Commercial Interior Design April 2010

An ITP Business Publication | Licensed by Dubai Media City
Apr Vol.6 Issue 4
Ship shape
ONBOARD THE NEW COSTA DELIZIOSA
Hi-tech creativity
HOW IS TECHNOLOGY IMPACTING DESIGN?
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CONTENTS
April 2010
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4
05 10 13 17
DESIGN UPDATE PROFILE

Introducing Hesse Lignal.
INDUSTRY SPEAK
How is technology impacting the design process?
DESIGNER Q&A
Catching up with Lino Losanno and Lorenzo Perini, retail designers extraordinaire.
05
17
30 36
24 30 36 43 49
CASE STUDY
Onboard the recentlyinaugurated Costa Deliziosa.
CASE STUDY
Checking out the Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island.
FEATURE
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Highlighting the latest trends in bathroom design.
DESTINATION FOCUS
The low-down on Saudi Arabias interior design industry.
LIGHTING SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

A handful of lighting suppliers that you should know.
55
PRODUCTS
A showcase of new products, including Domino, Circus, the Nora Turquoise series, Twilight Shower and Rusted.
62
CONTRACTS
Your monthly guide to contract tenders in the region, provided by Ventures Middle East.
64
OPINION
Exploring the science of feng shui with Shivani Adalja.
www.constructionweekonline.com
Commercial Interior Design | APRIL 2010
IlBagnoAlessi dOt (sanitary ware, bath tubs, shower cabin, furniture and accessories) is produced and distributed by Laufen Bathrooms under License of Alessi Spa Italy
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dOt, design Wiel Arets
FORM FOLLOWS FLOW.

Bathroom Culture since 1892 www.laufen.com/middleeast
Bahrain: Al Abbas Gallery +973 17741919 alabbas@batelco.com.bh Iran: Farbar +98 21 88 03 6364 sales@farbar.ir Jordan: Izzat Musa Marji & Sons Co. +962 65 52 02 84 info@marji.jo Kuwait: Arte Casa Trading Co. +965 4848 000 info@artecasa.bz Lebanon: Georges Nassr +961 1 482 462 georgesnasr@zahleh.com Oman: Ahmed Mohsin Trading L.L.C. +968 248 17 019 sware@amtoman.com Qatar: M.S.K Building Material +97 44 440 051 info@mskqatar.com Saudi Arabia: Dar Alfun for Ceramics (Articasa) +96 6 2252 4402 info@articasa.biz Syria: Uni Group +96 31 15 32 67 00 unigroup@net.sy United Arab Emirates: German Home for Bathrooms & Kitchens +971 4 268 9993 info@germanhome.net Yemen: Abu Al-Rejal Trading Corp. +967 1 272 519 sanitary@abualrejal.com
COMMENT
Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000 Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP BUSINESS PUBLISHING CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery Publishing Director Jason Bowman EDITORIAL Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews Editor Selina Denman Tel: +971 4 210 8502 email: selina.denman@itp.com ADVERTISING Publishing Director Jason Bowman Tel: +971 4 210 8351 email: jason.bowman@itp.com Sales Manager Leigh Roche Tel: +971 4 210 8679 email: leigh.roche@itp.com STUDIO Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Art Editor Simon Cobon PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Khatuna Khutsishvili Senior Photographers G-nie Arambulo, Efraim Evidor, Thanos Lazopoulos Staff Photographers Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Lyubov Galushko, Jovana Obradovic, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Deputy Production Manager Matthew Grant Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami CIRCULATION MARKETING Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP DIGITAL
The death of 2B
ne cant help but worry about the future of the 2B pencil. A long-held, loyal companion of designers the world over, Mr. 2B is being unceremoniously swept aside in favour of that brash young upstart: technology. In its various guises, technology has democratised design, making ideas, information and inspiration easier to access, distribute, share, discuss and dissect. Technology acts as a vital communication tool, allowing design to be understood by all. It allows design that most personal, subliminal, subjective of things to be taken out of the mind of the designer and put it into a medium that others can tap into. It creates a common language. It is also a key driver in the creative process, enabling designers to explore new forms, colours and textures; it encourages people to push boundaries and challenge existing norms; and it offers speed, ease and efciency, godsends in an age of frantic productivity and incessant pressure to perform and create. Moving forward, technologys role in the design process is only set to increase. There is a new generation of designers coming into the business arena that are largely unfamiliar with the merits of the meagre pencil. They probably learnt to read on a computer and they denitely learnt to design on one. On the one hand, this is cause for celebration. Virtual walk-throughs, where designs are presented in all their multi-dimensional glory, could become ubiquitous. The experiential side of design will be enhanced and the practice of communicating ideas will only become easier. However, there are concerns. Just as people will always worry that computers will eventually displace genuine human interaction, one has to question whether technology will end up cannibalising creativity. Technology shouldnt shape design, it should facilitate it. Unfortunately, it can all too easily create a disconnect between the designer and their design. As Zain Mustafa points out in this months Industry Speak (page 13), rubbing out your mistakes, throwing away your piece of tracing paper and starting all over again is a sure-re way of getting you to think carefully about what you are doing. That level of focus and engagement is what creates truly great design. As with most things, the secret is balance. Ultimately, designers must be masters of the technologies they employ, rather than slaves to them.
Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati
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SELINA DENMAN, EDITOR selina.denman@itp.com
Director Peter Conmy Internet Applications Manager Mohammed Affan Internet Design Manager Hitesh Uchil 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 4 210 8000 Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit www.itpimages.com Printed by Emirates Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions Audited by: BPA Worldwide Average Qualified Circulation 6,944 (July - December 2009)
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 readers particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.
Published by and 2010 ITP Business Publishing, a division of the ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company number 1402846.
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Cover image: Monolith by Geberit.
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DESIGN UPDATE
Swedish walls
ECO BOR STAPE T ER ESTABLISHES A PRESENCE IN T HE UAE
UAE: Swedish wallpaper and wallcoverings company, ECO BorsTapeter, has established its rst presence in the UAE, with a shop within a shop at Danube, Dubai Festival Centre. Here, customers can virtually simulate wallpaper designs, to create their ideal wallcovering solutions. We understand that there is demand for a fresh design brand such as ECO BorsTapeter in the Middle East, as the offerings here are extremely limited in terms of accessibility and international design, said Lars Narfeldt, agent and distributor, ECO BorsTapeter. We are very proud to be able to offer this luxury Swedish design brand to the UAE market. The ECO part of the brand offers young, trend-conscious designs, including exclusive ock wallpaper and bold wall murals. The range includes the award-winning London, which is the recipient of an Elle Decoration Design Award. Being stocked in the UAE as part of the ECO range are Line, Velvet, Feeling, Design 2 and Design 3, as well as the Metallic collection. By contrast, BorsTapeter offers classic, contemporary wallpaper and is Swedens oldest and most popular brand of wallcovering. Being stocked in the UAE from the BorsTapeter range are Artwork, Garden, Passion, New Classic and Plain Stripes. We are proud to be collaborating with ECO BorsTapeter in bringing their renowned brand exclusively to the region, where customers can now purchase high-end wallpapers and other home interior products from their range of industry-leading offerings at our Danube Buildmart stores, said Rizwan Sajan, chairman, Danube Building Materials. In line with our target to build a signicant market for ECO BorsTapeter in the UAE, we have dedicated an area within our Dubai Festival City outlet for the brand, wherein customers can consult with our design centre and virtually simulate wallpaper designs to nd the perfect match for their requirements, he added. This partnership underlines our aims to offer pioneering products, and we are condent that this brand will gather up a signicant following in the local market as well as in the region, as we aim to introduce the brand across the Middle East.
WIN
Win a feature wall for your office with designer wallpaper brand, ECO BorsTapeter.
ECO BorsTapeter is celebrating its entry into the region by teaming up with CID magazine to offer one reader a feature wall for their ofce. ECO BorsTapeter offers avant-garde designs that appeal to those with an eye for detail ideal for a unique and inspiring nish. And they want to help you add a blast of life to your ofce, by injecting an element of inspiration and luxury into your workplace. To enter, simply answer this question: What country does ECO BorsTapeter come from and where can it be purchased in the UAE? Answers to selina.denman@itp.com Terms and conditions apply.
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DESIGN UPDATE
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APRIL 2010 | Commercial Interior Design
DESIGN UPDATE
Design haus
A STRIKING NE W HERZOG & DE MEURON-DESIGNED STRUCTURE SHOWC A SES VITR AS HOME COLLECTION
Germany: Germanys Weil am Rhein, home of the Vitra Campus, has a striking new landmark, the VitraHaus. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the building is a showcase of the companys Home Collection, where classics by Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, Jean Prouve and Verner Panton mingle with contemporary designs from Maarten van Severen, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Antonio Citterio, Hella Jongerius and Jasper Morisson. The space was created to act as a source of inspiration for visitors, where they can try out the furniture on display, and order and purchase products. There is also the opportunity to learn more about the companys production methods, quality control and commitment to sustainability. Since 1981, when a major re destroyed most of the production facilities on the Vitra premises in Weil am Rhein, the area has been transformed into the site of a heterogeneous ensemble of contemporary architecture. Zaha Hadid realised her very rst built structure there. The Vitra Design House was the rst piece of architectural work by Frank Gehry outside of the US, and Tadao Ando constructed his rst building outside of Japan on the campus. Since there was no dedicated space for Vitras Home Collection, which was launched in 2004, Vitra commissioned the Basel-based architects Herzog & de Meuron to create the Vitrahaus in 2006. Set on the northern side of the grounds, VitraHaus stands alongside Gehrys Vitra Design Museum, which was created in 1989, and Andos Conference Pavilion, which came into existence in 1993. The structure promotes two classic Herzog & de Meuron themes: the archetypal house, and the idea of stacked volumes. In Weil am Rhein it was particularly appropriate to return to the idea of the ur-house, since the purpose of the structure is to promote objects for the home. The proportions and dimensions of the space are of a domestic scale, meaning that the showrooms are reminiscent of a familiar residential setting. Stacked to a total of ve storeys high and cantilevered up to 15m in some places, the vertical collection of 12 houses, whose oor slabs intersect the underlying gables, create a three-dimensional structure a pile of houses that, at rst glance, has an almost chaotic appearance. The charcoal colour of the exterior stucco skin unies the structure, earths it and connects it to the surrounding landscape. The complexity of the interior is further enhanced by a second geometrical concept. All of the staircases within the structure are integrated into expansive, winding, organic volumes that eat their way into the various levels of the building like a worm. Some 21m in height, 54m in width and 57m in length, VitraHaus extends above the other buildings on the Vitra campus. The aim was very much to create a vertically-orientated structure with a small footprint in stark contrast to traditional production facilities.
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PROFILE
Hesse Lignal
Hesse is a Germany-headquartered specialist in the production of surface treatments, lacquers and stains. The familyowned, teamwork-orientated company was established in 1910 and produces 100 tonnes of lacquer per day. The company employs 500 people worldwide and has a product range consisting of 45,000 formulations. We are known in Europe not just for selling products but for offering ideas and solutions, noted Beate Hesse, CEO, Hesse.
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W H O? US P S
Product quality, product consistency and professional service are the cornerstones of the Hesse brand promise. It starts with the people, said Jens Hesse, CEO, Hesse. People are important and training is important. The second thing is the quality of the raw materials. We control every batch that we get from our suppliers and we carry out stringent quality control. The third thing is having the right machines. A mixture of people, a philosophy of quality, and the right equipment helps us deliver what the market needs.
10
PROFILE
WHERE?
The company opened its new hub for the Middle East on March 10. The new workshop and warehouse facility is located in Dubais Jebel Ali Free Zone South, and was inaugurated by Tareq bin Ghalaita, vice president of commercial sales for the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority. This followed the opening of a new facility in Bangalore, India, three days earlier. We are bringing our know-how to the Middle East. Our aim is to deliver knowledge, not just products. We want to extend technical knowledge to our customer, and to educate them on the right procedures, said Muneer Idrees, sales manager, Middle East, Hesse International.
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WHY? T R E N DS
We started working in this part of the world about six years ago, explained Beate Hesse. We discovered that this was a huge market for interiors, and not only for the interiors of buildings but also the interiors of boats. We realised that the wide range of products that we had could really suit this market. In the long history of the company we have developed more than 45,000 different products, so it was a question of nding the right products for the market.
The trend in Dubai is still high gloss, even though not everybody knows how to produce high-gloss lacquers, Beate Hesse pointed out. We started ve years ago with normal solvent-based products but now more and more companies, even here in Dubai, have switched to modern UV lines and UV products. If I use PUR lacquers (which can be distinguished as acrylic formulations and alkyd-combinations), they are easy to work with, but need two to three days of working process before delivery. UV lacquer can be packed the same day but it requires a lot of experience to work with, so you have to nd the right solution for the right customer.
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Discretion is the secret of good design.
A sanitary system with a concealed cistern.
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Concealed systems from Geberit save space by integrating the cistern and pipes in the wall. This is not only more attractive, but also easier to clean. www.geberit.ae
Y&R GROUP
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13
INDUSTRY SPEAK
regards to the application of alternative construction technology, said David Rooney, design director, Luxe Interior. Whatever the technologies employed, it is essential to use a common platform that is shared by all of the various stakeholders involved in a design project, warned Zain Mustafa, founder of Zain Mustafa Interiors. The technologies that we use in the ofce are 3D Max and AutoCad, primarily. We also end up using a lot of Photoshop to layer over the 3D Max. We will also use Illustrator and PowerPoint but these are mainly
PLS Designs Losanno is already noticing a difference in the way that younger designers are approaching the design process. We still use pencils. We make sketches. But I see that new architects and designers are different. After all, they completed all their studies using computers. And some of the current design is very much affected by the software they are using, he said. As designers become more and more comfortable with the technology at their disposal, things like virtual walk-throughs will become ever more
There is a danger that we as creatives become slaves to the technology, rather than masters of it. One can see evidence of this in many Dubai interiors
communication tools, they are not about the design. The design is done in AutoCad after were done with the 2B pencil, obviously! The reason one uses AutoCad is it is technically sound. Any engineering company can also read it. So when you send it and its done on a PC format, its a platform that everybody can read and understand. Its unilateral quality allows it to be exible, so we stick to that, he continued. A lot of people might ask why we dont use a Mac since we are a cuttingedge design company, but we dont live in an isolated environment. I need everybody else who makes our design happen to understand those drawings, regardless of where they come from, how old their machine is, and how big or small their company is, he said. As a new generation of technologically-uent designers make their way into the business arena, the impact of technology is only set to grow. At the University of Sharjah, students are being versed in digital modelling and rendering, digital fabrication laser cutter and 3D printers, parametric design methods and simulation of natural light and sun movement. prevalent, Mustafa predicted. I would like for the virtual walk-through to come back because it allows for the design to become more experiential. Id love to explore and develop that genre more but, unfortunately, right now, it would cut me away from all the people that have to build my stuff for me. I would like the virtual walkthrough to become easier to do, so we could use it more in-house, like you do 3D Max, he said. Moving forward, technology will be the catalyst that allows designers of built environments to push more and more boundaries. Ultimately, it will push engineers to build bigger, stronger and more creative concepts; the Burj Khalifa is a good example of how technology has evolved and enables us to build and create more daring concepts, During pointed out. Technology pushes designers and engineers to go that extra mile and to nd better, more revolutionary construction methods and materials. However, there is a balance to be struck. There is a danger that we as creatives become slaves to the technology, rather than masters of it. One can see evidence of this in many
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Dubai interiors where it is clear that computer technology has driven the design, rather than a real understanding of what the venue is intended for and who will use it, said Rooney. The design process has to be more than the production of a knock-out visual! Technology can create distance, and it is critically important not to lose touch with the essence of a project. Technology enables us to work remotely, or even to work from home, but in some cases I still believe that designers need to experience the product for themselves. I personally go to every site myself, to absorb the vibrancy of a particular place, in order to get the real essence of the location, and then convey my feelings and opinions to my team, said During. The all-important human element can too easily be lost, Katodrytis warned. Handcrafted techniques and original pieces have been lost. Interiors have become generic and mass-produced, as well as fabricated in workshops and only assembled on site. The ease of production has been fascinating I only hope that basic human senses remain an integral part of this revolution: seeing, as in natural light; touch, as in rough materiality; smell not of plastic, and sound, as in silence, he said. For all its benets, technology comes with a distinct set of dangers. Speed and efciency should not replace considered, heartfelt design. Consider the simple act of drawing a box with a pencil, said Mustafa. With technology it is so easy and quick to create a box that often you dont have time to think about the intrinsic value of that box. Should it really be those proportions? You go so fast from one box to the next to the third to the fourth that somewhere in those layers, a lot of things do get lost. We have gained speed and ef ciency but we dont have time to think the design through as rigorously anymore. You are not necessarily thinking it through as much as you would because you are not going through the process of rubbing it out, throwing your piece of tracing paper away, and starting all over again.
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Old situation
35W / 50W halogens with Electronic gear Area (Sq. feet) Amount of Luminaries Total Installed Power (W) Energy load per year (kWh) Load per Sq. feet (W) 1528 300 11940 41790 7.8
Philips Green Solution

