burnished hues. The trendy new tones include shades of copper, gold, champagne, goldenrod, chocolate and cabernet. They are part of an exclusive Móz colour collection that includes more than 30 jewel-rich tones. Móz decorative metals are utilised in a range of architectural environments. Popular applications include wall treatments, suspended ceilings, entry canopies, column covers, counter fronts and bar dies. Double-sided Móz metals can also be speci ed for use as room dividers and interior decorative elements.

Móz Designs

+971 (0)4 364 3936

www.MozDesigns.com

36 Commercial Interior Design January 2010

PRODUCTS


VILLEROY & BOCHVilleroy & Boch has completely revised the design of its whirl-pools, and is presenting the second generation of its successful Whisper system. Side jets are now 70% more powerful, making the massage feature more effective and the overall system more energy ef cient. The system sets new standards with a noise level that is no louder than the rustling of leaves. The new ush- tted side jets, which lend the Whisper a special aesthetic look, are a further highlight. The company’s Ultimate Fitness system, de-signed to provide the ideal prevention and regeneration massage after sport, has also been enhanced. With the Ultimate Fitness system, Villeroy & Boch can now offer the rst completely invisible whirlpool system with base and side ‘Invisible Jets’.

Villeroy & Boch Middle East

+971 (0)4 3642613

www.villeroy-boch.com

PAYDAY J+J/Invision has introduced Payday, the newest addition to its existing Lucky Break Collection. Payday, an all-loop texture, was designed based on the popularity of its sister products, Jackpot and Windfall. It has a somewhat woven and grid-like quality which offers structure to the collection’s product assortment. Payday is created with several tonal and subtle multi-coloured space dyes, combined with Encore SD Ultima nylon. It is available in both broadloom and eKo PVC-free modular backing. “In designing this collection, we wanted to create something that offers both dealers and designers a set of coordinating products with a budget friendly price but that also has personality that can be creatively designed around,” said Sarah Miller, senior product designer, J+J/Invision.

BSH Walls and Floors

+971 (0)4 887 2664

www.jj-invision.com

MUKUL GOYAL New Delhi-based Mukul Goyal is the designer of a range of objects for the home, including furniture, lighting and accessories. His designs blend tra-ditional materials with contemporary expression, and his chosen medium is metal with chromed brass. Some items are complemented or embel-lished with black aluminum, stainless steel and even granite. Mukul Goyal’s signature range of products is now available in Dubai and Oman with plans afoot to expand to other cities in the GCC.

Dubai Gifts – Synergy Enterprises

+971 (0)50 7706247

www.mukulgoyal.com


PRODUCTS


MORE AMORÉ Perennials Fabrics has combined the classic elegance of 15th century Florence with a modern freshness in its new More Amoré collection. The colours and textures of the collection are remi-niscent of the walls of a Florentine basilica. The jacquard-woven surface of ‘Tried & True’, for example, creates the impression of an ancient stucco wall, while Sea Salt harkens to images of Medi-terranean sunlight shimmering on the water. Other colourways include Pumice, Pecan, Citrus, Dove, Patina and Medici Gold. In addition to romantic colours and textures, the new collection boasts sumptuous over-printed patterns.

Perennials Fabrics

+1 888 322 4773

www.perennialsfabrics.com

JIZAROA specialist in ne, handmade designs in lighting and silverware, Jizaro has extended its range of lights to include ve new prod-ucts. The company is renowned for providing stunning set pieces and exclusive, one-off designs. Each piece is individually crafted, using high-quality materials and techniques that are thousands of years old. The new, exclusive collection, which includes the KT10, HH10, DES10, PTN20 and TT200, is handmade by an award-winning designer and master craftsman. The lights are made from 100% solid brass, which means that they won’t rust or pit, and are luxuriously coated in chrome. The collection is also offeredin nickel, silver or gold, with a complete bespoke service available for one-off designs.

Jizaro

+44 (0)8456 806786

www.jizaro.com

OPALE Italian design studio, Sand & Birch has launched the Opale wine cellar. Created for Ellemme Cantine, this is a follow up to the recently-launched Wine-bag. Opale is a high-end refrigerated wine cellar, designed to mimic a precious black stone wedged into a smooth white base. The wine cellar is 2m high and has a capacity of 100 bottles. It is built in metal and hard polyurethane, while the door is made of insulating glass, which guarantees different levels of thermal and light insulation.

Sand & Birch Luxury Design

+39 (0)773 1762584

www.sandbirch.com


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CONTRACTS

www arabianbusiness com/construction Commercial Interior Design November 2007 101www arabianbusiness com/construction86 Commercial Interior Design October 2007

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

PROJECT FOCUSKUWAIT PROJECTS DATABASE - Building Projects Focus

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

PROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAIN CONTRACTOR VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)

PROJECT STATUS PROJECT TYPE

Center for Research & Studies at Sharq

Ministry of Public Works Gulf Consult Al Jaraih Contracting 12 project under construction

Commercial Buildings

College of Technological Studies at Shuwaikh

Public Authority for Ap-plied Education & Training

Al Dowailah Engi-neering Consultants

Not Appointed 16 - 30 award awaited for the main contract

Educational Facilities

Vocational Training Institute in Jahra

The Public Authority for Applied Education & Training

In House Not Appointed 31 - 100 award awaited for the main contract


Injassat Tower Injassat Real Estate Projacs/KEO Inter-national

Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting

20 project under construction


Al Aqeelah Tower Al Aqeelah Finance Leas-ing & Investment Co;

