< PreviousDesign news commercialinteriordesign.com June 2020 10 Cosentino's message of hope after 40 years in business Global surfaces fi rm Cosentino, which has offi ces in Dubai Design District, recently celebrated four decades of operations The family-owned fi rm produces and distributes surfaces for architects and designers and is behind brands including Silestone, Dekton and Sensa by Cosentino. It began life at a small marble processing workshop in Marcel, Spain, and now has more than 5,000 employees worldwide, including in the UAE. Francisco Martínez-Cosentino Justo, president of the family-founded Cosentino Group, released an upbeat message to customers and his workforce, saying: "This 2020 has not brought us a favourable context to commemorate our 40 years of life as such. "However, it is precisely in this type of situation, that we must look further. It's time to honour all those professionals, like our own employees, who have followed and follow at the foot of the canyon while keeping our day-to-day lives, even saving lives at the risk of losing theirs as the heroic case of healthcare professionals and law enforcement." Architecture fi rm proposes concept for medical centre MB Consultancy Architecture and Engineering has created a design proposal for Dubai Medical Innovation Centre (DMIC) – an upcoming research and development facility that aims to foster innovation and collaboration. There will be three building, each with a uniquely twisted architecture design and connectivity via bridges, as well as a central podium, an underground basement and a sky corridor connecting them all on the fi fth level. The proposed development, which would be situated close to the emirate's Healthcare City, could accommodate more than 1,000 researchers from varied disciplines in a 100,000 square metre complex. They would work on adaptations that MB predicts are coming to healthcare infrastructure due to the current global situation, such as an early pandemic warning system, vaccine preparedness and response to emerging pathogens. Cosentino's range includes kitchen surfaces Proposed design for Dubai Medical Innovation CentreDesign news 11 June 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Design-focused hotel offers workspace solutions Cinema-inspired hotel Studio One has opted to turn some of its existing rooms into offi ce spaces, as many of us continue to try and work from home. Called Box Offi ce rooms, the spaces are equipped with everything a busy professional would need. Spaces retain the style of Studio One while also including a work-desk, tea and coffee station with a Nespresso machine, a smart TV, printing services, Wi-Fi and a sofa bed. The Box Offi ce service is AED 99 per day or AED 175 for a teamwork space. Bishop Design, led by Paul Bishop, completed work on the four-star hotel located in Studio City, Dubai, in May 2019. Looking to fi lm for its design narrative and inspiration, the hotel's theme is introduced with a fi lm reel entrance, and continues into the corridors where guests are led to their rooms by way of a TV test card-inspired carpet. 'On Air' signs become illuminated when a room is occupied. Studio One is welcoming those who need a workspaceTrending commercialinteriordesign.com June 2020 12 Prized by emperors and collected by kings, koi are special kind of fi sh. First introduced to Japan by way of China, river carp were originally a food source and part of a staple of the country's diet, until, in the early 1800s, some Japanese farmers began selecting the ones with some colour and breeding them purely for aesthetics. Now the national fi sh of Japan, koi are coveted and collected around the world. Many follow the Chinese belief that koi bring 'ong', which means luck, and include koi ponds into their spaces as a part of feng shui, to fi ll their lives with good luck and prosperity. When HealthHub Al Futtaim Clinic in Dubai wanted to add a koi pond to its commercial interior, a call went out to Koi Water Barn (KWB), the Middle East's only specialist koi centre. Director Dr Haidar Alyousuf says: "People have always been interested in having koi ponds in commercial spaces; the problem in this part of the world have been the absence of the knowledge to build them right and keep them looking beautiful and keep the fi sh healthy and happy." P ic tu re c re d it : A a s iy a J a g a d e e s hTrending 13 June 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com FEELING KOI? These ponds are the commercial interiors trend worth splashing out on Burger & Lobster, DIFC, Dubai London-import that's in Dubai's fi nancial district with a lobster tank More aquatic interiors Ossiano, Atlantis the palm, Dubai Book a romantic table for two – and 65,000 marine creatures Aquarium, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi Views over the water outside and into the fi sh tanks insideTrending commercialinteriordesign.com June 2020 14 Fascination with fi sh Dr Haidar adds: "Koi ponds as a central feature in commercial spaces in Asia, the West Coast of the USA and for hotels and resorts in places like Hawaii have been popular for decades, but until now most people in the Middle East have been deterred by our extreme weather conditions and didn't think it possible to keep koi. Or, if they keep them the water was murky and made the ponds not very appealing or easy to maintain. He continues: "As a group of designers got to know us and started seeing amazing sustainable results, we have developed a following