4W & 12W Philips Spot LEDs 1528 300 1968 6888 1.2
Energy Saving Up to 80%
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PuraVida Phoenix Design
PuraVida. A new sense of lightness in the bathroom.
Sanitaryware, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, shower trays, wellness products and accessories: Duravit has everything you need to make life in the bathroom a little more beautiful. More info at Duravit Middle East S.A.L., P.O. Box 13-6055, Chouran-Beirut, Lebanon, Phone +961 1 397329, Fax +961 1 397330, info@lb.duravit.com. Duravit Middle East (Branch), P.O. Box: 293622 Dubai, Dubai Airport Free Zone - United Arab Emirates, Phone +971 4 7017117 Fax +971 4 7017121, 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 / +966 2 66 176 94, Fax +966 2 66 410 38, info@sa.duravit.com. www.duravit.com
DESIGNER Q&A
High
ITA LI A N A RCHIT EC T S, LINO LOSA NNO A ND LORENZO PERINI, SPE A K TO CID A BOUT T HE A RT OF EF F EC T I VE RE TA IL DE SIGN
ino Losanno and Lorenzo Perini met 14 years ago, and have worked together ever since, initially as associates at architecture and design rm, Nardi Associates, and then as partners in their own Firenze-based rm, PLS Design. At Nardi, they were responsible for the retail sector, and worked with the biggest names in Italian fashion: Dolce
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& Gabbana, Valentino, Gianfranco Ferr, Malo and Iceberg, to name but a few. They travelled the globe opening up stores for fashions most fabulous, and even came to Dubai to open the emirates rst ever Dolce & Gabbana store. Residential projects in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait followed, and the pair have kept in contact with the region ever since. Last month, they were back in Dubai to mark the opening of their latest project, the new Western Furniture showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road. CID caught up with them to nd out more about the world of high fashion.
How have you seen retail design in Dubai evolve since you opened that first Dolce & Gabbana store here? Lino Losanno: We were walking through Fashion Avenue in Dubai Mall the other day and said, Wow, you dont need to go to Rome or Paris or Milano any more. You can just come here and you get everything from new concepts to new designs. Thats mesmerising.
17
DESIGNER Q&A
1 Lorenzo Perini and Lino Losanno. 2,3&4 A PLS-designed boutique, located at Campomarzio 9, in Rome.
Its a different kind of feeling, of course, then walking on Sloane Street or Bond Street in London, or Avenue Montaigne in Paris, or Via della Spiga in Milano. But in Dubai, especially with spaces like the big malls and hotels, you have more of a chance to express yourself, because the spaces are totally empty. When you work in old cities, you have to deal with old buildings and sometimes the design is led by the nature of the building. But, in this case, you are totally free. It is a different kind of creativity when you deal with an existing structure. In Europe we are sometime overwhelmed by the power of existing buildings. Its a different kind of thing here; you feel free to express yourself 100% and thats very interesting as a designer. How did you become involved with the new Western Furniture showroom? Lino Losanno: One day we received a phone call from the contractor who was working on this project and he said that the client was asking for an Italian architect. We sent him our resume and two days later I was here. Two weeks later the design was on the table. What did you do with this design? Lino Losanno: We came here and we found a totally empty box with very high ceilings and big windows. The client told us they were going to sell home
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furniture, but it is kind of difcult to put home furniture into a warehouse. So I thought we should build a house within this building. And thats how we came up with the idea of a box inside a box. We then fragmented the space into several different kinds of atmospheres. We have the entrance area which is more monumental, with a big water feature and a big staircase, but the rest of the space is divided into what could essentially be a home. The ceilings are lower; the lights are lower; the colours are combined in a way that makes you feel like you are at home. You feel comfortable. That was the rst idea. The other element was communication. We thought that the logo needed to be seen and recognised. You have a big W on the outside, and we also had a set of columns on the inside of the building, so we wrapped corten ribbon around the column and created a big W over the cashiers desk. Corten is a naturally rusted steel. It changes with time because it becomes more rusted, so it will be even nicer in a few months. It is an evolving material, which was very interesting for me. And then you had the staircase, which is the second element. It had to attract people to go upstairs and see what was there. It is always difcult to get people to move to the second oor of a space. In this case, we have a big part of the
collection upstairs so it was important to attract people up. People will look at this steel, mirror and glass staircase and think: I want to go up there. Of course, there is also the fountain, where we are bringing natural elements inside, especially in the area where they display outdoor furniture, upstairs on the deck. They have outdoor furniture and tables, so I have tried to make people feel like they are outside. What kind of materials did you favour for this design? Lino Losanno: We tried to work with environmentally-friendly materials. The oor, for example, is made of a material called bre cement. It looks like stones but is made of a compacted powder consisting of natural materials like concrete and wood, pressed together. It comes from Italy and is very durable. You do both architecture and interior design. Do you have a preference? Lino Losanno: We have a background in architecture, so we like to build buildings. But, of course, a building has its interiors and thats all part of it. We dont really have a preference. Of course, working with interiors in an existing situation means you have more limitations. Having totally free rein to build a complete building is nice. Lorenzo Perini: And even when we do interiors, they have an architectural feel.
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1 4 7
2 5 8 0
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DESIGN + SUSTAINABILITY = W + W
W+W has arisen from Rocas ambition upon incorporating new, unique and innovative solutions into bathrooms. This solution combines design and sustainability as it brings the toilet together with the washbasin in a single piece. An eye-catching design makes it ideal for compact spaces, although its most innovative feature is technology that allows water from the washbasin to be reused to fill the toilets cistern. A unique product that Roca has made a reality.
Bahrain: SAYYAR TRADING AGENCIES W.L.L. Tel.: +973.17.290.111, E-mail: sayyartd@batelco.com.bh Iran: BANA BUILDING IMPORTS, Tel.: +98.21.2613.1223, E-mail: Info@banabi.com Jordan: A. KAYYALI & CO., Tel.: +962.656.90016, E-mail: info@kayyali-roca.com Kuwait: ABDUL AZIZ IBRAHIM ALRUMAIH & CO., Tel.: +965.484.88.80, E-mail: rumaih@qualitynet.net Lebanon: O-TEC CO. FOR SANITARY WARES & TILES S.A.L., Tel: +961.1.868.529, E-mail: otec-co@cyberia.net.lb Oman: KHIMJI RAMDAS, Tel: +968.24.705.133, E-mail: krbmd@omantel.net.om Pakistan: ABDULLA & CO., Tel: + 92.21.585.04.90, sabdulla@cyber.net.pk Qatar: SAYYAR TRADING Co. W.L.L., Tel: +974.469.69.23, E-mail: sayyartd@qatar.net.qa Saudi Arabia: MUHAMMAD SALEH BAHARETH CO. (MSB CO.), Tel: +96.2.66.33.462, E-mail: info@roca-saudi.com Syria: TRANS MEDITERRANEAN TRADING CO., Tel: +963.11.661.70.48, E-mail: tm@transmedit.com UAE (Abu Dhabi): SANITARY MATERIALS CO., Tel: +971.2.677.13.63, E-mail: sanitary@emirates.net.ae UAE (Dubai): HAMAD RAHMA ABDULLA ALSHAMSI GENERAL TRADING, Tel: 971.4.266.64.29, E-mail: hrshamsi@eim.ae Yemen: ABUALREJAL Trading Corporation, Tel: 967.1.272.519, E-mail: sanitary@abualrejal.com ROCA SANITARIO S.A. (Middle East Representation Office) Gold & Diamond Park, Building 5, Offi ce 111 Sheikh Zayed Road, 4th interchange, next to Bur Dbai Trffi c Department P.O. Box 282337, Al Quoz branch, Dubai, UAE Tel. +971.4.347.64.00 Fax +971.4.347.64.08 Mobile: +971.50.465.93.24 Website: www.roca.com
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DESIGNER Q&A
Do you think it makes a difference? Will an architect approach a space differently to an interior designer? Lorenzo Perini: I think its a bit different. You can tell when an architect has created an interior, rather than an interior designer. It is a different approach. I think its because of a difference in background and attitude. Do you still do a lot of retail work? Is this what you specialise in? Lino Losanno: I wouldnt say that we specialise in retail. But we do do a lot of retail work, especially with fashion. In Italy this is one of the best resources, so we work a lot with fashion. We do a lot of restaurants as well. When it comes to retail interiors, what are the key trends right now? Lino Losanno: In the 1990s we had this explosion of very minimalist spaces. This really went to the root of the space, so you had concrete oors, gypsum walls, no colour and everything was very plain, which I loved, and it led to some very beautiful spaces. But then, at a certain point, clients started to need something more. They wanted that wow factor. So we started to introduce very strong elements in a very modern space we would put a baroque chair or a Venetian chandelier. Of course, this was linked to the history of the brands. For example, Domenico Dolce of Dolce & Gabbana is from Sicily, so we used Sicilian baroque chairs and tables and mirrors in their spaces. It was a very interesting mix. In the 2000s, the focus shifted very much towards decoration. You had modern spaces with a lot of decoration. So we started to use wallpaper, colour, LED lights, screens, special materials like Perspex, and very technological materials, again. I think that at this point in time we are trying to reduce what happened in those two worlds. We are going back to minimalism, but I would call it a more design minimalism, so minimalism with some design touches. That could mean architectural elements with a very strong design impact. But also, materials are very important now.
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6 7 5,6&7 Francesco Fino Atelier, The Plaza, New York.
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DESIGNER Q&A
There has been a very important evolution in the use of materials. Lorenzo Perini: Every brand wants to identify itself in a different way, so they have to nd something that sets them apart. It could be a material, or a special design element, sometimes a colour. For example, Prada is always green-ish. Lino Losanno: Another thing that is very important nowadays is attention to the environment, so it is very important to use environmentally-friendly materials. Has the economic downturn impacted interior design, particularly when it comes to the big fashion names? Lino Losanno: A little bit. I think people are more attentive to cost now. They are trying to save money when they are building their new boutiques. Design-wise, for us, it is more challenging because you have to get the same results, or better results, and better impact, with fewer resources.
8 The new Western Furniture showroom in Dubai. 9,10&11 Les Nuits Blanches, Paris.
