< PreviousSPECIAL REPORTAs we enter 2022, we ask, which way is residential design going? PAGE 52 Smart lifts for happy homes with Lootah Real Estate Development PAGE 54 The stunning Mykonos Villa on Palm Jumeirah Dubai by BBH Life PAGE 56 Designers Christian Merieau & Lee Nellis in conversation on industry issues PAGE 58 Dr Malini Karani predicts the future look of residential interiors PAGE 60 Sans Souci spotlights lighting trends in ultra-luxe home projects Image: stock image RESIDENTIAL DESIGNSpecial Report commercialinteriordesign.com December 2021 52 CASE STUDY: SMART HOMES AT LOCI RESIDENCES IN JUMEIRAH O ne of the most popular myths we have heard and believed is that home building hasn't really evolved much in a hundred years. While houses are continued to be built, unprecedented change in consumer behaviour, because of the onset of the pandemic, has led real estate developers to rethink and build products that meet the consumer's requirements. More specifi cally these involve energy effi cient systems, green products, smart lighting, sustainable construction, so on. In an age of Google Glasses and smart watches, the real estate industry is taking a giant leap forward and inventing something new continuously. Real estate developers are looking at building homes that not only save energy and water but also embody innovative technologies that can improve the overall health and well- being of the people living inside it. The smart-home ecosystem is continuing its rapid expansion and is projected to be at US$490m in 2021 for the GCC region, anticipating a projected market volume of US$923m by 2025. Residential complexes now need to differentiate themselves from the market to allow them to be noticed and desired. New technologies being introduced in the residential ecosystem not only help boost effi ciency but also help consumers reduce the cost of living and improve the end-user living experience. Not only does this improve their quality of life, but also gives them a better return on investment for their purchase. Keeping in mind the need for a A living room in a two-bed The roof top pool Home is where the innovation is… Raja Alameddine, CEO, Lootah Real Estate Development Special Report 53 December 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com VILLAGE CIRCLE, DUBAI You can also access it remotely to turn it on/off before arrival. In the common area of the building, the smart AC varies the temperature based on number of people present in different areas, in particular the fi tness area. AI driven lifts that learn general patterns of lift usership and change their whereabouts to serve faster, while Smart AV systems that control AC, lights and music. Passive design Building materials and design are made to defl ect sunlight and heat. This defl ection of heat allows for the most effi cient energy consumption. Solar canopies Roof installed panels will be used to power the majority of the building's energy consumption. During peak sunlight midday, the building can run off the power generated by the solar canopy, hence reducing the building's overall energy consumption App driven maintenance App driven maintenance allows users to communicate with the maintenance team by sharing a photo of the problem. The user will then get updates similar to any e-commerce website so they can see who is assigned to the problem, choose when they want it fi xed, when it will be fi xed and when the engineer is enroute. Sustainability initiatives Water fi ltration in all apartments. Under sink fi lters provide hot and cold fi ltered drinking water to the kitchen. This reduces the need for cumbersome water bottle units and reduces plastic consumption. A landscaped roof serves to reduce carbon footprint of building plus improves aesthetic of rooftop to pool users. Creative leadership The future of the way we live in and use our homes is set to be one thing: smart. When it comes to creating homes and communities that are smart, sustainable and fi t for the future, the world is in urgent need of creative leadership. Developers receptive to innovation are likely to lead the market. lifestyle experience, Lootah Real Estate Development has recently launched a modernistic and dynamic living facility – Loci Residences in Jumeirah Village Circle that meets the requirements of the new age consumer and is set to receive a green building certifi cate its sustainable and green products and procedures. Smart home controls including AC Each air conditioning unit in the apartment understands whether a person is present in the room or not. It additionally learns the movements of the house owners and acts accordingly. You can arrive home from work with your lights dimmed, relaxing music and AC set to your preferred setting. Raja Alameddinecommercialinteriordesign.com December 2021 54 Special Report Every curve was carefully though out... Commercial Interior Design: What was the initial design brief for the Mykonos Villa on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai? Bryonie Brooks: The initial design brief for our unique Palm Jumeirah villa was to transform the original villa into the style of the villas found on the beautiful Greek island of Mykonos. Our brief was not only to create something beautiful but also to incorporate as many sustainable and energy-saving elements as possible, to not only make our villa's environment friendlier but also to reduce costs for the residents living there. CID: Who designed and delivered the project? BB: Myself and my husband Jamie designed the villa together. Our intricate knowledge of the local market and Palm Jumeirah allowed us to design the exact space a family living on the water needs. We study how you feel in the space and also how you live your life, so your wellbeing is considered everywhere. With the help of our trusted expert contractor and local suppliers we not only designed this from concept to end but also project managed it ourselves. CID: Were there any changes or additions to the original plan and schedule? BB: We had a few changes along the way; sometimes our design ideas had to be built to understand the look and feel and we changed a few elements along the way. For example, we originally planned a much simpler staircase railing but it was not safe or practical, so we had to add more bars to the railing. The look was not compromised, and we feel it is even more beautiful now. We had a few delays, some due to unforeseen issues with new products that were used in the build. For example, the solar car port was a feat of engineering that we didn't foresee and we added a Hydraloop system to the villa – being the fi