< PreviousFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com August 2022 10 Photo credit: Yasser Ibrahim RED BRICKFirst look 11 August 2022commercialinteriordesign.com BY BRICK THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM'S DEBUT INTERNATIONAL CAMPUS, DESIGNED BY HOPKINS ARCHITECTSFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com August 2022 12 I n the 19th century, Britain was undergoing enormous changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Specialised schools were created to develop a workforce with technical and scientifi c skills to meet the demands of the new economy. They went on to gain university status and were nicknamed 'red brick' universities due to their construction of Gothic style with red bricks — a popular trend in Victorian times. The University of Birmingham was established by Queen Victoria in 1900 as the country's fi rst civic university, where students from all backgrounds were accepted on an equal basis. Architects on this project included Sir Aston Webb, who in 1909 proposed the grand buildings that served as inspiration for the new University of Birmingham Dubai, and also designed the principal façade of Buckingham Palace in London. Overlooking parkland, the 50,000 square metre campus at the heart of the city's academic quarter, Dubai International Academic City, accommodates up to 2,900 students. It was designed by Hopkins Architects, an international architectural practice based in London, with an additional studio in Dubai. Proportions and materials, including a precast structural system with textured red precast façade, and the crescent-shaped building, echo the University's historic Aston Webb Building in Birmingham. Growing demand Accommodation at the Dubai campus includes a multi-purpose lecture theatre, library, and auditorium, general teaching areas, wet, dry and engineering labs and student support areas, all designed for maximum fl exibility. A generous stepped entrance to the main atrium and fi rst-fl oor library doubles up as an amphitheatre, providing additional space for informal socialising or teaching. Water features and soft landscaping create a pleasant cooling effect. Serving a growing demand in the region, the new campus offers a range of science, business, technology and other courses. As such, it has been designed to adapt to fast-changing learning environments, with a fl exible, future-proofed approach and a minimum anticipated life span of 30 years. Energy consumption Designed to operate within the challenging climatic conditions of Dubai, the building is 50% solid, with a modular façade system. Bespoke integrated shading to all windows and glazed façades can respond to different solar orientations with adjustable angles which offer views out but reduce solar gain and lighting consumption. Exposed precast soffi ts and façades provide thermal mass to help control the thermal temperature from within and an external colonnade provides shaded circulation around the building. BMS controls to all spaces will help to monitor occupancy uses and further reduce any unnecessary energy consumption. Materials have been selected that can be locally produced with low levels of embodied energy. Smart technology has been incorporated throughout the building, including a room booking system, allowing it to respond to Soft landscaping creates a cooling effect An auditorium First look 13 August 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com data on its everyday use and make further energy savings. Different culture Henry Kong, Director at Hopkins Architects, described how the project took shape: "Our team went to UK campus to understand the DNA of the university. We spent a whole week over that to understand the requirements of the project, but also the Birmingham brand in itself, as a university. "I think one of the most interesting aspects is to design a university, which already has a history in another country, and climate. So how do we do that? The last thing we wanted to do, and it was literally a very good discussion point, is replicating whatever's in Birmingham, over here in Dubai, where it's a different climate from the UK, with different construction, and also a different culture. "Since we have experience in the country, we understood the cultural differences, the climactic differences and how the design responds to the built environment. So we weren't going to build a brick building, because there is no industry in bricks. And obviously back in the UK, the weather, in terms of the amount of sunshine and rain is completely different. So we wanted to be mindful of that. "So some of the key things that we have done is to create a hierarchy of spaces, which refl ects back onto the Aston Webb crescent-shaped form, which actually, in our case, embraces the park in front of it is very similar to the crescent, the moon shape form that the parent campus had as well. And going into a little bit more detail, there was an expression of brick texture façades over there, the red hue, the texture, and change of colour. "To emulate this parent design, we weren't going to start using fake bricks. Instead, we worked with the contractor to develop a precast unit system, by matching the aggregate, we literally took samples of the colours of the different types of bricks that were being used in that building. "We sampled those and created, as you may see in the building a texturing on the actual precast unit. That texturing is actually done by a very modern technique of parametric design. So it actually phases out towards the edges, allowing the sun to cast shadows onto these panels, which would otherwise be fl at, but have a slightly red hue tone to them. So it's not the fl at red panel, but about creating something out of it." The cresent shaped form A fl exible and future proof environment Project team Landscape Architect: Terra Firma Landscape Architecture Structural Engineer: GHD MEP Engineer: Ian Banham and Associates Cost Consultant: Turner and Townsend, Blair Anderson Project Manager: Hopkins Architects Main Contractor: Khansebeb Civil EngineeringIn the studio commercialinteriordesign.com August 2022 14 IN THE STUDIO WITH... Pickl's