What are you working on right now? Lino Losanno: Our next opening will be a Japanese restaurant in Firenze in April. We just started a new corporate concept
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for an existing Italian fashion brand, and we are working on a very interesting new building in Italy. That is something that doesnt happen very often opening a new building in Italy. Its a showroom for a distributor of fashion brands, located on the Adriatic coast. We have just started work on a residential resort, also on the Adriatic coast, and we are doing a boutique in London, and another one in Venice. We are also doing a beautiful restoration of a very important historical building in Florence that dates back from the 15th century. Its a private palazzo on the river. We are also doing a restaurant on the west coast of Tuscany.
Apart from shrinking budgets, what are the other major challenges that designers are facing right now? Lino Losanno: Being recognisable is one of the main goals for our clients, especially in fashion. They like it when they are recognisable, when people see the space without any branding and know its theirs. But at the same time they want every store to be original. They dont want it to look like anything else. Thats always a big challenge. Lorenzo Perini: Often, different designers can arrive at the same ideas. Because it makes sense. So the real challenge is creating truly original work.
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CASE STUDY: COSTA DELIZIOSA
Ship shape
ONBOARD COSTA CROCIERES NEWEST, MOST INNOVATIVE CRUISE LINER
n February 23, Costa Deliziosa became the rst cruise ship in history to be inaugurated in an Arab city. The 294m-long, state-of-the-art, luxury cruise liner was named during a lavish ceremony at Dubais Port Rashid. Built in Italy, at Venices Fincantieri shipyard, Costa Deliziosa is the third ship to be delivered to owner Costa Crociere in just nine months, and represents part of a EUR2.4 billion eet expansion programme for Italys largest tourism company. Along with sister vessel, Costa Luminosa, Costa Deliziosa is also the most innovative and exclusive member of the Costa eet essentially, a whole new breed of cruise liner. Costa Deliziosa represents the upscale part of our offering, explained chairman and CEO, Costa Crociere, Pier Luigi Foschi. However, in spite of its size and advanced features, it is a ship that was designed to make its guests feel comfortable, he continued. Above all, it is a ship that transforms a normal, ordinary holiday into a dream come true. Hence the name, derived from the Italian word delizia, meaning reason or cause for great pleasure, joy and satisfaction; something cherished that uplifts the body and soul. It fell to Miami-based designer and architect Joseph Farcus to create interiors to match these lofty principles.
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1,2&3 It is important to apply eclecticism with cruise ship interiors, according to the designer of the Costa Deliziosa, Joseph Farcus. 4 The Samsara Spa is one of the most luxurious wellness facilities ever built on a cruise liner.
DESIGNING EXPERIENCES
Pier Luigi Foschi gave me an idea of what the guest should be feeling, in a general, spiritual way, Farcus
explained. He didnt say, Make this red, make this blue or anything, but he talked to me about who his guests were going to be, and what they would expect onboard in terms of their experience. Because thats what Im doing, Im designing experiences. The design process was very natural, said Farcus, who has produced ten cruise ships for Costa Crociere, and rst entered this niche segment of the market working with Carnival Cruise Lines. How I approach it is very personal. I sit down with a blank piece of paper and start drawing. I draw by hand. We have a very small ofce, just a couple of people and, basically, I design almost everything myself, he added. When I rst started off in my career, I made more of an effort to come up with a central idea and then build a design around colours, or impressionist paintings, or Italian villas, or something like that. But, over the years, that has progressed and now, I just design the ship as a whole, Farcus detailed. What I did do was take the ideas that Pier Luigi Foschi has of appealing to higher-end travellers who have had more experience of going on cruises, and maybe made the design a little more rened in that respect. As a result, premium materials were employed throughout the ship. Marble and granite were complemented by stucco, applied using a spatula in the traditional spatolato veneziano technique. Other high-end nishes included parchment scroll lam, rened Zebrano wood and wenge timber,
Murano glass, and polished and glazed steel. In support of the ships distinctly Italian roots, the design called upon high-end Italian brands, such as Rubelli for fabrics, Molteni for furniture, and Sicis, a specialist in art mosaics, which appear in some of the most exclusive parts of the ship. A total of 970 La Murrina chandeliers appear in Costa Deliziosas public areas, alongside chairs and couches designed by Italian designers Rossi DAlbizzate, Moroso and Baxter.
FLOATING GALLERY
The ship is also home to an exclusive art collection, curated by Milanese architecture rm Casagrande & Recalcati. The permanent collection brings together a total of 340 original works and 4,756 reproductions, by old masters and emerging artists alike. For example, the ships central atrium is dominated by the Sphere, an arresting gilt bronze sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro. This space is also notable for its scale, and in the way it embraces natural light. The atrium is topped by a skylight so that natural light comes all the way down into the main lobby. Having the light so that it is coming in from above also draws you to look up and that gives you an initial feeling for how big the ship is, said Farcus. With a gross tonnage of 92,600, the ship can carry up to 2,826 guests. Facilities include 1,130 cabins, 772 of which have verandas, four restaurants, 11 bars, three pools and four jacuzzis. A 1,300m theatre show lounge covers
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three levels and has a seating capacity of over 800. Its centrepiece is a giant 18m screen anked by giant, statuesque lampshades. Another highlight is the Samsara Spa, one of the largest and most luxurious wellness centres ever built on a cruise ship. The facility covers 3,500m, and is perched on the two highest decks of the ship, directly overlooking the sea. It is home to a thalassotherapy pool, an aromatic Turkish bath, a trepidarium and laconium, and a tness centre kitted out with Technogym equipment. Dedicated cabins and suites, along with a special restaurant, can be found within the wellness area. Other innovative features onboard the Costa Deliziosa include a 4D cinema; a golf simulator, which offers 37 18-hole virtual courses along with a 100m outdoor area with a putting green; a Grand Prix driving simulator; a roller skating track; and Playstation World, an area of the ship dedicated to PS3 gaming, which is a complete rst for the cruise industry. But, while the ship is full of progressive features, it is still on the right side of gimmicky, Farcus noted. Certain companies, and we are not one of them, believe in going in for more gimmicky things rock climbing walls and ice skating rings and so on. My feeling is that we should concentrate on the things that people come on a
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cruise for: sitting out in the sun, being entertained, having great food, being in an interesting environment. Moving forward, you will see more and more gimmicks in the design of cruise ships, but I think the ships that I do will always be more orientated towards what cruising has always been all about, said Farcus. After all, with a limited amount of space on offer, it is important that every available inch is used effectively, Farcus pointed out. If you do something here, it means that you cant do something else over there.
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This is one of many challenges that are totally specic to cruise ship design. Fire safety is another extremely important factor, and means that ships are highly compartmentalised, with stringent exit requirements. Every single material onboard has to be reproof and certiably so. Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role in the design of ships. Costa Deliziosa prides itself on being a leader in the sustainability stakes, and is one of the rst cruise liners in the world to be equipped for cold ironing, a system whereby vessels can
5&6 The atrium is dominated by the Sphere, created by Arnaldo Pomodoro. 7 The ship is part of Costas upscale offering.
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8 The theatre show lounge covers 1,300m.
be plugged into shoreside electrical power, enabling generators to be shut down during stopovers in port. A series of other sustainable initiatives have been introduced onboard, including 100% waste separation, recycling of aluminium, glass and other waste, and the production of water from desalination plants. Meanwhile, low-power LED light bulbs are used, and the ship has been tted with an automatic control system designed to adjust external lighting in accordance with sunlight intensity. This is whats going on in the world today. More precious and rare materials are no longer used, Farcus said. For example, the open decks of ships used to be all teak, and then the teak forests were in trouble so now we use a resin
oor that is made to look like teak. And I have to admit, although Im not generally in favour of fake materials, it looks pretty good, he said.
APPLYING ECLECTICISM
Ultimately, a good interior will enhance the overall cruising experience, Farcus explained. The idea is to create a series of unique, highly individual spaces that are able to maintain the interest of the guest over an extended period of time. After all, uniformity leads to familiarity, which is not ideal when people are conned to a given space. So, rather than creating seamless interiors that promote a common theme, it is best to apply eclecticism, Farcus explained. Interesting, creative, non-repetitive design is the order of the day.
Even though you look at the Costa Deliziosa and it is huge, it is still a conned space. When people come on one of these cruises, they should still be seeing something new until the very last day, Farcus pointed out. My feeling has always been that if you make one uniform design throughout, it can be beautiful, but if people get used to it within a day or two, that then makes everything else harder. The food has to be better and the service has to be better, he continued. The more stimuli that people take in, the better the whole thing is. Then its just the opposite the food is immediately better, the service is better, the entertainment is better, because everything is linked to your frame of mind when you experience it.
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Discretion is the secret of good design.
A sanitary system with a concealed cistern.
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Concealed systems from Geberit save space by integrating the cistern and pipes in the wall. This is not only more attractive, but also easier to clean. www.geberit.ae
Y&R GROUP
CASE STUDY: RADISSON BLU YAS ISLAND
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The big Blu

