< PreviousCover story commercialinteriordesign.com June 2021 30 SU RF A CE S Cosentino Family-owned Cosentino Group is a global, family-owned company that produces and distributes high value innovative surfaces for the architecture and design industry. The group’s pioneering brands Silestone and Dekton by Cosentino have a vast array of applications, from fl ooring to façades and a range that covers products for both indoor and outdoor spaces. New to market is a brand new collection for Silestone, Cosentino's hybrid mineral surface. Titled 'Sunlit Days', this range makes history as the fi rst carbon neutral collection in the quartz surfaces and engineered stone industry. The Cosentino Group currently distributes its products and brands in more than 110 countries, from its headquarters in Almeria, Spain and you'll fi nd the Middle East operations hub at the Cosentino City showroom in d3. Unit 401, Building 4A, Dubai Design District 971 4 242 8131 infomiddleeast@cosentino.com www.cosentino.com Surface Eleven Amal Barreto, CEO This surfaces specialist notes 2020 was a year of surprises and unexpected twists. Designing for a new normal required them to source relevant products to meet the health and safety needs of end users and their families. Surface Eleven has a track record of introducing sustainable brands from Europe and is also sustainable in its manufacturing practices. A wide product range also includes lava stone, 3D cork, acoustic panels, reindeer moss, mosaics and writable surfaces. This range of 'green' materials was joined by Glamora, an Italian-made wallcovering brand that they exclusively represent in the UAE and GCC. Notable projects in 2020 include Broadway Interior's sassy bar redesign, BabyQ (pictured) and Spanish mosaic fl ooring at The Meat Co in Souk Al Bahar. Offi ce 420, City 4 Building, Al Garhoud, Dubai 971 4 295 2911 info@surface11.com www.surface11.comCover story 31 June 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com S U R FA C ES AN D FI N IS H ES Mirodec Michael Khoury, general manager Established in 1982 as a family business, Mirodec is a multi- faceted manufacturer with independent facilities and offi ces in Lebanon and Dubai. From seven-star hotels and presidential palaces to high-end residential villas and trendy retail, Mirodec's portfolio spans across the major commercial interiors sectors. With a focus on residential design, website Mirodec Boutique launched to cater to a growing market of customised products for projects. Innovative 'Glass Canvas' allows any high resolution image or photograph of the customer's choice to be printed directly onto crystal glass, a feature Mirodec says has "revolutionised" its market sector. Glaze Granite & Marble A vast treasury For more than two decades, Glaze has remained a strong brand and a symbol of quality and customer satisfaction in the Middle East's natural stone industry. Every single stone in its gallery is carefully handpicked from the fi nest quarries around the world, providing Glaze with a vast treasury of stones, spanning over 1 million sq m, with in excess of 400 unique styles of natural stones of every colour on the spectrum and from every corner of the world. In the UAE, Glaze has been appointed offi cial distributor of Neolith, the world's number one brand in sintered stone. This revolutionary product boasts the most technologically advanced surface solution that's suitable for exterior cladding and interior surfaces. Dubai Investment Park 2, UAE 971 4 885 0202 mirodec-gulf@mirodec.com www.mirodec.com Emirates Industrial City, Sharjah, UAE 971 6 535 3123 info@glaze.ae www.glaze.aeFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com June 2021 32 SECRETS OF DUB INSIDE THE Im ag e c re d it : IT P p h ot og ra p h er sFirst look 33 June 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com AI'S NEW SOFITEL OBELISKFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com June 2021 34 Middle Eastern luxury meets French sophistication. Sofi tel Dubai The Obelisk merges French Art Deco and ancient Egyptian heritage with the essence and culture of the UAE. As well as the sleek sophistication of Paris, Ancient Egypt held a particular allure for artists and designers in the Art Deco period. The discovery of the tomb of the boy pharaoh, Tutankhamun, by Howard Carter in November 1922, sparked enormous popular interest and built the visual rhetoric of the early Art Deco movement. Writing on 'Egyptmania' scholar Sara Ickow, of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, notes that Egyptian motifs would become an integral part of the language of Art Deco, a style that would dominate the decorative arts until the mid-1930s. Though it was not the fi rst time design had embraced ancient Egyptian motifs, the revival of the 1920s was notably theatrical, writes Allison Bixby for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where the work of Art Deco artist Erté is kept. During the 1920s and 30s, artists, architects, and designers looked to Egyptian ornamentation – including falcons — to enhance their creations. The stylised, geometric nature of these motifs dovetailed nicely with other aspects of what would come to defi ne the Art Deco aesthetic, Bixby adds. At Sofi tel Dubai The Obelisk, Egyptian symbols are echoed in Art Deco lines, characterised by rich colours, bold geometry, and decadent detail work Adorned with a gold pyramidion [capstone] and in the shape of an obelisk, the new hotel is inspired by the Luxor Obelisk, the 3,000-year-old monument in Paris that was originally situated outside of