< PreviousCover feature commercialinteriordesign.com August 2021 20 ON U Young designer of the year 2020 Nicola Fahy of Studio EM talks F&B, family and coming first MOVIN Cover feature 21 August 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com P Photo by Aasiya Jagadeesh/ITP Images GCover feature commercialinteriordesign.com August 2021 22 There's a hullabaloo for every winner we announce at the Commercial Interior Design Awards. But there are a couple of categories that illicit genuine raw emotion. At the event in November last year, when Nicola Fahy's name was read out by our MC Tom Urquhart in the Young Designer of the Year category, there was an obvious outpouring of emotion. Nicola doesn't really remember going up to the stage, she confesses to us eight months later as we catch up to fi nd out what her career has been like since. All the carefully choreographed COVID protocol went out the window for a moment as she gathered herself and hade her way to the stage. The gentle guidance of Urquhart made sure she sanitised and got up the steps to collect the coveted trophy. "I didn't think I would win," she admits, a strong northern English accent softening every sentence. Fahy is the head of F&B for Dubai–based Studio EM and, at the time of winning the award, was 30 years old – the cut off point for the title of young designer. But win she did, after a panel of nine international and local judges decided she was the standout choice from an extremely My sister is my role model. She's pretty cool... tough category. Nicola joined Studio EM after a stint of university in the UK, but the role brought a return home in every sense, as she grew up in Dubai and her sister Emma runs the design practice. The sibling status tying them together is a fact that still surprises people, including CID. Emma invited Nicola to join the studio after she graduated from university in Nottingham. She'd also been offered a place with another fi rm and it was a tough choice, as she rated them highly. In the end, it "had to be family" she says. She looks back fondly at a childhood spent in Dubai, where her parents moved to in 1981. "My dad got a transfer; he didn't even know where Dubai was," she says. "He was a medical engineer, fi xing laboratory machines in hospitals. "My mom went to the library at home to try and fi nd some info about where she was moving to. The library said they has absolutely no idea what she was talking about. So they got a map out to fi nd out where it was at. They found it and my mom said 'right, well, we'll just go for two years, and then we can always come back. "So, there's me, my brother and my sister. My sister and I were born out here." Waiting to get her hands on the trophyCover feature 23 August 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com What was Dubai like, we wonder, in those heady days of frontierism? Nicola explains: "Incredible. We absolutely loved it. It was just so quiet. You could just drive on the beach and have a campfi re. Obviously, you can't really do that anymore. So when people go, 'oh, the good old days', that's what they mean. It's changed so much. But there are days when I just wish we could drive on the beach." Much of the Dubai Nicola remembers is gone and she furrows her brows as she thinks about the city that has grown out of the sands and into the sky. She says: "I think that is one of my gripes is instead of looking at what buildings are here and trying to preserve the history of them, parts of the city are often knocked down to build new developments. That's great for the construction world. But a memory inside of you is gone. My dad's offi ce block been knocked down. My old house has been knocked down. "My whole thesis in uni was about sustainability and about Dubai. So I've studied it a lot. If you look at the early architecture, they had it so right and made learned from traditional building techniques and how to keep it cool, without having these high AC bills. But the city was infl uenced by the Western world and all of a sudden it's in competition with New York and these major cities. To do that you have to build more and build higher. I just hope people remember where the city came from." Nicola, however, is fi rmly grounded in her roots, with her childhood in the emirate infl uencing her eventual career choice. She explains: "My mum would take us for walks on the Dubai Creek and Bastikya. [now Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the former fi shing village on the Creekside] "I think it's just always interested me. We used to draw the wind towers and take boat trips and we learnt all about it at school. So I think that's really interesting and I love how unique it is." Going green Sustainability is another passion of Nicola's and the COVID period has been both a blessing and curse in that fi eld, she says. "Every project, if it's a renovation, I'll try and encourage them to reuse something. I hate any idea of adding to the landfi ll or Cover feature commercialinteriordesign.com August 2021 24 anything like that, that's just annoys me. So we try and convince them to just be clever in certain ways and use empathetic materials. But it doesn't just doesn't always work out the way that we want. "People's budgets have reduced as a result of COVID, so we'll be try and be clever with certain items. Maybe we suggest there's only one big feature and that's it. Maybe the time of multiple features or extensive designs has gone. "I've read quite a few articles focusing on climate change. We've seen even just Caya, a project by Nicola Cover feature 25 August 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com She laughs: "My brother used to work with my dad when he had a scuba diving business. Every now and again, they'd get annoyed with each other and just storm out. Then you've got to have dinner with them. "I think I tried so many times to go in a different direction from Emma. Because I wanted to be and do something different. I didn't want