N AT U R AL I NF LU ENCE N AT T H E R A D IS S O N B L U H OT E L A BU DH A BI Y A S IS L A N D S MA KE AN IMPR E SSI O
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multi-layered, multidimensional lighting sculpture hovers over the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Composed of linear, copper-coloured components suspended at varying heights, it is a contemporary take on the traditional chandelier, explained Anne Kuzyk, head of interiors at Aukett Fitzroy Robinson, the company responsible for both the architecture and interior design of the Radisson Blu and its sister Park Inn property next door. The xture was custom-made by Preciosa and, in the evening, takes on a life of its own, exuding an ever-changing spectrum of coloured light; shifting gently from purple to blue to pink and then yellow. It is the heart of the hotel. Its an amazing talking piece and it really comes alive at night with the colour-changing lights. I was inspired by Alexander Calder, the sculptor, from a very early age, and I felt this was the place to put this kind of installation. Its almost like bringing the New Tate to Yas Island, said Kuzyk. Guests lounging in the lobby, or making their way to and from the lifts, move beneath the structure, and are privy to one aspect of its multi-faceted form. Meanwhile, up on the mezzanine
level, guests move alongside it, and are treated to a whole new perspective, reiterating the impression of it being more of an art installation than a light xture. The placement of the structure also serves to break up the horizontality of the lobby area. The lobby is divided into three different areas, Kuzyk noted. There is your check-in zone, which is quite horizontal, there is your transition zone where people walk to the lifts, and then youve got your lounge and seating zone, so, because people would be using the space that way, I turned the sculpture around to get rid of the horizontality from the design.
OUTSIDE IN
A smaller version of this contemporary chandelier hangs above the check-in counter, making a striking rst impression as guests enter the hotel, and offering a tantalising glimpse of whats to come. Like its more sizeable counterpart, the underside of the structure is mirrored. The idea is to reect the views of the island back into the space, Kuzyk pointed out. This idea, of bringing the outside in, is a cornerstone of the overall design. Barriers between the indoors and outdoors have been systematically broken down, with an emphasis on inviting natural
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light and panoramic views deep into the interior. There are a lot of terraces, and a lot of opportunities for al fresco dining. And everywhere you go, we have capitalised on the view; the outside is very beautifully captured within our property. I think thats one of the most important selling points for our hotel, noted Rafat Kazi, PR and marketing communications manager, Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island. With mangrove-covered sandbanks, the grassy expanse of the Links golf course, and the unending blue of the Arabian Gulf all to be found on the hotels doorstep, Kuzyk had a rich palette of natural inuences to draw upon.
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So, in Business Class rooms, a textured headboard made out of beige plaster mimics the motion of sand dunes. The rooms colour palette is inspired by the sunset, and by the continually-shifting colour of the sand. Abstract artwork plays with the idea of sunlight sifting through the leaves of a palm tree. Weve used all very natural inuences, but in a very contemporary way, Kuzyk explained. In the spa, the ethos is overwhelming organic. Its all very natural thats the whole idea. The tiles are like the sand, its like the dunes running through. There are tiles made out of pebbles, and echoes of palms and waves.
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An oversized jacuzzi nuzzles into one corner of the spa, set across from a large window offering uninterrupted views of the sea and golf course. And in the treatment rooms, an intricate, abstract version of the sun adorns the ceiling above treatment tables.
WAVES OF COLOUR
In the yet-to-open Persian restaurant, Zeeba, the design carries overtones of the sea. Weve used the colour turquoise. That was inspired not only by Persian colours but also the Arabian Sea, because when we rst came here, there was nothing. And all you saw, all through the day, was the sea, which
1 Assymetri restaurant. 2 A contemporary chandelier hovers over the lobby area. 3 Filini restaurant. 4 The design is striking in the way it embraces colour.
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5 Zeeba is the hotels Persian restaurant. 6 The property capitalises on its stunning surroundings.
changed colour throughout the day. So, throughout the hotel weve tried to capture the various colours of the sea. This is reiterated in the hotels main corridors, where carpets are imprinted with wave-shaped patterns. Again, we are bringing the sea in. The executive oors have a red wave, and the standard oors have blue, Kuzyk continued. This also serves to shorten and liven up the corridors, she explained. Thats always one challenge with hotels. They have these long long corridors, so if you can do something interesting on the oor, it detracts from that. And when you arrive for the rst time, it is so much more special getting to your room. Long characterless corridors are also a standard feature in many meeting areas, Kuzyk pointed out something that she tried to counteract in the Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Business centres and meeting rooms usually have very long corridor spaces. I took the original concept of the false Italian perspective, so what happens is your eye actually comes inwards in the design of this corridor. Then I took the idea of a mans pinstripe suit and put bands of turquoise into the carpet. This is another striking feature of the hotels interior its refusal to shy from colour. From walls and oors to bed covers and accessories, spaces are infused with vibrant hues. Every time we presented to Rezidor [the owning company of the Radisson brand], they said, Whats great about working with
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THE ESSENCE OF BLU
The Yas Island property is signicant because it is the rst hotel in the region to open under the Radisson Blu banner as opposed to the now defunct Radisson SAS brand name. As a result, it was essential for the Abu Dhabi property to fully capture the essence of the new brand. Kurt Ritter, [president and CEO of the Rezidor Hotel Group], really wanted us to bring this property into the next generation of the Radisson Blu portfolio. We are designing a hotel that needs to last for the next 15 years, so we are designing for the next generation. There is so much competition, so you have to have high design standards, which Rezidor has denitely got, said Kuzyk. The new brand ethos is perhaps best communicated in the lobby, which is very sleek, very smart and very modern. Signature furniture pieces like the Egg by Fritz Hansen dene the highly contemporary space, which is warmed with quintessential Radisson colours like chocolate brown and aubergine. What was great about working with Rezidor is they didnt give us a rigid brief. The have a specic set of operating guidelines but they allowed us to put a level of dream into it, said Kuzyk. Working in the Middle East also
you and your team is that you have been brought up in Europe, which is so grey, but youve come here and youve reinvented colour, which we have. People look better in colour and so do designs, Kuzyk maintained.
presented a level of freedom that might not be available elsewhere, she added. This is our rst project in the Middle East. What we have found is that the opportunities to design here are far greater than in other parts of the world. It is not limiting at all here. You are given a brief that you can expand upon and that you can actually put your dreams into. Whereas we are more rigid in Europe and other parts of the world. One thing that was restrictive, however, was the allocated time frame. We had so little time. I think we had 24 months to design the interiors and architecture and build it in time for the Grand Prix, Kuzyk revealed. But you are driven because you dont want to fail. And you inspire your own team by being that driven. You inspire people to go a little further and work a little harder, she said. The process was aided by the fact that Aukett Fitzroy Robinson was responsible for both the architecture and interiors of the property. You understand what the architect is trying to achieve. Then you can bring the design of the building into the space and let it reect the architecture. The other thing is that everyone can sit around the table and debate about what the best solutions are. In many hotels, you walk in and every area looks like it has been done by a different person. I think thats disorientating, said Kuzyk. Its like your home. It should look like it comes from one hand and one line. How else are you going to distinguish the Radisson Blu from other hotels?
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FEATURE: BATHROOMS
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FEATURE: BATHROOMS
uilding on a trend that has transformed the bathroom into one of the hippest rooms in the house, Hansgrohes designer brand, Axor, will later this year unveil a new collection created with the Bouroullec Brothers. Fresh from a collaboration with Patricia Urquiola, the company has also extended its Axor Citterio collection, a collaboration with Milan-based architect and designer Antonio Citterio that was rst unveiled in 2003. The collection now includes a new type of mixer that aims at further optimising the comfort of the wash basin area, as well as a new overhead showerhead with a fully pre-assembled surface-mount shower system. Citterio has also further developed his spatial concept for the modern bathroom. His 2003 concept focused on the segmentation of the bathroom into wellbeing and needs-oriented zones, by introducing transparent elements. To me, time is the sublime expression of immaterial luxury, said Citterio. And the bathroom is where I take time out for myself: to me, it is a place for retreat and regeneration. It is therefore all the more important that I adorn this space with selected, valuable and beautiful things. In the new, enhanced version of the Axor Citterio bathroom, an enclosed area in the centre of the room accommodates the toilet, with the wash basin, shower and bathtub placed along the outside wall. This room within a room links areas dedicated to sleeping and bodily hygiene, resulting in a comfortable, spacious environment where bathroom and bedroom harmoniously blend into each other. In this way, Antonio Citterio once again shows us how these two formerly separate rooms can increasingly grow into one functional, aesthetically pleasing unit that turns the bathroom into a fundamental part of modern living. By featuring a large window front and direct access to the garden in his wellbeing bathroom, the result is an abundance of natural light in addition to the deliberate placement of his accentuated sources of light giving the bathroom a very comfortable, inviting
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atmosphere, commented Philip Grohe, head of the Axor brand.
DESIGN ORIENTATED
Teaming up with leading architects, interior designers and fashion icons has enabled bathroom companies to transform the bathroom into a space that is now as much about style as it is about function. There has denitely been an increased emphasis on contemporary design, which is cyclical. I think contemporary design is becoming more ubiquitous in most markets around the world, noted David Kohler, president and COO of Kohler. Swiss bathroom manufacturer Laufen has identied two distinct, seemingly contradictory design trends making their way into the bathroom.
We are seeing northern, puristic, rectangular design, as well as Italian, organic, rounded design, revealed Ivan Zupanovic, international sales and marketing manager, Laufen. Innovations in both sectors are very important for Laufen, because the demand is split between these two approaches. And, with its Swiss tradition of integrating inuences from the north as well as the south, Laufen is in an excellent position to deliver both and rene them with quality and nesse, Zupanovic continued. Responding to the need to create increasingly design-orientated products, Spanish bathroom company Roca has introduced Khroma, a collection characterised by colour. Roca has brought colour back into the bathroom, said
1 Kohlers multi-faceted Flipside shower. 2 Geberit has launched its Monolith collection.
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FEATURE: BATHROOMS
3&4 The Axor Citterio bathroom.
Victor Schoone, country manager, Middle East, Roca. The collection is available in passion red, street and silver grey, and oxygen blue. We give people the opportunity to keep the sanitary ware in white but to bring colour in, in the form of colourful toilet seats and covers and furniture, Schoone said. The need for sleek, innovative bathroom solutions has also been recognised by Geberit, which has responded with its Monolith collection. The elegantly-designed Geberit Monolith is a perfect alternative to toilets with visible cisterns. It is compact and exible, opening up a nearly unlimited application range. Installation of the entire system is completed in a single operation, with the new installation ready for use within just a few hours, said Guy Wilson, head of Gulf region, Geberit international sales. Promoting a brushed aluminium and glass nish, Monolith is characterised by clear, simple lines and high-quality materials. With its slim prole, the Monolith can be tted into almost any bathroom without impinging on space and is ideal for the retro-t market as
it conceals marks from previous oorstanding pans and there is no need for any complex plumbing alterations, explained Wilson.
HIGH-TECH
Another important factor currently shaping bathroom design is the increased uptake of technology. Along with this design-led transformation, we are seeing a move towards greater functionality as hi-tech conveniences which form part of daily life are now emulated in the design and function of sanitary xtures and ttings, Wilson noted. As such, Roca will soon launch a hi-tech version of its Khroma collection, Khroma Robot. With electronics incorporated into the vitreous china of the sanitaryware, users can control the shower and bidet function, they can open and close the toilet seat and cover, and even heat up the seat and cover at the press of a button. Technology is really starting to permeate all products, Kohler commented. Not technology for the sake of technology, but technology that really enhances the experience and provides a different level of functionality.
