How screens and partitions can divide a space, lend privacy, and look stylish. Take a cue from these industry leaders.

KAPREL
Kaprel partitions was established in 2014. Born from a desire to provide the market with a top-quality product, in a short lead time, whilst minimising the overall environmental impact of the product category in the UAE.

The advantages of these partitions.
Kaprel’s products provide some significant advantages over its industry peers. The brand takes performance seriously. The products blend functionality with minimalism – through highly acoustic rated systems in a slim, cost-effective profile. Kaprel’s constant ability to innovate and adapt is a cornerstone to our ever-expanding product portfolio, appreciated by consultants and architects alike. Last but never the least – 90% of Kaprel’s supply chain is localised, within the UAE. This saves time, cost and helps reduce the carbon footprints.

What are the popular trends?
Some trends include woven material layers between panes of glass, smart glass, and anodised aluminium finishes on our profiles. While people stay at home for longer hours due to the pandemic, many of our clients have chosen to redo their villas with large windows and beautiful, pivoted doors.

Are these partitions effective as a social distancing tool amid pandemic?
While not directly contributing towards social distancing, the great thing about glass partitions is the seclusion of space it provides, while still maintaining an open-office look. Glass operable walls provide another great way to modify the functionality of a large space.

Factors to consider in choosing partitions.
Glass partitions are a versatile product that can be suited to most commercial spaces. Some factors to keep in mind are acoustic isolation required and accessibility to the location of installation.

Inputs by Kharis Atkins, managing director, Kaprel; kaprelpartitions.com

LASVIT
Lasvit is a Czech-based designer and manufacturer of bespoke lighting installations, ready-to-shine collections, and glass for architecture. The company was founded in 2007, yet is part of the long glassmaking history of Northern Bohemia.

What are art walls?
LASVIT Art Walls offer an abundance of styles that can be combined to create the best-fitting design for hotels, restaurants, private residences, modern yachts, office spaces, or simply any place that is ready for a LASVIT Art Wall’s fine vibes. All design concepts are modular in terms of size, pattern, or color-scheme, and are perfect for interior use as partitions or decorative walls.

The advantages of these partitions.
These walls are self-standing, wall-mounted, or the floor-ceiling solutions allow for a variety of customised implementations. The brand offers a wide array of distinctive glass textures and an extensive colour palette that offer personalised character and give a sense of privacy. LASVIt also offers bespoke solutions, perfect for your setting and ambience.

What are the popular trends?
The brand is on top of this game offering different styles. Like, Impasto is a visually impactful glass wall full of vibrant shapes and colours which takes its name from the classic painting technique of post-Impressionist artists. Then LASVIT’s Curtain style gives any interior a sense of privacy and an artful ambience. On the other hand, LASVIT’s Tapestry draws heavily on the legacy of fine craftsmanship, playing with glass in new and unexpected ways. The brand also offers Crystal Wall and Liquidkristal style for those who want something different.

Inputs from lasvit.com

INTERMETAL
Intermetal has been manufacturing quality, safe and durable commercial contract furniture since 1989. Our high tech-factory located in Dubai, uae manufactures furniture in metal and wood, which is rare to find with one company. Our products cater to hotels, restaurants, education, healthcare, offices, financial institutions and more. We are proud to be the specified supplier to prestigious hotel and restaurant groups worldwide.

The advantages of these partitions.
Our range of partitions and room dividers provide unlimited possibilities. Aside from providing privacy, today they act as a line of defence to ensure your safety and the safety of others.

What are the popular trends?
Different trends are being seen throughout various industries. As work from home is starting to wind down, the open-concept office is being rethought. Creating physical barriers with transparent partitions and adding partitions to cubicle walls and workstations are being widely sought after. To get students back to school safely, we are producing desktop dividers and mobile partitions that keep students distanced while still allowing them the freedom to see one another and collaborate. The food and beverage industry has been the most active when it comes to adding partitions to their venues. To ensure that the aesthetic is not compromised we have been producing simple, sleek designs that are lightweight and easy to reconfigure to keep up with changing government social distancing guidelines

Are these partitions effective as a social distancing tool amid pandemic?
Social Distancing guidelines have been enforced in almost all areas of our lives. Therefore, to get back to business and some sort of normal, it is important for people to feel safe. By having a visible barrier between people that isn’t too intrusive will instil confidence in your staff, customers, and students.

Factors to consider in choosing partitions.
Every industry has its own factors to take into consideration. At Intermetal we manufacture in metal and wood, therefore, depending on the industry, we have options and solutions to meet customer requirements. Customers can avail of our in-house design team to help select the right solution and assist with the floor plan to ensure social distancing guidelines are being adhered to.

Inputs by Cathy Di Savino, marketing manager at Intermetal
Dubai Investments Park 1 Dubai; intermetal.com

NEW CITIZEN DESIGN
New Citizen Design is a design producing company and design thinker, taking the point of view of the new citizen as its guiding principle for spatial and interior design. typical for the Dutch approach: iconic designs with an embedded stir to behaviour and well-being. Aesthetic, changing perspectives and opening conversations about future urban living, working and hospitality. New Citizen design focusses on consciousness, interaction, inclusion, sharing and circularity, by developing products and interiors for creative workspace solutions.

The advantages of these partitions.
Partitions or dividers have multiple functions, they help create privacy, are practical, portable, and also aesthetic. They can be easily moved from one place to another and can be adapted to different purposes, whether it’s creating a division for office space within a room at home, or creating different seating arrangements in a commercial space such as restaurant dining areas for social distancing. They can help to use existing space more practically and efficiently by creating ‘rooms within rooms’ for multi functions and are more time and cost-efficient as there is no construction or installation work needed as they can be used when required but can also be folded and easily stored away.

What are the popular trends?
In terms of design, the next big thing in interior and furniture design is 3D printing. It’s a big move in sustainable furniture and it will be interesting to see what brands will come up with. Trends related to workspace solutions are not just focused on product and visual aesthetics, but are there to design a creative space that allows for a change in perspective, separation and allows the room to be inspired.

Are these partitions effective as a social distancing tool amid pandemic?
The pandemic changed our reality, habits and inevitably our ways of working. In terms of commercial use, the partitions play a vital role in most restaurants here in the UAE, creating a sort of private space for customers, a room within a room allowing them to feel safe and protected. Every organization wants to create an environment that’s safe and healthy, in terms of office spaces, partitions are being used as solutions without moving away from the connected, open spaces architects and designers have created. They create that privacy yet still allow for open spaces where teams can collaborate, and individuals can find safe concentrated spaces when they are in the office.

Factors to consider in choosing partitions.
The first thing to consider is the purpose of the partition, what is it being used for based on that, you need to consider its material and functionality, if you need it to absorb sound, the material needs to be thick and contain fabrics, or if it’s for an office space you need it to be thinner to allow for communication between employees and staff. The second thing to consider is its mobility, is it a permanent fixture or only needed in certain circumstances, and if you need it to be portable it has to be lightweight and foldable for easy storage. Another factor to consider is aesthetics, what is the theme of the space you want to use it in, general look and feel of the environment will play a part in the type of material and aesthetic you choose. The height of the partition also makes a big difference, if you want the space to seem more open or closed. It’s all subjective to the purpose of the partition, however, these are the main factors to consider.

Inputs by Janaika Elders, founder of Urban Nest
Available at Vertical Design Showroom, Al Asayel Street, Al Quoz 4, Dubai; urbannest.ae