Luxor Temple in Egypt. THE ARCHITECTURE Arkiteknik International Consulting Engineers conceived the 230-metre tall obelisk-shaped landmark that's part of WAFI lifestyle destination, under the direction of developer MKM Commercial Holdings LLC. The dramatic interior artwork that we'll read more about soon is by Dubai-based design fi rm, WA International Dubai Interior Design Studio. A studio noted for its work in the sector, WA has been creating interiors in the hospitality market for more than 20 years. THE LOBBY The colossal gateway is designed in the style of an Egyptian temple and begins a journey of discovery and mythology for guests. The statues of Horus, god of the sky in Ancient Egyptian, guard the impressive golden gate. Two sets of three statues depict Anubis, one of the oldest deities in ancient Egypt and an artistic ceramic fl ooring showcases the Nile river. Uraeus (cobras) featured on the golden main doors represent the head ornaments worn by pharaohs for protection and were designed to shield guests from the evil eye and welcome them to a royal sanctuary. UAE infl uences are found in the stunning 9m-wide and 4m-tall gold-coloured falcon that looks down on the lobby, which is also spacious enough to accommodate two stained-glass chandeliers in the shape of Nile lotus fl owers. Infl uenced the lamps of American designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, who also embraced the Egyptian Revival, and weighing three tons each, they were handcrafted in Egypt and assembled in the hotel's lobby. THE GUESTROOMS, SUITES AND RESIDENCES Sofi tel Dubai The Obelisk has 498 guestrooms and suites starting from the 19th fl oor, as well as 97 furnished and serviced apartments. The guestrooms and suites are dressed in neutral tones Nine bar celebrates the Ancient Egyptian's love of cats Chandeliers and hieroglyphics in the lobbyFirst look 35 June 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThe 230m hotel at WAFI, Dubai and complemented by Art Deco lines. Contrasting materials such as tactile textured wallpaper in the hallways and swirling patterns on the fl oors represent the Arabian Desert. Each room and suite is accentuated by works of art and all boast fl oor-to-ceiling windows. Located on the 47th, 48th and 49th fl oors, the property features three suites designed by Duccio Grassi Architects – the Imperial Suite, Presidential Suite 'Cleopatra' and Ambassador Suite 'Napoleon'. Suite features include a spa room and gym. Additionally, the Presidential suite is the only guestroom in the property with a private terrace, which can host up to 100 guests. From the eighth until the 17th fl oor are the studio apartments, one-bedroom suites, two-bedroom suites and three- bedroom suites. Two carved walls spanning this area can be seen from the corridors of the Sofi tel Residences and depict the daily life of Ancient Egyptians, as seen on carved grave frescoes and papyrus sheets. DINING VENUES Sofi tel Dubai The Obelisk has 10 events venues, one ballroom and a separate banquet venue, as well as fi ve distinctively designed restaurants and bars: Brasserie Boulud A quintessentially French experience from the famed chef, whose New York restaurant has two Michelin stars, featuring bright royal colours of white, black, gold and burgundy. Taiko The fi rst international outpost of the Amsterdam restaurant from chef Shilo van Coevorden. The pan-Asian design was curated by local specialist fi rm, Atelier EPJ. The Nine Symbolising the nine lives of a cat, the dining venue highlights the life story of the cat goddess Bastet. Bijou Patisserie Lobby café with an overall ivory colour palette, curving furniture and smooth polished surfaces. Soleil Pool & Lounge French Riviera meets Ibiza experience with neutral and nautical tones running through the décor. RECREATION AND WELLBEING An outdoor pool in the shape of the ankh symbol, known as the key of the Nile, with the Wafi logo engraved centrally in Arabic calligraphy, the pool is neighboured by a sail-shaped bar and private cabanas with two featuring their own Jacuzzi.Opinion commercialinteriordesign.com June 2021 36 How to get interior design product sourcing right Vivek Agrawal is a global sourcing expert and founder of Arcedior – a curated products platform with 500+ brands spanning 30 countries Sourcing is one of the most diffi cult critical and diffi cult phases of an architecture and interior design project. It's because sourcing is not a single- person job; it involves suppliers, contractors, and third-party vendors. Moreover, from selecting goods to shortlisting them, to placing an order, to installing and mounting them, every phase has several intricacies. Here's how to get interior design product sourcing right, following the steps below: Set a budget and review it Setting a budget before interior design product sourcing is important to assign enough capital for each department and avoid unnecessary expenditures. Here's how you can set a budget: Recognise the needs of the business in terms of procurement. This would require listing down the goods and services requirement. Then calculate the estimated cost based on the requirement. Consider the costs of delivery, installation, mounting, and other related charges. Outline the areas where you can cut costs and save money. Finally, set a budget and set aside a fi xed buffer. You can come always back to the budget for a review whenever the demand expands. Prepare all purchase orders If the need is clearly established, purchase orders can be made with more ease. However, the work before placing the purchase