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So, we have products that make your whole showering experience digital, with a system that can control light, steam and music, as well as the showering experience, he said. We have a new experience in baths called VibrAcoustic technology. Youre really seeing technology in all the product segments, and the price points are coming down as well, so I think youll see it incorporated into the bathroom more and more moving forward, Kohler predicted. However, while contemporary design and technology are playing their part, the single most inuential factor currently impacting bathroom design is sustainability. The challenge facing bathroom manufacturers is nding an approach that makes business sense. We look at sustainability because we believe its the right thing to do, not the right thing to say, said Kohler. But the right sustainability strategy is one that rmly integrates business principles with environmental principles. It has to make sound business sense and if you work hard at it, you can nd a win solution for the environment, a win solution for the business and a win solution for the consumer.
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FEATURE: BATHROOMS
5 Rocas Khroma collection. 6 The Monolith in green.
Thats what we want to focus on as a business, he pledged. Creating products that are sustainable but do not force consumers to sacrice on comfort is critically important. In the bathroom we handle our most important consumable water basically for cleaning the body. So, our responsibility is to optimise this process with water saving technologies, without corroding the cultural magic that is inherent in this act: taking a bath means cleaning the soul in many cultures, Laufens Zupanovic pointed out. Geberit has placed sustainability at the very forefront of its agenda, and was recently named amongst the top 10 most sustainable companies in the world by Corporate Knights, a Toronto media company that has published its rst-ever ranking of the worlds 100 most sustainable companies. Corporate Knights research group worked with two different asset management rms to evaluate companies based on ten environmental, social and governance performance metrics, including energy productivity, waste productivity and CEO-to-averageworker pay ratio. An 11th indicator was added for transparency. The honour of being named among the top 10 most sustainable companies further supports and validates Geberits continuing commitment to being
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environmentally responsible in everything we do. Focus on sustainability is part of our culture, Wilson said. Intelligent companies are taking a multi-pronged approach to sustainability. This involves lowering their footprint as a business, with more intelligent manufacturing processes and facilities; creating new and innovative products that contribute in lowering energy and water consumption; and using their global positioning to educate consumers on the importance of sustainability. As Wilson pointed out: Sustainability is an all-encompassing approach of which water conservation forms just one aspect. Ultimately, sustainability for the sake of sustainability is not a realistic proposition. Companies are under incredible pressure to develop solutions that are accessible, affordable and, most importantly, palatable to the consumer. For example, the Roca Group is holding off from launching waterless urinals as it believes that the general population is still largely resistant to the concept. Our commercial department has taken the decision not to launch any waterless urinals yet, explained Schoone. There is a small percentage of people that are very happy with waterless urinals, and a large number of people that do not like them. They do
not yet offer the comfort level that you need. We may be an innovative company but if people dont like your innovations then you only harm yourself. For Jim Westdorp, group president, kitchen and bath, Kohler, it is a question of re-educating the market. In the past there has been a perception that water saving plumbing xtures didnt perform as well as products that used more water. And, admittedly, there were some issues with that with the very rst generation of low-ow water closets. However, those days are long gone and Kohler has been working tirelessly to dispel this myth, he said. Kohler is focusing on nding ways to constantly enhance the overall showering experience, without promoting increased water consumption. We are looking for ways that you can still enjoy that type of experience but not consume as much water. We spend a lot of our time inventing things that produce less water. You can also talk about introducing music or satellite radio, and other things that enhance the experience, said Kohler. Steam, for example, is a great addition to a shower. It consumes very little water and offers a great experience. A great shower experience does not have to be about how much water one consumes, he concluded.
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DESTINATION FOCUS: SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi successes
SAUDI ST ILL OFFERS PLENT Y OF OPPORT UNIT Y FOR INT ERIOR DESIGNERS
ts little secret that Saudi Arabia is brimming with opportunity just ask Wilson Associates. The rm has been appointed to design the interiors for 19 of the 26 hotels that make up Jabal Omar Development Companys (JODC) latest development in Makkah. Wilson Associates scope of work covers an area of two million m, including 25 towers, 17 grand lobbies and 40 food and beverage outlets. Hotel brands due to be present within the development include Conrad, Westin, Marriott, Hyatt and Sheraton. The project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2011. After 39 years in the business, we are thrilled to be selected as the designers of this prestigious and spiritual development, said Trisha Wilson, founder and CEO, Wilson Associates. As a rm we have designed and installed over a million guestrooms and we are honoured to be selected to design over 10,500 rooms simultaneously for one client. Another Saudi success story is hospitality design rm, J/Brice Design International, which has joined forces with the Al Khobar-based Fahd Alireza Engineering Company (FAEC). Soon after partnering with FAEC, we were retained by The Al Othman Group for a twin tower hotel ofce development, and then for a very large summer palace for a private client in Jeddah. We
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1 Saudi Arabia.
are currently negotiating a nal contract for work for the royal family for a hotel in the north, said founder, J/Brice Design International, Jeffrey Ornstein. According to Saad Mehmod, director, contracts and development, Absal Group, a Saudi Arabian company involved in the design and build industry, a shortage of strong, locally-based interior design rms means there is still plenty of opportunity for international companies to make their mark. Unfortunately, interior design in Saudi Arabia is not up to standard, in my opinion. Especially when it comes to hospitality. I havent come across any ve-star projects where design support is local. Even in our work, when we get design and build jobs, we seek international support, Mehmod said. However, in spite of its size and potential, stringent regulations and high levels of bureaucracy make Saudi Arabia a difcult market to break into, Mehmod warned. Foreign companies looking to work in the country need to be committed in order to succeed. Although Saudi is a huge market, you have a certain level of bureaucracy, and there are certain difculties which are inuenced by certain regulations. There have been a lot of improvements with new foreign investment regulations, but there are still restrictions on certain trades, Mehmod said.
Working in Saudi is not easy, from a social point of view as well as a business point of view. So yes, there are challenges, and for any company to enter the Saudi market, they need to be committed. And, most importantly, to be present here, he added. Companies also need to be at the top of their game in order to compete, warned Ornstein. Saudi clients are well versed in high-quality design, and are fully cognoscente of the expertise that is required to execute a project timely, in budget and, all the while, distinctive to the market and respectful of the culture. Its most denitely not a place for less experienced designers to solicit work. Doing business in Saudi Arabia is also about forming strong relationships, noted Terry McGillicuddy, designer, Richmond International, the company behind the 1005-room Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel interiors. Having a local relationship is extremely important for any designer attempting to break into the Saudi market. Without a strong link with the client, contractor and consultants, and without any local support, it would be very difcult to complete a successful project in the country. Most importantly, warned Ornstein, dont be hasty. Be patient. Decisions are rarely made quickly.
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Sacred sites
DE SIGNING T HE M A KK A H CLOCK ROYA L TOWER A FA IR MONT HOT EL , A 1005 - ROOM PROPERT Y SE T ON ONE OF T HE WORLDS MOS T SACRED SIT E S, PRE SENT ED A N INT ERE S T ING SE T OF CH A LLENGE S FOR RICHMOND INT ERN AT ION A L
ith a 1,005-room hotel project, size and scale dominate the agenda. When Richmond International was commissioned to design the Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel, the scale of the project was a key driver in the design process the signicance of its location was another.
The holiest city in the Islamic world, Makkahs primary industry is to support the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which alone attracts up to three million people every year, as well as pilgrims who visit throughout the rest of the year. Now scheduled to open in August, the hotel forms part of the Abraj Al Bait complex, which incorporates seven towers
and is adjacent to the Masjid al Haram mosque and the Kaaba, which is the most sacred site in the Islamic faith and the heart of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The Makkah Clock Royal Tower complex includes over 500 shopping outlets and food courts, set over ve oors in the lower Podium section, luxury apartments on levels 30 to 52, ve Royal
45
1 The reception area is characterised by its scale. 2 High-quality materials were used throughout. 3 The hotel has eight food and beverage outlets. 4&5 The design combines modern and traditional Arabian inuences.
oors, and the 1,005-room Fairmont Hotel, which covers a further 28 oors. The hotel has extensive conference and banqueting facilities, eight food and beverage outlets and a number of dedicated prayer halls. A grand total of 76 elevators guarantee the seamless movement of guests, particularly during calls to prayer. Facilitating the movement of throngs of people was one of the most important elements of the design, explained Terry McGillicuddy, designer, Richmond International. A major challenge was to understand, integrate and accommodate the circulation of a very large number of guests and visitors who need to access and, more importantly, exit the building, particularly during the calls to prayer, he pointed out. At the peak periods of Hajj and Ramadan, the hotel will potentially have to accommodate up to 60,000 people, which meant that close attention had to be paid to re, health and
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safety regulations. This extended to all furnishings in both the hotel and apartments, which were subjected to stringent checks. Richmond International provided full interior design services for the hotel guest rooms and public areas, which included the reception, ballroom areas, business centre, health club, prayer areas and food and beverage outlets. The sheer size of the project presented inherent challenges. At 577m high, with 76 stories, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower will become one of the worlds tallest towers when it opens. The top of the building is adorned with a 40m diameter, four-sided clock that will announce daily prayers. Five times larger than Big Ben, the clock will be visible from 17km away. Due to the scale of the areas involved, it was difcult to envisage how some of the spaces could work. For example, the reception area is 27m by 18m and approximately 12m high.
Therefore, it was necessary for the design to incorporate additional interior architecture in some of these larger spaces, to help break them down into smaller, more manageable areas. The design balances both traditional and modern Arabic design elements. Throughout, there has been extensive use of quality materials, such as marble, decorative plasterwork and metal and timber screening. Speciallycommissioned chandeliers hang in the large public areas, which are furnished with original, bespoke pieces. Due to the large number of areas, a variety of colours and themes have been used, with an underlying palette of calm and neutral colours that link the major public spaces, said McGillicuddy. The spiritual signicance of the site also fundamentally impacted the interior design. The importance of this religious location was a key factor in the creative process; the balance and simplicity of the traditional and modern Arabic design of the interior reects the spiritual nature of the location and the sense of humility surrounding the Haram, said McGillicuddy. But the signicance of the location also presented one of the projects greatest challenges Richmond couldnt be involved on the ground. The most demanding challenge of the whole project has been that due to the hotels location, Richmonds designers have been unable to provide supervision at the site itself. Therefore, the relationship with the client and project team has needed to be very trusting and mutually respectful.
46
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SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
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LIGHTING SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
he aesthetic importance of lighting is seldom questioned. Good lighting is often the difference between spaces that are warm, welcoming and full of depth, and ones that are cold, at and uninviting. Good lighting will enhance the design, creating drama and interest and it will draw attention to all the right interior elements, rather than itself. But the days of lighting for the sake of lighting have drawn to a close. It is widely acknowledged that articial lighting currently accounts for some
30% of electricity consumption in a commercial building and that buildings collectively account for 40% of total world energy use. This leaves designers with a massive responsibility to create effective, intelligent lighting solutions that will signicantly contribute in minimising energy wastage. Interior designers, and design and build contractors, play an increasing role in delivering energy-efcient workplace lighting solutions for end clients, noted Greg Scott, general manager, Siteco Lighting. The
companys best-selling products are those that promote energy-efciency. The pressure is on. Designers have no choice but to create lighting solutions that are innovative, aesthetically-impressive, technicallysound and, also, energy efcient. That means working with suppliers that are creative, supportive and forward-thinking. Over the next few pages, we have provided a handful of lighting suppliers with the opportunity to introduce themselves, in the hope that they can help with your future lighting challenges.
www.constructionweekonline.com www.constructionweekonline.com
49
Erco Lighting
The low-down from Hendrik Schwartz, managing director, Asia Pacic, Erco.
Tell us about your company.