Interior Design Manager Laila Choeb A s Design Manager for UAE burger brand, Pickl, Laila is responsible for ensuring the brand's signature look is replicated across all sites. Whether she's designing stores for upcoming locations internationally, refreshing existing restaurants to meet the demands of an ever-changing industry, or even planning Pickl's first steps into the Metaverse, Laila's goal is to give nuances to design by bringing human experience to the forefront. Describe your studio to us Apart from my cosy workspace at home, I tend to abuse almost every corner of our offi ce in Pickl and occupy many corners to break routine; like working in The Snug (Pickl's very own library), our Arabic- inspired Majlis, or our burger-themed meeting rooms including The Sando Room and The Chuck Room. What are you working on right now? My time nowadays is full of interesting and diverse projects. One of the main ones is our very own 'Picklverse.' Delving into the metaverse world is allowing me to be playful and to experiment in a way that I haven't dealt with before. It is letting me think and design in a new way beyond construction restrictions, which is phenomenal. I am also working on other important projects with Pickl, and other new designs, so you'd better stay tuned. I am always doing regular site visits to ensure that our current restaurants are up to standards and as designed. What are the high points and challenges of the day? My biggest daily challenge is to break the routine and try to be different from the day before. Ironically, I tackle this challenge by further challenging myself with new ideas and tasks. It gets overwhelming, for sure, but the feeling of mastering my day is super rewarding as well. Meanwhile, communicating with people around me in the offi ce and outside recharges my energy. This paves the way for a very healthy and creative exchange of ideas, feelings, and visions, making the challenge even more desirable to me. How and where do you seek inspiration? People are essential to my work in all aspects. Since I design for them, I seek inspiration from human experiences. By observing human behaviour, and walking in the streets with an open eye to details, I often form an idea for designs. I also get inspired by media, design trends, and my favourite designers. Describe your desk to us... I work in an open working space. The special thing about my desk is that I have a big monitor screen that is full of wild and colourful designs inside it. My favourite part though is the window next to me. It is my visual escape where I can connect with natural elements; the Here's Laila in The SnugIn the studio 15 August 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com beautiful tree with its orange blossoms, and my small and shy bird friend. When I am brainstorming or creating something wild, I'll be most probably occupying the comfy navy green armchair in The Snug with my headset on, listening to my favourite music. Tell us three bookmarks on your browser Archdaily. Wallpaper.com, where I pick my everyday article, and Udemy to check if there are any interesting new courses to attend. What are your three must- follows on design industry social media? Design Milk, The Pink Lemonade, and Sightunseen (this page has changed my perception of art), and also my favorite interior designer, Ana Milena Hernandez [the founder of Masquespacio]. What do you love about your offi ce space? Here I will take the opportunity to talk about my home offi ce. It is where I sit with myself fi rst thing in the morning, where I ask myself very big questions, surrounded by my lovely plants, library, and little memories collected from all over the world. I just love that. When does your day end? Although my working day usually ends around 6pm, I sometimes overstay when I have big deadlines to focus on. What's the last thing you do before you call it a day and leave the offi ce? I go through the to-do list using my favourite tool, the todoist app, to make sure that I covered all the desired tasks for the day. I try to beat my colleagues in the offi ce in a game of foosball. That inspiring tree... NEW up to 100 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 New in the PRODUCTSELECTOR 3D CADTrending commercialinteriordesign.com August 2022 16 How virtual tech is transforming commercial design DESIGNING FROM THE CLOUDSTrending 17 August 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com automated. With tighter margins, this kind of digital evolution is not just welcome, it is necessary," Tait adds. Time and money Probably the most noticeable benefi t for companies using cloud-based platforms is the savings, not only fi nancially, but also the amount of time individual tasks take. "80% of interior designers would tell you one of the most challenging tasks is to handle constant revision requests from clients. This process can be excessively time-consuming if it takes you 20 minutes to change a sofa in a scene, two hours to render the updates and another fi ve days to fi nally show your client the result. However, with this technology, it only takes the designer a few clicks to revise designs and less than fi ve minutes to render a 4K picture or a virtual tour, dramatically reducing time spent on projects," says Ellis Yeung, Head of Overseas Business Development at AiHouse, a design and render software company that enables interior designers to plan space and customise details for clients with 4k visualisations. Procurifi ed's customers are reporting up to 80% time saving since using the cloud-based software to prep and review estimations, replacing the time- consuming need to use dozens of separate spreadsheets and PDFs. "We know that estimation teams spend nearly 4,000 hours preparing, sharing and reviewing bids, and our software takes these processes down to less than 500 hours. Essentially we create that breathing space L ike much of the world, commercial interior design has been transformed by the advent of virtual technology. From turbo-charged renders to remote site inspections and more, the future is now in the clouds. Architecture, construction, and ID fi rms invest heavily in machines and tech that becomes