that now fi nally see this as an advantage and have started including ponds in their designs, knowing that this will be the wow element of the space." KWB also supplies and maintains koi to Dubai's Al Qudra Love Lake, part of the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, which was inaugurated by Al Mahara, Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Other commercial offerings in the emirate include a 'hideaway' pond for the chairman of a petrochemical company and one overlooked by a fi nancial services offi ce in DIFC. Further afi eld, KWB sourced more than 100 fi sh for a 1,000,000 litre water feature at the centre of The Ritz-Carlton Abama Hotel in Tenerife, Spain. Surrounded by restaurants so guests can interact with the koi, the pond has its own innovative automated fi ltration system. UNDERWATER EXPERIENCES Eating with the fi shes continues to enthral diners in the UAE and all things aquatic have long been part of the emirates' heritage. The fl oor-to-ceiling aquarium inside Al Mahara, which is Arabic for 'oyster,' is exactly the opulent underwater dining experience you’d expect from a restaurant within the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel. At the landmark hotel Red koi symbolise strength and power "Designers realise they provide the wow factor" Atlantis The Palm, no scuba gear is required to dine at Ossiano, an opulent eatery with views of the Ambassador Lagoon. For a more down-to-earth encounter with ocean creatures, The Dubai Mall's huge Dubai Aquarium harbours more than 33,000 aquatic animals from more than 200 species, including sharks and rays. It was designed by an Australian- based architecture and interior designing fi rm, Peddle Thorp. The acrylic viewing panel, which weighs 245,614 kg, is built to withstand the enormous pressure of 10 million litres of water used in the 10.5-metres-deep aquarium, but transparent enough to give visitors a clear view of the stunning marine life on display. The emirates' obsession with diving deep continues, as Peddle Throp returned in 2016 to build another world-fi rst for Dubai - a 20-metre demi-tunnel that housed the Discovery Channel Shark Week attraction.Trending 15 June 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Dubai's Love Lake NEW up to 80 kg SIMONSWERK GmbH (DMCC Branch) Unit No 2005, JBC-1 Building Cluster G, JLT, Dubai www.simonswerk.com Hinge system TECTUS® Glass – Product overview Handle Magnetic PlateClosing Magnet Find out more: www.tectus-glass.com TECTUS® Glass Minimalist hardware components for glass doors SIM_Anz-2020_TectusTEG_UAE_halb_91x232+3_RZ.indd 112.05.20 13:36Opinion commercialinteriordesign.com June 2020 16 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BETTER FUTURE? Over the last few years, as an industry, we have risen to new heights. The biggest awards in the region have created platforms for designers to compete in the international arena and it has been quite a journey. The region has benefi tted hugely from this success story; new innovative spaces have made their mark, creativity has reached a new pinnacle, with peers pushing boundaries, forcing us all to lift our game. The downside, however, is the interior design industry has matured and developed into an extremely competitive and sometimes 'dog eat dog' marketplace. At times, we struggle to protect our ideas in pursuit of work, which is often further compromised by the introduction of new entrepreneurs joining our existing community. As a result, we have moved away from the origins of support and co-operation, in search of the next deal. Thus, as horrible as this pandemic is, forcing us to sit at home driving business from inside our concrete walls, it also provides us with the opportunity of refl ection and redemption. It doesn't seem many months ago, that I was discussing this very theme with many of my respected peers at the Design MENA summit. We were sharing our frustrations, yearning for the chance to once again ideate and collaborate, missing the days when we would share our ideas more for the benefi t of each other and the collective nature of our industry. Little did we know what was ahead of us in the new year. It is well documented that social media has the ability to portray a healthy picture, creating an impression that everything is normal and nothing has changed at all. We are all guilty of self-promotion, as that is the cornerstone of the digital age, but perhaps we should use this experience to adopt more of the old- school analogue approach, where support and co-operation with your fellow peers would actually be for the greater good of our industry long-term. I imagine many businesses like mine had a healthy order book at the time the pandemic broke, but could at some point in the future, fall off the cliff if revenue and opportunity does not materialise. Let's be honest, this is the harsh reality for all of us. Chris Barnes, owner and founder of Broadway Interiors on the need for collaboration Chris BarnesOpinion 17 June 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Our industry could change for the better with some self- evaluation So whilst we, like many, have undertaken a business audit and applied prudent measures, none of us are in control of our destiny, so you never know when you might need to make that call to seek support. I was taught honesty and integrity can never be compromised and I have lived both my personal and business life by these rules. I believe it is always better to be in