rst in the UAE, this award-winning water recycling system enables you to re-use up to 50 per cent of your water. Stunning views from the patio Q&A: MYKONOS VILLA ON PALM JUMEIRAH DUBAI BY BBH LIFE A Hellenic home in Dubai Q&A with Bryonie Brooks – co-founder and head designer at BBH Life, a home renovation & lifestyle brand that specialises in sustainable living55 December 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Special Report CID: Tell us about some specifi c design highlights of the new project? BB: The beautiful curves throughout the design, each outside wall has a unique curve to the bottom of the walls – every curve was carefully thought out and crafted. The outdoor pergola and patio area utilise natural bamboo to give them an authentic and calming feel. We also used a natural resin bound mineral gravel system by Resineo for the fl ooring outside. Finally, the solar panels on the roof pergola and the car port show that you can add solar to your villa project yet still keep its beauty. CID: How much was invested in the project, both in time and money? BB: I am going to be honest here – our projects take over our lives. To create homes that really translates into reality successfully you must live in the moment with it. Our ethos and brave design choices alongside the sustainable elements can incur extra costs, but we hope to dispel any myths that living more sustainably has to be expensive. Our lives have to be in balance and when creating our homes, we consider the expense and work to every budget. Our target audience is anyone that shares our vision for incorporating a beautiful space where we feel safe and calm whilst living our lives more sustainably and consciously. Even simple inexpensive changes to the way we live can make a difference. Careful planning and understanding of needs enables us to create spaces that build wellness, ease of use and beauty into the home. Just like being in Greece Suppliers at a glance BCI QI ENERGY QUOOKER HYDRALOOP Sustainable and beautiful tooSpecial report commercialinteriordesign.com December 2021 56 How aesthetic trends in high-end hospitality and residential design merge in the international market Intriguing debates emerged at The Forum, part of the recent Dubai Design Week 2021. CID editor Jane O’Neill moderated on a topic that straddled both the bullish local residential market and luxury design movements worldwide A s the local residential market continues to demonstrate strong growth signals and welcomes increasing volumes of new international clients and luxury hotel projects come back on line, Lee Nellis and Christian Merieau, both leading designers with deep international experience in residential and hospitality design, offer personal insights and how they see market needs and tastes evolving as we emerge from the pandemic. CID: What’s the post-Covid landscape looking like for your sector? Lee Nellis: At XBD we have been very fortunate post-Covid because we were very focussed on the residential and hospitality sectors. We saw an upward trend of clients developing their homes and expanding their property portfolio. High net worth individuals seized the opportunity in buying assets, which meant they required architects and interior designers. This has then led us to experience organic growth within our company and to work on larger scale projects, because private owners also have commercial property interests. Christian Merieau: The Covid crisis had surprisingly little infl uence on the hotel that we are designing. I see a few reasons behind this. Firstly, hotel investment are made to last for a few decades and even if our interior should be refurbished after seven to eight years, the long term vision of operators and investors smooth over an 18 month crisis; many of the trends that could have come up because of the pandemic where already on the way. Secondly, big hospitality factories with giant buffet counters where already replaced by smaller and more customisable hotels. Finally, remote working with composed teams from around the world was also already common in our profession. The Forum at Dubai Design Week 2021Special report 57 December 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Christian Merieau MD of MMAC Design Christian qualifi ed as interior architect in Geneva, Switzerland. He relocated to Dubai 2005 as MD for an international design fi rm, before founding MMAC Design in 2013 with Anil Mangalat. Lee Nellis Managing partner of XBD An experienced RIBA Chartered Architect who is now head of architecture at XBD Collective. With over 12 years of international experience, Lee adopts a design style that is both innovative and creative, whilst striving to push the boundaries of architecture and the urban environment. Meet the experts CID: Tell us about your current and pending projects LN: We are currently working on some fantastic projects, such as the St Regis Residences Tower in Downtown, as well as a luxury 'Maldives' resort community on Palm Jumeirah. We are also completing construction of the 'Solar House' in Dubai, which will become one of the fi rst luxury residential properties in the UAE to utilise BIPV cladding systems, and create an example for sustainable living. CM: The exit of the crisis around June of this year has started with a bang. The UAE has managed better than many countries in the world and most of the investment secure in 2019 and 2020 (which was intended to be used for purchase of distressed assets) was now available. City business hotels projects are not yet back but most leisure hotel project did restart very promptly. We are currently working on refurbishments for hotels in Al Ain, UAE; Petra, Jordan and two projects in the Seychelles. Other projects include hotels and executive apartments in Uganda; hotel apartments in New Cairo, Egypt; Jebel Ali Village luxury villas by in Dubai and an atelier boulanger in Sharjah, both in the UAE CID: What design trends are you predicting for 2022? LN: We defi nitely foresee even more development within the residential and hospitality sectors. People are eager to travel again and get back to normality. Spending money on their homes will also continue with quality family time also being a high priority. With the recent climate talks, we will also see a large amount of clients push towards sustainability, and therefore as designers we have a responsibility to guide them properly. CM: The trends of 2022 are very much an extension of the 2019 and 2020 trends that the Covid crisis has put on hold: all areas of hotel are becoming more fl exible. End users want to be in charge on how they are using spaces. Remote