Al Mousawi Engi-neering Consultant

Khara National 16 - 30 project under construction

Residential Buildings

Administration Building at Kuwait International Airport

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

Dar Al Handasah/Jassim Qabazard

Not Appointed 101 - 250 award awaited for the main contract


Health Center at Bayan Palace Ministry of Public Works In House Alamiah Building Company


Hospital

Immigration Headquarters at Farwaniya

Ministry of Public Works Kuwait Technical Consultant

Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 bidding underway for the main contract


Ideal High School at Aqaila Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Education

Al Zamami Con-sultant

Bader Al Mulla & Brothers Company



Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 3

Kuwait Business Town Holding Company

Projacs/Pace/Fen-tress Bradburn

First United General Trading & Contract-ing


Mixed Use

Al Hamra Tower Ajial Real Estate Company Al Jazeera Consul-tants

Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting


Mixed Use

Hotel at Salmiya Mr. Fahad Al Maiylem Al Aliyan Consulting Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design

Hotel

Neighborhood Centre at East of Al Ahmadi


Not Appointed 40 award awaited for the main contract

Mixed Use

Special Forces Training Facility Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Interior

Dar Al Handasah Alamiah Building Company



Kuwait Institute of Justice Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Justice

Al Zamami Con-sultant

Not Appointed 31 - 100 bidding underway for the main contract


Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 1

Kuwait Business Town Holding Company

Projacs/KEO Int'l/Gensler Associates

First United General Trading & Contract-ing


Mixed Use

Immigration Headquarters at Farwaniya


Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 bidding underway for the main contract


Avenue Shopping Mall Expansion - Phase 3

Mabanee Company PACE/Gensler Not Appointed 908 project under design

Shopping Centre

Medical Village in Mahaboola The Commercial Real Estate Company

SSH/Bernard Khoury Architect

Not Appointed 220 project under design

Mixed Use

OPINION


downstream. There is a growing consen-sus on the need to build an integrated regional industry to gain a bigger share of global primary aluminium production, which the Gulf currently holds 5.3% of.

ALUMINIUM EXTRUSIONThe process of extruding aluminium involves a billet of aluminium being pushed by a ram through a die land that is the desired product shape. It is the preferred method to manufacture continuous complex pro le shapes for interior design purposes and to be used in several important industries, including construction, aeronautics and automotive. Known for its excellent fab-ricating properties, extruded aluminium is widely used in modern structures to improve the appearance of a product.

BENEFITS The advantages of extruded aluminium take effect even before it is used in de-signing the interiors of a structure. For one, it can be produced in large quanti-ties in a short period of time, which will ensure that companies will break even at a faster pace. Further bene ts that can be derived from using extruded aluminium from an interior design per-spective are detailed below: Malleability: Extruded aluminium is easy to mould into shape, and can be bent or moulded to very tight radii without the use of any special tooling or machinery. The very nature of the material means it is easy to drill and x. The extra accuracy of the extrusions process makes the join-ing of two identical parts very ef cient.

In an age where structures are taking on more complex forms, and iconic buildings with sophisticated blueprints continue to be considered a status symbol among developing economies, construction professionals and interior designers are continuously in search of methods that will allow them to create innovative designs, while offering innu-merable options, without compromising on aesthetics, strength and purpose. Given these factors, extruded alumini-um is gaining widespread popularity.

ALUMINIUM IN THE MIDDLE EASTAluminium is a key industry in the Gulf because of its close af liation with both construction and real estate. This sec-tor has managed to remain productive despite the recent nancial crisis, due to ongoing construction work across the region. Several far-sighted developers are taking advantage of an estimated 40% drop in construction costs since the last quarter of 2008 to push projects dur-ing the slowdown; this has had a positive domino effect on the materials segment.

There have been a number of notice-able developments as aluminium has assumed a greater role as an integral component in the initial and nishing phases of construction. For one, the material is increasingly being used in the external parts of buildings, such as gates, gardens and arches, in order to lend a more aesthetic look.

Another trend is the heavy invest-ments being made by governments across the Gulf to expand their alu-minium industries, both upstream and

Corrosion free, great conductivity: As far as anti-corrosion properties, extruded aluminium is resistant to corrosion due to its extra layer of oxide lm. Aluminium is also a great conductor of electricity – far better than the heavier copper – and can even be used as a heat conductor or as a heat re ector in heat shields.Accurate and cost effective: Extrusion produces a very accurate match across the entire length of the extrusion and any extra pieces, with little wastage, adding to the cost ef ciency of the process. Light but strong: Aluminium is known for being lightweight, particularly in relation to other popular metals such as steel and copper, which are over twice as heavy. However, its weight does not take away from its inherent strength.

Aluminium is a preferred material among contractors and designers due to its various advantageous proper-ties, such as its ability to resist high moisture, sound and heat, as well as its natural air conduction, which lessens the need for air conditioning. Aluminium also has a signi cant edge in terms of production and distribution. Production is very cost-ef cient due to the availabil-ity of cheap natural gas feedstock and the accompanying low-priced labour.

The Middle East also has excellent port facilities for exporting, and aluminium is easy and convenient to ship. These fac-tors are fostering the continuous growth of extruded aluminium in the interior design market, among other sectors.

Modar Al Mekdad is general manager of Gulf Extrusions.

Moulding the future By Modar Al Mekdad

commercial interior design 201001

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