Erco is a global market leader in architectural lighting that was founded in Germany in 1934. A specialist in software and hardware for architectural lighting, it provides innovative strength, service and quality focused on the requirements of its global customers.
solutions. Vertical Illuminance, Ercos best selling solution, is the most essential and important type of lighting, as it makes spatial proportions and spatial limits visible by highlighting vertical surfaces such as walls and facades, areas which the human eye naturally perceives rst. Since the human eye perceives the vertical surfaces of an environment 80% of the time, Vertical Illuminance also contributes to savings in both operating and maintenance costs.
What sets you apart?

What distinguishes Erco in the market is its unique energy-saving concept, called Efcient Visual Comfort. Efcient Visual Comfort means steadily improving both the energy efciency and the light quality through innovative technical and design-oriented approaches. One of the main contributing factors in making Efcient Visual Comfort achievable is Vertical Illuminance.
Any news?
In January 2010, Erco Lighting launched its biggest product launch procedure, featuring over 1,200 new luminaires, spotlights and LEDs, and highlighting the new Quintessence range of wallwashers, which were especially created for Vertical Illuminance.
How do we contact you?

More information is readily available on www.erco.com. For enquiries, please contact info.ae@erco.com. Our representative ofce for the region can be found at PO Box 62221, Dubai, tel: +971 (0)4 336 9798, fax: +971 (0)4 337 3746.
Speaking to Greg Scott, general manager.
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What are your best selling products?
Erco prides itself on practicing its corporate concept of light not luminaires; therefore, instead of selling products, it focuses on providing qualitative lighting meet the growing demands for energy conscious solutions in the Middle East.
As a company that has more than 50 years of history, Siteco Lighting Systems (formally Siemens) has dened lighting technology. We combine technological ideas with a feeling for what is possible. Sitecos development of architectural energy-efcient lighting systems, for all applications, is our key product motivation. Siteco Middle Easts growth with interior and exterior projects is based on providing best practice client solutions. Projects that we have been involved in include Du ofces, Mubadala ofces, Yas Island F1, Masdar PRT, and Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium.

Without a doubt, all products for energy efcient ofces, utilising Eldacon, which are self-illuminating lamp shielding optics. The ability to provide design and sell a total solution from interior to exterior is our major success.
Siteco Lighting
Whats new?
After the launch of the exciting DL10 LED at Light and Build in Frankfurt in 2008, 2010 brings a range of LED post top, bollard, and street lighting solutions that will deliver sustainable LED, cost-effective solutions. Our recent sponsorship and move has facilitated increased investment for design and direct sales, with Jaspal Bal in the UAE and Steve Faulkner in Qatar joining the Siteco Middle East team.

The ability to combine highest quality, energy-efcient, innovative products within a complete solution. We consider ourselves market leaders for sports, public transportation and workplace lighting. Specialised products indirect mirror solutions, daylight systems integrated into glazing architecture, and a full range of LED products ensure we
Where is your new ofce?

Al Shoala Building, 2nd Floor, Ofce 204-205, Deira, Dubai. Contact us on tel: +971 (0)4 294 4472, or visit our website, www.siteco.com.
50
Huda Lighting
Catching up with Khaled B. Alami, managing director of Huda Lighting.
Huda Lighting is a specialised project lighting company with the resources and expertise to support the complete lighting requirements of projects of any type and size. Since operations began nine years ago in Beirut, Huda Lighting has established branches in ve Middle Eastern cities (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Amman and Beirut), and is currently in the process of setting up its sixth in Jeddah. Huda Lighting currently has two retail lighting showrooms in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and its third will be in Jeddah. Huda Lighting is committed to supporting its clients by offering turnkey solutions for their requirements. This is achieved by having a team of highly-qualied lighting specialists able to come up with creative lighting concepts, propose the most suitable products needed to implement them, supply in time, and offer the after-sales service needed at later stages. By maintaining a strong relationship with many of the worlds top lighting manufacturers, Huda Lighting guarantees that it is always up to date with the latest trends in the lighting industry. This also assures accessibility to a diverse range of products, so that no matter what the requirements of a
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project are, the needed products are located and supplied. In addition to lighting, Huda Lighting has expanded its expertise to home automation, lighting control systems and wiring devices.
Our ability to cover the requirements of projects of any size, within any required budget, and our strong relationships with a long list of manufacturers. Our good service and after sales support is also something we have been complimented on by most of our clients, along with our reasonable pricing strategies.

Hard to answer! Our clients projects are very diverse, as are the solutions and services we provide. Our product range is extensive and includes many European brands reputed for both their functional and aesthetic qualities.
Any news?
Some of the recent prestigious projects we supplied our products to include the W Hotel in Doha, the Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut, the Arabian Center in Dubai and the Aldar HQ building in Abu Dhabi. This list speaks for itself!

By calling us on +971 (0)4 341 1301 or visiting www.hudalighting.com.
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Debbas Group
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CID speaks to Emilio R. Khayat, VP for the GCC area, Debbas Group.

We are proud of our diverse brand portfolio. Debbas Group has the privilege of enjoying exclusive relationships with some of the most renowned lighting manufacturers in the world. In fact, many of those relationships have been consistent since the 1950s. Our six showrooms reect that diversity as they propose a distinctive and extensive selection of premium lighting xtures, from design and iconic, to contemporary and classical, as well as decorative and technical luminaires. Furthermore, Debbas Group caters to construction projects by offering state-of-the-art lighting and systems solutions to meet and exceed modern technological expectations.
In 2010, Debbas Group celebrates 100 years of exhilarating growth to become a multi-national technology and services conglomerate which operates from New York to New Delhi in the elds of lighting, systems, MEP contracting, manufacturing and trading. Our journey started in 1910, when Cesar Debbas established in the heart of Beirut Le Grand Magasin dElectricit, a pioneering commercial space dedicated to innovative products in the electric and lighting elds. Today, through a network of 24 companies in 14 countries, four factories, six showrooms and a workforce of more than 1,000 people, Debbas Group is dedicated to providing innovative turnkey solutions.
Any news?
2010 is a festive year for Debbas Group as we are currently enjoying our 100th year in lighting.