to copy her, so I went to Leeds College of Art thought I'd maybe go into graphic design. But then you do your different modules. We did one module on 3D and I just absolutely loved it. I loved every aspect of it, so I was thinking about what courses I could do. Then I realised I should just go for it and do interiors." As the family business has grown, so they've evolved and learnt from each other. Nicola has a young niece, Emma and Kristian's daughter. Now she makes sure her F&B designs include baby changing facilities that both men and women can access, and, where possible, areas for children to play. Some clients push back on losing table covers to climbing equipment, but the data shows that parents stay longer and spend more when their kids are occupied. A great example of Nicola's family – friendly design is Caya, a community café this last few weeks how much the weather has affected the world. What can we do? As designers, I think we should try and see if there's anything we can do with the materials we use. Joining the family As Studio EM's head of F&B, Nicola has been able to carve out a niche for herself in a fi eld where the studio didn't previously have a presence. Joining the family fi rm would seem a no–brainer, so why was there a decision process? in residential development Nshama Town Square Dubai. Think white-washed walls, pretty mosaic fl ooring, plenty of natural light, and lots of cosy nooks, with a dedicated kids' play area and an expansive outside seating terrace, plus an airy, light- fi lled courtyard, and you have it. Speaking to CID at the time of its launch, Nicola said: "I really loved the brand direction of Caya, it's so in tune with where the F&B scene is heading. That being warm, friendly and family-orientated community spaces that are all about coming together in a really relaxed environment and getting together to enjoy a gorgeous breakfast, lunch or dinner while also being a great place to hang out and work from at the same time, creating an offering that is affordable and pleasing on the eye. "The multipurpose nature of the concept meant that we had to really focus on creating a clean and simple design that could adapt throughout the day, while also being thoughtful and intricate enough to really capture that Mediterranean vibe." It was her drive, Nicola says now, to bring the channel of F&B to Studio EM, while Emma specialises in retail. "When I told them [the other studio that offered her a job] that I decided to go with the family, they said 'That's such a shame. When I won the award, it was a blur... Inside of Caya in Townsquare DubaiCover feature commercialinteriordesign.com August 2021 26 But can we ask what you're working on?' It was this little café, selling gourmet doughnuts. But it was a homegrown brand and the owners were so excited. And that was the start. We had that one project and we tried to learn and grow from it." Sadly Nicola lost her father just before the placement year on her MA, which sealed her decision to return to Dubai, followed by her partner and now husband. Her father's death inspired her fi nal year project, a centre for cancer patients, which Nicola compares to Maggie's, a network of drop-in centres across the United Kingdom and Hong Kong that aim to help anyone who has been affected by cancer. She'd love to see this rolled out in the UAE, so watch this space. Role models There's no hesitation when we ask Nicola to name her role model. As you'd expect, as heroes are very close to home. Nicola says: "It's my sister [Studio EM founder Emma Stinson]. She's pretty cool. She's done so well. I'm so proud of her and Kristian [Emma's husband]. We went through a quiet patch, as a think a lot of people did, but they've come through COVID and now we're winning all these awesome projects. And we've come around to another CID awards." Winning a CID Award "The 2020 awards were pretty special, not just because of me winning the award, but merely the fact that it happened at all," Nicola explains. "I remember how good it was seeing everyone, reconnecting, have a few celebratory toasts, and seeing the bottom half of people's body for the fi rst time in months, you know, not on Zoom! "I remember the night going like most of the awards before; we had won none out of four categories by the time my turn came up, I really went in expecting nothing, if anything I was more excited for Emma for being up for Interior Designer of the Year, then it came to reading out the nominees for Young Interior Designer of the Year and Tom [Urquhart] started reading something out and Kristian had to say to me 'Nicky, you've won' and I totally thought he was kidding. The rest is a blur, I remember being on stage with Tom. I just remember being so happy and Emma and the team going wild, they were so proud and chuffed. They went nuts and after the excitement and adrenaline settled, I keep them as happy as possible. "I think that that's why we get quite a few repeat clients that come back to us. They don't have too many revisions, because we've not gone and done our own thing and then had to keep revising until we end up with what they wanted all along. "A lot of people look at interior design and think, 'oh, that's so glamorous,' but 90 percent of it is me being hot and bothered on site, dealing with problems. If that's something that you don't feel comfortable with at the start, just take on as much as you can; dive into it and just try and get your head around it. Don't shy away from it. "Due to the nature of the industry, sometimes things go wrong. People will try to point the blame at you, but it's not personal; it's just the nature of the industry. You learn to stand your ground on site." And with that our chat is over and we get on with preparing the CID Awards 2021. Nicola isn't eligible for the Young Designer of the Year Award this year but Studio EM will be represented in various categories. And while the fi rst chapter of her career might be over with that win in 2020, we're sure