order requires expertise. Materials are a mustOpinion 37 June 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Here's what you can do: Identify the right sourcing platform for the specifi c needs. Go through the product catalouges and shortlist the items as per the requirement. Request a quote from the sourcing expert. Get the quote reviewed by the internal team and establish if it suits the budget. Purchase furniture FF&E (furniture, fi xtures and equipment) Once the quote is reviewed against the requirements and the budget, negotiation, if required, is done. Check with vendors for fi xtures and equipment and if necessary, place a separate order. After approval from both parties, an FF&E order can be placed. The documentation includes: Records of negotiation on the initially quoted cost of the order. Quote approval. An order with the list and description of goods, quantity, total cost, and other key information. Service or interior design product sourcing contract. Invoice request and approval. Payment confi rmation and order summary. Note: Payment milestones, timelines, and any other details must be specifi ed clearly in the contract. Track and expedite Track the order at each stage and ensure that you get timely delivery. Wherever required, request to expedite the process. Inspect delivery As soon as the order gets delivered, check each item for fulfi lled delivery against the invoice. Complete the remaining payment as per the pre-defi ned milestones and terms of payment. Prepare detailed purchase report After the delivery of order(s), the buyer is responsible for measuring discrepancies in three-way matching and establishes if there is any signifi cant difference between the quality promised and the quality delivered. Once this is done, a detailed purchase report is created for bookkeeping and auditing purposes. It includes: • Purchase order • Purchase invoices • Payment receipts • Date(s) of delivery • Receipt notes of goods received • Product quality check template and details • Supplier assessment data • Contract closure documentation. The report helps in understanding each aspect of interior design product sourcing and recording the process to avoid recently encountered problems in the future. Report discrepancies or quality issues After assessing the delivery thoroughly, prepare a report with the details of issues found in the delivered lot. List down each item with its cost and quality issue against it and share the report with the sourcing partner. Decide a course of action in terms of exchange or return and take consistent follow-ups to resolve the issue. Supervise installation and mounting The delivered goods are then installed as per the design needs. For furniture installation and mounting of art, ensure that you have the required professionals. Also, check if your sourcing partner offers installation and mounting services. Continuous quality control Run a quality check over a period of time after the installation and establish whether the products sourced are up to the mark. This helps in understanding what works for you and what does not, which improves sourcing in the future. Additional services After successful procuring, additional requirements such as cleaning, door and window treatments, alarm and security system, inspection, etc. should be taken care of.Make sure to include these elements of your design and architecture project in the plan created at the start. Final walk-through Always ensure that you have adequate time for a fi nal walkthrough and improvements before the promised deadline. The architect and designer must assess the project completion and identify any shortcomings as per the client requirements and pre-defi ned plan. Vivek Agrawal Vivek is a global sourcing expert and has worked with and assisted clients with their sourcing requirements for more than 1,000 projects in his 15+ years in the industry. He describes himself as a design enthusiast with an eye for details. About the author Role of a procurement specialsist While architects and designers are experts in their craft, sourcing experts, such as Arcedior, can make lives easier by helping you get the right product at the best price and the top quality. You can browse through the library of thousands of products from renowned global brands and keep adding to your 'favourites' list. You can create as many BoQ wishlists as you want and organise your products as per the type of the project. Moreover, you can get sharable PDFs and also request a quote directly from the BoQ. Understand the scale of your project and compare it against the resources available to create a reliable sourcing strategy. Keep the sourcing elements explained above in mind to avoid any pitfalls. Special Report commercialinteriordesign.com Month 2021 38 SPECIAL REPORT Seating at a fertility clinic in Poland, by FAAB ArchitekturaSpecial Report 39 Month 2021 commercialinteriordesign.com Futureproofi ng healthcare in the new reality creates facilities that are designed for change, encourage resilience and foster connection PAGE 40 Prenatal curves inform the design language of a fertility clinic by FAAB Architektura PAGE 42 Materials specialists Dr Linen reveals healthcare tech's infl uence on other sectors PAGE 44 How design impacts on patient outcomes at Dubai's new Glucare Diabetes Center PAGE 46 Insight from Mohamed Rezk of MB Consultancy on evolving healthcare design PAGE 48 No 'rinse and repeat' – architect Jordan Hoareau's dental practice conversion Im ag es : M ac ie j Je zy k © FA A B HEALTHCARE RETHINKING THE WAITING ROOMNext >