After 100 years of offering innovative solutions, the Debbas brand has become synonymous with quality, high performance, responsiveness, uncompromised service efciency and excellence in execution. Yet, our prime identier is the fact that we strive to be the leading technology provider to highend construction projects by delivering the nest turnkey solutions through our dynamic process: engineer, source, supply, install and maintain.

Debbas Group has operations in 14 countries nd out more by logging on to www.debbas.com. Dubai ofce: Debbas Electric, PO Box 30571, Dubai, Zaabeel Road, Karama, tel: +971 (0)4 335 0006 and email: info@debbas.ae. Debbas HQ: Cesar Debbas & Fils, PO Box 11 0125, Beirut, Lebanon, Debbas Building, Corniche An Nahr, tel: +961 1 585000 and email: cdf@debbas.com.lb.
52
Artemide Group
An update from Monique Calleja, brand manager, Artemide Group.
The Artemide Group (certication ISO 9001 - WMT) is a global leader in the residential and high-end professional illumination sector. Situated at Pregnana Milanese, the Artemide Group has an ample international distribution presence, in which single brand showrooms sprout in the most important cities around the world, and shop in shop concepts emerge in the most prestigious illumination and furniture shops. Founded in the 1960s, Artemide is one of the best-known illumination brands in the world. Known for its The Human Light philosophy, Artemide is synonymous with design, innovation and the made in Italy brand promise.
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new product from concept to industrial production, in order to guarantee best results with regards to quality.

The all time favourite is the Tolomeo, designed by Michele De Lucchi and Ginacarlo Fassina in 1987. After 22 years it is now evolving to embrace the latest lighting technologies of our time to become the EcoTolomeo. Using new generation light sources such as LED it is now possible to have the same amount of light with an energy consumption reduction of 90%.
Any news?
In March, Artemide received numerous acknowledgements from one of the most prestigious international design award programmes, the Red Dot design award. Doride Terra, designed by Karim Rashid (2010), Cosmic Leaf Sospensione by Ross Lovegrove (2009), Cadmo Terra by Karim Rashid (2007) and Cover by the Format Design Studio (2009) all received Red Dot awards. This conrmed Artemides top performance in the quality and design of products.

Research has always been a key factor in the success of the company. When it comes to research, key priorities include innovative illumination sources; the use of eco-compatible materials; quality control systems; and the pursuit of happiness. At the heart of this activity is the Giacinto Gismondi centre of innovation in Pregnana Milanese. With its optics, electronics projects, materials and luminary sources divisions, the centre develops and sharpens every

Visit the Purity Gallery on Umm Hurair Road in Dubai, tel: +971 (0)4 334 9943, visit our website: www.purity.ae, or contact Monique Calleja, brand manager for Artemide.
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SEPTEMBER 2O1O
FOR A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS RECOGNIZED AT THIS YEARS AWARDS OR TO BOOK YOUR PLACE AT THE GALA DINNER, PLEASE VISIT: www.constructionweekonline.com/meaa
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Jason Bowman Publishing Director Tel: +971 4 210 8351 Email: jason.bowman@itp.com For table bookings and further information, please contact: Annie Chinoy Deputy Marketing Manager Tel: +971 4 210 8353 Email: annie.chinoy@itp.com
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Carolyn Lewis Sales Manager Tel: +971 4 210 8677 Email: carolyn.lewis@itp.com
WEBSITE NOW LIVE
DUBAI, UAE
PRODUCTS
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New on the market
CIRCUS
Experimenting with new fabrics, textures and techniques, Lelievre has taken inspiration from the worlds of fashion and sport with its new Circus cushions, which are made of neoprene and satin. The dazzling, ultra-tactile cushions are scattered with sprays and garlands of screenprinted flowers in bold colours.
LELIE VRE +971 (0)4 339 4645 www.lelievre.eu
55
OCTOBER 2O1O
Dubai, UAE
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For a chance to have your achievements recognized at this years awards or to book your place at the gala dinner, please visit: www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/awards
For sponsorship opportunities please contact: Diarmuid OMalley Publishing Director Tel: +971 4 210 8568 Mob: +971 50 559 7339 Email: diarmuid.omalley@itp.com Sarah Worth Commercial Director Tel: +971 4 210 8595 Mob: +971 50 558 5187 Email: sarah.worth@itp.com For nomination enquiries please contact: Louise Oakley Tel: +971 4 210 8475 Email: louise.oakley@itp.com For table bookings & further information please contact: Annie Chinoy Tel: +971 4 210 8353 Email: annie.chinoy@itp.com
PRODUCTS
THE ONE
BoConcepts The One chair is being launched in a selection of new colours: black, red and grey, and with a soft coating nish. The One is designed by Anders Nrgaard and is the winner of both a Red Dot design award and a Good Design award.
THE ONE +971 (0)4 3955889 www.boconcept.com
THE GRE AT L AKES COLLECTION

Designed by Terry Hunziker, The Great Lakes Collection is sleek and sophisticated, with components made of EcoPlex and cast aluminum. EcoPlex is a composite material containing 97% post-consumer recycled plastics by weight. The product offers durability that is almost entirely maintenance
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free, with exceptional resistance to moisture, fading, insects, splintering, warping and other hazards of environmental exposure.
SUTHERL AND +1 800 717 8325 www.sutherlandfurniture.com
Top Interior Design Company seeks
GENERAL MANAGER cum INTERIOR DESIGNER

A Riyadh based high prole and versatile Interior Designing Company is looking for a Senior Interior Designer who will also be the General Manager of the organisation.
REQUIREMENTS
...................................................................................................
Qualication: Bachelor of Architecture or Interior Designing | Minimum 5 years hands on experience | Ability to use PC and CAD. Only Western Nationals need Apply
JOB DESCRIPTION
WE OFFER
................................................................................................................
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To manage and develop interior design solutions | Development of design concepts | Assist in marketing and business development | General representation of the company | Liaise with the CEO with regards to the General Management of the company.
A handsome tax-free salary | Housing or housing allowance | Yearly vacation with airfare to point of hiring for self and family. Interested candidates may send their CV to: almukmal@yahoo.com
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PRODUCTS
NOR A TURQUOISE
Nora Lighting has launched a series of glass pendants in this years hottest colour, Turquoise. The Nora Turquoise series features ve models in a wide range of sizes and nishes. Pond, Rain, Mega Cube and Open Pond pendants are styled with luminous art glass, while Empire is a hand-made beaded glass shade.
NORA LIGHTING +1 800 686 6672 www.noralighting.com
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Q-BO
DOMINO
A year after its launch, Italian wall and oor cladding brand, Q-BO will unveil its new Domino collection at the Milan Furniture Fair. The texture of the new tile is inspired by water drops owing from a shower. The thickness of the texture gradually increases and decreases, creating a dynamic, complex pattern.
+39 536 853 028 www.q-bo-project.it
LOEMEN
Designed by Dries Braeckman and Mireille Verroken of Belgium, handmade Loemen light sculptures are unique and personalised spheres made from plastic and glass. A successful fusion of functional light, atmosphere and art, these pieces can be integrated into any environment.
LOEMEN +32 473 80 80 12 www.loemen.com
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WEBSITE
T U E S D AY 9th NOV 2010

Dubai, UAE
NOW LIVE
www.constructionweekonline.com/cidawards
For nomination enquiries please contact:

Selina Denman
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For a chance to have your achievements recognized at this years awards or to book your place at the gala dinner, please visit:
Tel: +971 4 210 8502 Email: selina.denman@itp.com
For sponsorship opportunities please contact:

Leigh Roche
Tel: +971 4 210 8679 Email: leigh.roche@itp.com
For table bookings and further enquiries please contact:

Annie Chinoy
Tel: +971 4 210 8353 Email: annie.chinoy@itp.com

MEDIA PARTNER
PRODUCTS
BOTANIC
Bolons revolutionary new Botanic collection consists of environmentally-friendly woven vinyl ooring. The product contains a new plasticiser, which is based on renewable raw materials from the vegetable kingdom. Botanic was designed to reect natures organic architecture and wealth of detail. Nature photography and handicrafts have inspired reections of owers, herbs and plants in woven vinyl. The colour range, also taken from the vegetable kingdom, features muted, rich earth tones combined with bright accents in yellow and green.
BOLON +46 321 530 400 www.bolon.com
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T WILIGHT SHOWER
BRUCE MUNRO +44 1985 845 228 www.brucemunro.co.uk
Lighting designer Bruce Munro has created a new permanent installation for London Zoo. A magical, snaking shower of light, Munros latest creation will be installed in a stairwell in the Clore Rainforest Building. Suspended from above, the Twilight Shower consists of 12 interconnected ceiling plinths, spanning 6.25m. A total of 864 optic bres hang from these panels, each ending in a clear tear-drop diffuser.
60
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The Hotel Show is the place to nd the latest design insights

The Hotel Show is a world class event where I can nd new solutions and products for our new hotels. I am especially looking forward to the hautel feature to nd those unique design pieces. The seven star conference provides a great networking opportunity and is the perfect forum to debate where the industry goes from here.
(NEW)
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Mike Scully
Managing Director, Seven Tides Hospitality
Register now for
Free fast track entry

www.thehotelshow.com/register
OPERATING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
Co-located with: Sponsors and Partners:
18 20 MAY 2010 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