working is allowing people to work from everywhere and hotel public areas offer multiple pleasurable opportunities to do so from anywhere in the world. In an area where sustainability becomes a key demand from end users, biophilic design has become a must. Authenticity and culturally relevant design remain key requirements, alongside home and casual 'indie' atmospheres with a strong story telling component. Materials used are more honest, more natural and less pretentious but budget and durability remains on the top of everyone's mind. Finally, technology is less showcased and more subtle and intuitive. CID: The residential and hospitality sectors can claim some of the most challenging clients for designers. What are your experiences and what solutions do you offer? LN: Within the residential sector, the challenge continues to be with client's tight timelines and each family member have differing opinions. Communication is always key, but with social media, sometimes it becomes overwhelming. The solution is to manage their expectations from the outset and set clear communication protocols, which will lead to a more successful project and maintaining good client relationships, ensuring there are no misunderstandings. CM: As designers, we should always remain aware that we are service provider and that our creative freedom is to be at the service of our clients and more broadly at the service of the society. Each one of our projects has a purpose and will have to fi t within a social, cultural and geographical environment. commercialinteriordesign.com December 2021 58 Special report W ith city lockdowns in 2020, people were homebound and needed to change their immediate surroundings to manage working extensively from home, to creating breakaway spaces, and pay overall attention to materials, furniture, and storage options and therefore were redesign their own residential spaces While 2021 did not see much difference in design, remote working has continued albeit reduced – there are many lessons to learn and ideas to incorporate in the future of residential designs. From the tiny house movement to making the most of every little space to minimalism and nature-inspired living, Dr Malini Karani, director of studies for interior design at Heriot- Watt University Dubai RESIDENTIAL DESIGN IN 2022 THE FUTURE: Place seating to work with sunlight59 December 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Special report Green spaces Home balconies or garden projects turned out to be passion projects of many people in 2020; however, that trend has carried on and will be a permanent feature now and in the coming years. Some have the luxury of having a garden space but many people who live in apartments want to include green spaces in their homes. However, designing smaller balconies can be stressful. Instead of focusing on fi lling it up, one must understand the limitations and keep it fairly simple. Balconies should have an ample amount of space for residents to spend time in. Sustainable elements Incorporating sustainable elements into interior design is gaining signifi cant importance. Using materials such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, reclaimed glass, and seagrass are all aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. Specifi cally in interior decoration, the usage of bamboo and seagrass décor items such as wall hangings, planters, and placemats provide that splash of nature-inspired look to rooms that can seem boring. For example, a bamboo chair instead of metal or plain wood can create a different aesthetic. Likewise, a seagrass planter instead of a plastic pot can make a key difference to the look of a home. Furthermore, while choosing paints, decorators can actively advise clients to use non-toxic paint. Social spaces While things are starting to normalise and people are starting to go back out to socialise, one major trend is that of inviting guests home and therefore the need for larger social gathering spaces. There is a need for creating formal and/ or casual spaces in the homes where we can invite a few guests and socialise in the comfort of our own premises. Many homes have converted a spare room into a formal dining space or a lounge. Minimalism and sustainable design continue to take over home decoration. Creating spaces that promote health and well-being and are peace sanctuaries for its inhabitants will pave the way for the next in design. The future of residential design is simple, creative, multifunctional and eco-friendly. Balconies turned out to be passion projects... xxxxxxx interior design and décor for residents have gone through some conceptual changes in the past few years. Here we take a look at four different focus areas that will make homes both adaptable and comfortable. Multifunctionality One of the biggest design lessons the past few years have taught us is that multifunctionality is key to designing spaces. Hence, the idea of home school and offi ce meets dining and living room is an accepted norm. However, designers need to pay signifi cant attention to creating furniture to achieve multifunctionality seamlessly and see that each space can have multiple uses. For example, pieces of furniture can be designed so they are easier to tuck away – nesting coffee tables, a dining table that can fold into the wall, storage cupboards that can fi t into dead spaces such as under the staircases and can all save space and support using areas for different purposes by not permanent furniture pieces blocking the way. A fold away bed can be tucked into a wall to spaces for children to play indoors and therefore maximising the use of available indoor space. Well-being Well-being begins at home. The way spaces are designed can positively impact the mental health of those living there. Ensuring opening that allows adequate natural light into homes is key to making a home feel bright and airy. There are times when designers are faced with homes that have minimal access to direct sunlight. They need to work with it in a way where the little sunlight the home receives is abundantly used. This can be done by placing seating spaces around that area, moving the bed to face in that direction, or even creating a little exercise corner that can serve as a space for the residents to unwind and relax. Additionally, minimising clutter also supports well-being. As homes continue to evolve, future designers must understand that concealed storage spaces result in less clutter on the outside. Hidden cabinets and cupboards can help those who have diffi culty discarding belongings. ht Wall decor made from sustainable bambooNext >