the decades to come will be even more successful. She might even remember the high points that are still to come, too. Fahy with her award remember just feeling so proud, thinking, 'yes, I've fi nally achieved it.'" Advice for young designers "It feels weird to be giving out advice," Nicola laughs, when asked to dispense some wisdom to the shortlisted young designers of 2021. She thinks carefully before delivering her own brand of self– effacing honesty. "It's a cliché, but just be a good listener," she says. "I think a lot of people want to put their own stamp on the designs they do. Absolutely, yes, you should have your own style, but don't go too far. Listen to the client. They're the ones that are paying at the end of the day. Just try and EARLY BIRD RATES AVAILABLE UNTIL THURSDAY AUGUST 19 #HOTELIERAWARDS WWW.HOTELIERMIDDLEEAST.COM/AWARDS BOOK YOUR TABLES NOW FOR ATTENDANCE ENQUIRIES, CONTACT: ANTHONY CHANDRAN TABLE SALES EXECUTIVE TEL: +971 4 444 3685 EMAIL: ANTHONY.CHANDRAN@ITP.COM FOR SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES, CONTACT: JAMES SPERRING SALES EXECUTIVE TEL: +971 4 444 3477 EMAIL: JAMES.SPERRING@ITP.COM FOR NOMINATION ENQUIRIES, CONTACT: PAUL CLIFFORD GROUP EDITOR, HOSPITALITY GROUP TEL: +971 4 444 3337 EMAIL: PAUL.CLIFFORD@ITP.COM CEREMONY: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS HOTEL DUBAI, BUSINESS BAY HOT AWARDS 202I HOUSE AD (1).indd 1HOT AWARDS 202I HOUSE AD (1).indd 129/07/2021 08:51:0429/07/2021 08:51:04Meet the Sponsors commercialinteriordesign.com August 2021 28 SPONSORS MEE T THEMeet the Sponsors 29 August 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com talent. We have streamlined our internal processes to offer a wider portfolio of services to our clients. Key projects Scientechnic Lighting Solutions has been a leading force in the UAE lighting industry since 1974 and our portfolio covers an impressive list of iconic projects spread across the seven Emirates. This includes the Burj Al Arab, Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and the Dubai Water Canal to name a few. One of our most recent projects includes the Sharjah Flying Saucer. Located in the heart of downtown Sharjah, this historic brutalist structure has now been restored to its former glory by the Sharjah Art Foundation. Our scope of work included supplying the lighting fi xtures and lighting controls for the landscape, external and basement areas. The basement lighting project included implementing best practice lighting solutions for library racks, offi ce areas, and general spaces as well as curved wall features that are so intrinsic to the design of this unique architecture. As a lighting solutions provider, we thrive on projects that allow us to offer best practice options to our clients that suit their overall requirements both in the present, and in the long run. As of March 2021, we have worked on the design and implementation of indoor lighting for 12 Zoom convenience stores at ENOC petrol stations spread across the UAE. This project is the perfect example of smart value engineering where we implemented the latest in lighting technology to bring to life the old adage that ‘less is truly more' with a more effi cient use of luminaires. Another recent landmark project includes the Al Ghubaiba Bus Station that was inaugurated by Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai. Our team implemented a high-tech lighting controls system across the facility which provides best in class dimming technology and seamless aesthetics which are perfectly in par with the vision, and look and feel of the city of Dubai. On the hospitality front, we have completed supply and installation of the complete landscape lighting for the Hilton, Marriott and Taj hotels on The Palm Dubai this summer, and other major pipeline projects include the Warner Brothers Hotel (Abu Dhabi) and the upcoming Private Residences Dubai by Four Seasons. Scientechnic Gold Sponsor Samer Moukalled, vice president of Scientechnic Scientechnic Lighting Solutions is a well established name in the lighting fraternity, having been in the business since 1974. However, being a part of the CID Awards gives us a wider exposure to potential collaborations across the interior design and fi t-out industry. We are partaking in the awards for the second year running, and look forward to another stellar event . The 2020 ceremony was the very fi rst awards evening we attended as a team post-lockdown, and we were impressed with the amount of thought and care that had gone into organising it. All safetyprotocols were adhered to, and we still had an opportunity to mingle with industry partners and have a very memorable night. We are sure the CID Awards 2021 will outdo last year, and we look forward to coming onboard again as a Gold sponsor. The new normal The pandemic has had a major impact on design, and this goes beyond the economic crunch. New design sensibilities have now put a greater focus on long-term cost saving processes and the industry has seen a rise in retrofi t projects. Another keenly awaited event on our calendar is Expo 2020 and it has been a huge honour for our team to be involved with the larger part of the lighting requirements for this project. The secret to success is adaptability, and it is great to see technology adapting to the 'new normal' with lighting products that offer air purifying capabilities, long-term cost savings and more. For the rest of 2021 and into 2022, we are gearing towards a wider presence across new markets and are working with our partners to introduce more smart lighting capabilities. We will also be taking a more active role in the fi elds of retail and decorative lighting, and therefore expand our capabilities as a complete lighting solutions provider. With this in mind, this year we have taken the time to re-evaluate our internal processes to make our team's efforts far more effi cient. Despite the economic downturn, we are expanding to new regions and hiring new Next >