11:00 19:00 DAILY
| SECURITY & TECHNOLOGY | INTERIORS & DESIGN | THE RESORT EXPERIENCE
CONTRACTS
Project Focus
COMMERCIAL INT ERIOR DESIGN IS COMMIT T ED TO HELPING ITS RE ADERS GROW T HEIR BUSINESSES, SO WE HAVE T E A MED UP WIT H VENT URES MIDDLE E A ST TO BRING YOU T HE L AT EST T ENDERS FROM AROUND T HE REGION ON A MONT HLY BA SIS.
K U WA I T P R O J EC T S D ATA B A S E
PROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAIN CONTR ACTOR VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN) 12 2.5 - 15 2.5 - 15 2.5 - 15 16 - 30 16 - 30 38 30 17 PROJECT STATUS PROJECT T YPE Project under construction Project under design Project under design Project under design Project under design Project under design Project under construction Bidding underway for the main contract Project under construction Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Residential Buildings Hospital Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Educational Facilities Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Commercial Buildings Residential Buildings Others Center for Research & Studies at Sharq 17 Storey Ofce Building in Hawally Showroom in Shuwaikh Furniture Showroom in Shuwaikh Accommodation for Jumeirah Development in Ahmadi Medical Clinics Project Kuwait Control & Meteorological Center Police Headquarters at Mubarak al-Kabeer Ideal High School at Aqaila Petroleum Research Laboratory in Ahmadi - Phase 2 Al Hamra Tower Commercial Building in Shuwaikh 19-Storey Residential Building in Jabriya Ministry of Public Works Almad Real Estate Mr. Zayed Al Khalid Mr. Zayed Al Khalid Jumeirah Development AAyan Real Estate Company Directorate General of Civil Aviation Ministry of Public Works Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Education Gulf Consult Option One Al Mousawi Engineering Consultant Al Mousawi Engineering Consultant Al Aliyan Consulting Soor Engineering Bureau The Associated Engineering Partnership SSH Al Zamami Consultant Al Jaraih Contracting Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed Sayed Hamid Behbehani & Sons Not Appointed Bader Al Mulla & Brothers Company
Kuwait Institute for Scientic Research Al Zamami Consultants Ajial Real Estate Company Mr. Zayed Al Khalid Al Jazeera Consultants
Wafra Real Estate Company
Kuwait National Museum Renovation Natl Council for Culture Arts & Letters/ Pan Arab Consulting Engineers Kuwait Dynamics - Pack 2 MPW Kuwait Institute of Justice Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 1 Bibi Tower Avenue Shopping Mall Expansion Phase 3 Salmiya Park in Kuwait Mangaf Neighbourhood Centre KCPC HQ in Shuwaikh Extension of Crowne Plaza Ideal High School at Al Farwaniya Police College at Mubarikiya District Financial Centre Building at Sharq Passenger Terminal at Kuwait International Airport Neighbourhood Centre at Khiran New City New Ofce Building at Mina Al Ahmadi Renery Basic Education Campus at Ardiya Female Campus Ruba Residential Project Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Justice Kuwait Business Town Holding Company Al-Recardo General Trading Company Mabanee Company PAAFR/KCMCC Ministry of Public Works KCPC Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) MOE/MPW Ministry of Public Works Al Shaab Real Estate Company Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Ministry of Public Works Kuwait National Petroleum Company Public Authority for Applied Education & Training The Commercial Real Estate Company Al Zamami Consultant Projacs/KEO Intl/Gensler Associates Option One PACE/Gensler Projacs/Gulf Consult KEO International Gulf Consult Osama Bukhamseen Design Al Zamami Consultants Gulf Consult/SOM KEO International Foster & Partners (UK) KuwaitTechnical Consultant Bureau Al Jazeera Consultants Pace/Morganti Al Jazeera Consultants/SSH Not Appointed
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Bader Al Mulla & Bros Co. Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 241 Al Mousawi Engineering Consultant Option One 2.5 - 15 16 - 30 Not Appointed 8 31 - 100 108 16 - 30 First United General Trading & Contracting Not Appointed Al Ghanim International Trading 908 & Gen. Contg. Wara Construction Company Burgan Contracting KCPC BIG Contractors 124 31 - 100 16 - 30 31 - 100 Bader Al Mulla & Bros Co. W.L.L 16 - 30 Kuwait Arab Contractors Not Appointed Not Appointed Recafco Kuwait Dynamics United Gulf Construction Company Wara Construction Company 157 31 - 100 1,000 52 22 138 32
Project under construction Project under construction Bidding underway for the main contract Project under design
Project under construction
Award awaited for the Educational main contract Facilities Project under construction Mixed Use
Award awaited for the Residential main contract Buildings Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under design Project under design Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Shopping Centre Recreational Facilities Mixed Use Commercial Buildings Hotel Educational Facilities Educational Facilities Mixed Use Airport Mixed Use Commercial Buildings Educational Facilities Residential Development
62
CONTRACTS
S A U D I A R A B I A P R O J EC T S DATA B A S E
PROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAIN CONTR ACTOR VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN) 74 640 27 17 28 101 - 250 180 16 27 250 78 14 59 PROJECT STATUS PROJECT T YPE Project under construction Project in concept stage Project in concept stage Project under construction Project under design Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project in concept stage Project in concept stage Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project in concept stage Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Project under construction Residential Development Residential Development Residential Development Hospital Recreational Facilities Hotel Commercial Buildings Residential Buildings Educational Facilities Commercial Buildings Recreational Facilities Residential Development Airport Mixed Use Others Mixed Use Hospital Hospital Educational Facilities Shopping Centre Commercial Buildings Residential Buildings Commercial Buildings Hospital 240 Public Housing Villas in Yanbu Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu In House (RCJY) Not Appointed Not Appointed Beeah Planners Omrania & Associates Dar Al Handasah Zuhair Fayez & Partners SaudConsult Tibsa/In House Zuhair Fayez & Partners Al Muhaidib Contracting Company Not Appointed Not Appointed Saeed Radad Al Zahrany Not Appointed Saudi Constructioneers Est Saudi Binladin Group Nesma & Partners Contracting Company Saudi Art of Architecture Maintenance Ltd. Nesma & Partners Contracting Company
8000 Residential Units - North Jeddah Kinan/Savola Group/Eleba Company Al Barari - Luxury Villas in Jeddah 100 Bed Hospital in Qatif Thumamah Park in Riyadh - Phase 1 Jabal Al Kaba Development - Mega Hotel Dar Al-Qeblah Complex Umm Al-Qura University Expansion Staff Accommodation - Phase 2 Imam Islamic University in Riyadh Islamic Studies College Olaya Towers in Riyadh King Fahd National Library Al Barari Ministry of Health Arriyadh Development Authority Abdul Latif Jamil Real Estate Munshaat Real Estate Projects Company Umm Al Qura University Imam Islamic University General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) Arriyadh Development Authority/King Fahd National Library
SaudConsult/Gerber Architects Saudi Binladin Group Abdulrahman Al Noeim Engineering Consultants Al Eraini Contracting Company
Residential Town in Al Batha - Phase 4 Ministry of Finance Tabuk Domestic Airport Expansion ITCC Park in Riyadh Phase 1 King Abdulaziz University - Nuclear Research Facility Rayadah - Mixed Use Development in Jeddah Three 100-Bed General Hospitals Pediatric & Maternity Hospital in Rafha Imam Islamic University in Riyadh Phases 1 & 2 Souq Okaz in Taif Laboratory for General Products in Jeddah Al Dossary Tower in Dammam Zahran Business Centre 300-Bed Hospital in Riyadh General Authority for Civil Aviation The Public Pension Agency King Abdulaziz University
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Saudi Consolidated Engineering Saudi Binladin Group Co; Zuhair Fayez & Partners Not Appointed Al Rajhi Projects/Al Yamamah / CCE 1,500 Not Appointed 150 Rayadah Investment Company Ministry of Health Not Appointed Not Appointed 150 Al Naem Engineering/Arclane Engineering Al Mashriq Contracting Saudi Pan Company for Trading 70 & Contracting Al Mashriq Contracting Ministry of Health 53 Imam Islamic University Supreme Commission For Tourism Authority for Management & Specication Mr. Yousef Al Dossary Zahran Real Estate Development & Investment Ministry of Health Tibsa Not Appointed Soleiman Abdullah El Kheraiji Consult. Saudi Designers Engineering Consultants Saudi Diyar Consultants Architects Abdulrahman Al Noeim Engineering Consultants Al Fouzan Trading & General Construction Not Appointed Naif Abo Ryash Est. Al Zahrani for Trading & Contracting 133 50 3 20 Al-Joudah Contracting Company 84 Al Fouzan Trading & General Construction 57
Note: The above information is the sole property of Ventures Middle East LLC and cannot be published without the expressed permission of Ventures Middle East LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
www arabianbusiness tcom/constructiont b 2007 86 C i lI i D i O

Commercial Interior Design November 2007 t 101 bi b i / ti

63
OPINION
The science of feng shui

BY SHIVANI ADALJA
o much has been written about feng shui, and so much has been said, but is it really worth all the talk? If you ask me, absolutely! It changes your surroundings and by doing so it changes your life. So what exactly is it about feng shui that has the whole world talking about it? Simply put, it is an 8,000 year old Chinese science of energy management. It focuses on how to achieve balance in your external environment and nd much-needed balance at home and work. Feng shui in Chinese means wind and water. Wind is always associated with good harvest and prosperity while water is the source of life and energy. By balancing these two energies one can reap the benets of feng shui. Feng shui has ve main elements: wood, re, earth, metal and water. All spaces around us feature these ve elements, and a good feng shui consultant will identify these with the help of a lo pan, a Chinese compass, and will help you balance them. Which, naturally, brings us on to the next question: how does one balance energies that one cant even see? The answer is simple. Feng shui follows ancient formulas for property calculations and with the help of a lo pan, one can easily use these formulas and benet from feng shui. Feng shui can be applied in both residential and commercial properties. When applied in commercial properties, one can immediately see the difference in businesses and employee satisfaction. In an ofce, one can implement principles of feng shui by
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arranging the desks of all employees to suit their personalised feng shui. Furthermore, areas for wealth and prosperity can be enhanced by the placement of a water fountain or moving objects such as photocopy machines. Placing plants at the ofce reception brings in harmonious energy ow and this helps balance overall energies in the ofce. When one applies the principles of feng shui in a hotel or a restaurant, the focus is on turnover and bringing in more business. Identifying the cash ow area for the business and enhancing it appropriately can easily achieve this. Even the dcor of the restaurant or hotel can reect certain colours to attract more clients and gain popularity. Placement of certain objects in specic locations can boost the energy movement and help bring in more business. Many hotels across the globe are built on principles of feng shui and have seen growth and prosperity as a result. Feng shui can help with residential properties as well and plays a very important role in helping create appropriate interiors. When designing a house, one must take into consideration all the members residing in the house, and their age. Once a consultant has identied the roles of all family members, then feng shui property assessment can determine ideal room allocation and sleeping directions, based on the individual dates of birth of all members. The interior of a home needs to reect feelings of togetherness and warmth, as it will help strengthen family ties. As more and more people are becoming aware of the benets of feng shui, everyone from Hollywood celebrities
to businessmen are implementing feng shui in their personal spaces. There has also been a denite rise in awareness of feng shui in the Middle East, as more and more people are waking up to its benets. I myself have seen a 50% rise in consultation requests in the last one year alone. To give you an example, a wellknown spa in Dubai, Cleopatras, contacted me for a feng shui consultation. They had witnessed a drop in regular clientele and were not able to understand why it was happening. Upon my visit to the spa, I analysed the energies and came to the conclusion that the spa was lacking money energy as it had no movement in certain areas. Once the problem area was identied, I suggested that they place a water fountain in certain locations throughout the spa, and bamboo plants were placed at the entrance. Within a week I received feedback from the managing director and the spa manager that business had improved and regular members had started coming back to the spa. Many such success stories have given feng shui the reputation of blending science with magic, as it continues to change people lives.
Shivani Adalja is a wellbeing and feng shui consultant based in Abu Dhabi. After years of studying various occult sciences, Adalja established a holistic consultancy company called Pathwood, which deals in aura reading workshops, feng shui consultations and tarot card readings. Contact Adalja on +971 (0)50 68 11 728 or shivani@pathwood.com, or visit her website, www.pathwood.com.
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An ITP Business Publication | Licensed by Dubai Media City

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