obsolete fast – the future is cloud-based. It saves money, encourages collaboration, and saves time, as well as empowering the workforce. "If you're creating an effective tool to help designers, architects, and construction teams, the tool should be as simple and effective to use as possible – it is their vision and ideas that it serves, not the other way around," says Rupert Tait, Co- Founder of Procurifi ed, a cloud platform that brings together experts from all areas of commercial interior design to streamline the often sticky process of procurement. Procurifi ed is changing the tech conversation in construction and build in the Middle East and beyond, thanks to its ground-breaking cloud platform that enables manufacturers, suppliers, designers and clients to seamlessly streamline the procurement process. "Just a few years ago, an interior architect planning the design and interior build of a hotel would have to devote a considerable amount of time to comparing bids and products across a lengthy paper trail, often visiting multiple stakeholders, revisiting the site, and making updates manually. Now, that aspect of a project is much more Rupert Tait & Marc Lemmens of Procurifi edTrending commercialinteriordesign.com August 2022 18 thematic pavilions, 10 Best of the Best restaurants, seven Local Gems restaurants, and two Food Halls. These were in addition to the Expo 2020 Media Centre, the Expo Monitoring and Control Centre, North and South Viewing Platforms, and the huge site's Service Pavilions. Ramsden says: "Despite the perceived intransigence of the built environment sector for embracing change, ISG has always been at the vanguard of digitalisation and the rapid implementation of technology where it counts the most. "When software vendors weren't moving fast enough, the company set up its own pioneering in-house research and development department, proactively forging partnerships with dynamic suppliers to fi nish work on time and focus on the analysis of bids and negotiating, rather than fi ring staff," Tait adds. Supporting creativity Other platforms are available that say they can offer clients impressive savings on time and money. Wakecap, with offi ces in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and San Francisco, uses specialised hardware technology to track wearable sensors on construction sites with real-time accuracy. It allows site managers to track labour, enhance safety on site, and also minimise waiting times for hoist queuing hours. Coohom's all-in-one design tool offers "lightning fast" rendering specifi cally for kitchen and bathroom design. Its software eliminates the need for cumbersome installations and allows users to start designing from anywhere at any time, generating high quality, photorealistic room scenes in less than 60 seconds, as well as panorama renderings to generate walk- through tours. But virtual tech does not just provide savings. Excitingly, it supports creativity, meaning a designer can convey fi nal design better than ever before. Platforms provide tools that allow designers to express their creativity and present their designs in a more engaging way using panoramic virtual tours, animated videos and 4k images. "Commercial interior designers need a huge amount of 2D materials and 3D models to visualise and realise their creativity. Cloud-based software tools can facilitate that by offering a massive library of digital assets. In AiHouse, interior designers can quickly make their ideas come to life with a library of over 30 million digital assets. Users can also let our AI take over to fi nd some inspiration and assist their creativity," says Yeung. Rapid implementation Seeing the benefi ts of cloud-based platforms, some companies decided to take the process in-house. Steve Ramsden is the Managing Director of Southeast Asia and the Middle East for international construction services company ISG. Major projects the fi rm has recently worked on include a huge chunk of Expo 2020 Dubai. This included 62 country and Steve Ramsden of ISGTrending 19 August 2022 commercialinteriordesign.com com, the annual construction technology report from JBKnowledge, the most limiting factor in adopting new tech in the workplace is employees, with 35.4% of the team and 27.8% of management hesitant. "At Procurifi ed, we see teams that are entrenched in a 'how it's been done before' culture and can't see how new contech could benefi t their role or the company," Tait continues. Whatever the reasons companies currently have for not adopting virtual technology, the benefi ts are clear to see and if design companies remain reluctant to adopt the technology, they may well be left behind. The future is clearly in the clouds, and it's exciting to see where it takes the world of commercial interior design. to develop leading-edge solutions for the construction industry – not simply adapting what already existed to fi t the sector. "These partnerships have enabled ISG to deploy many advanced digital tools and solutions that have an immediate operational impact, through enhancing productivity and effi ciencies, while encouraging transparent practices that benefi t every project stakeholder. "Moving away from traditional animation and visualisation has literally and fi guratively been a game changer. Game engine technology has enabled rapid change to be absorbed into visuals, creating a true 'virtual world' to which the client, project or design team can interact with, all within a live environment. "The use of this technology in construction democratises design intent so every stakeholder has a meaningful role and contribution – and change can be accommodated in real time. Instantaneous rendering of 'scenes', which can be walked through in fi rst person, creates a real spatial awareness that was never possible before and a fully immersive client experience is now a reality through VR." Clear benefi ts "The construction industry is traditionally resistant to change but the benefi ts are clear to see. One of the biggest reasons for the lack of new technology rollout is a workforce resistant to change," Tait continues. In a survey carried out by contechreport. A visual from the cloudsNext >