good credit and to receive the compassionate ear of my friends or fellow compatriots in diffi cult circumstances. If an opportunity to share and collaborate with my peers arose now, I would certainly look to do it. If you need help, reach out, don't be afraid to seek support. Having been in the UAE for 20 years, we have learnt valuable lessons and it is for that reason I feel comfortable and able to speak from this point of view. As creative people we look at every situation somewhat differently to others; thinking outside the box we have the ability to come up with new ways to work and create. Yes, we have some valuable time to research new ideas online, update our offerings and design, enabling us to continue to provide a service without the need to be in the offi ce. But there's no getting away from the fact our industry will be impacted signifi cantly as a result of this pandemic. I recognise we need to react positively in the interim, but I'm not convinced design will need to change signifi cantly long term. Some enhancements and improvements will require implementation, but the simple principles of thoughtful design will not change. Innovative, intelligent design provides fl exibility of space and adaptability, and whilst these are unprecedented times, we will come out of this pandemic. Our industry could certainly learn from some self-evaluation and change for the better by adopting a more co-operative spirit beween us. A demonstration of this was most notably proven in the recent video 'We are in this together', which Pallavi and Richard Dean created with the support and collaboration of a number of us designers in the region, to show support for the hardship our suppliers were experiencing in Italy. Great idea and working together at its best. Using the online platforms to talk about the current climate is great, so with honesty, integrity and co-operation, we will get through this together. Broadway Interiors acted as design consultants on Crank, the indoor cycling studio in Alserkal AvenueIn the studio commercialinteriordesign.com June 2020 18 Describe your studio... Our studio, based in Al Quoz, is more like an artisan studio with a large table to work on surrounded by rolls of fabrics, shelves with accessories and trims, lampshade models, sample boxes, and an endless amount of lampshade frames! Are you still in the studio or WFH? I go to the studio almost every day even though we are under restricted workforce. I believe that you can't design a lampshade and a lighting feature if you don't know how it is manufactured. So yes I spend a lot of time in the studio under normal circumstances. With the Covid-19 it's tricky as I have to help with the making of some of the lighting orders as well; some of them can be quite large and technically challenging. How does your day typically start? I always like to spend the fi rst thing in the morning reading newsletters and magazines online and catching up on design trends. There are so many design ideas and so many interesting people out there and Commercial Interior Design is a big part of my reading. I fi nd it's the best magazine to keep up with people and companies in the region. What are you working on right now? We are working on private orders currently, beautiful designs; I am really impatient to see the fi nal products. The hospitality sector is still closed but we are in regular contact with them to ensure clear communication for pending orders to go smoothly. We just managed to fi nish and deliver lampshades to the Chanel and Louis Vuitton boutiques, the new Amazonico restaurant in DIFC and The Four Seasons, Desroches Islands in Seychelles, before the lockdown. IN THE STUDIO WITH... Lisa Sicre of Lampshades Dubai What are the high points and challenges of the day? Making clients happy and designing new products is always a highlight and since Covid-19 lockdown, to see the blue sky over Dubai without pollution is an amazing highlight of each day. Where do you seek inspiration? And has it changed in the current situation? Before, most of my inspiration came through travels and design fairs. Today I spend more time online discovering new patterns and trends through various blogs and media sources. I have also recently started to look into architectural patterns and its infl uence on lighting and shadows. What’s on your desk? And what are you listening to? My desk is my dining table, it serves for working, as a lunch table, as a big surface where samples and supplier catalogues can be spread out. There's also my laptop, a green plant and some jazz on Alexa. Tell us three bookmarks on your browser Lampshades Dubai, Masterclass.com and Decorilla Three must-follows on design industry social media Design Milk, Kelly Wearstler and Jean-Louis Deniot What do you love about your offi ce space? What would you change? Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamt of having my own shop. Maybe Lampshades Dubai will make my dream come true. When does your day end? End of work is often followed by exercising, the end of the day before bedtime is spent on refl ecting on past, and reviewing new, ideas, listening to music and reading a book. What's the last thing you do before you call it a day andleave the offi ce? Make space and turn my desk back into a dining table! Lisa Sicre at workIn the studio 19 June 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Inspiration now comes from online sources The studio is in Al Quoz The pieces are in hotels and boutiquesNext >