SAY Studio announces full renovation of public spaces at Fairmont SZR
Dubai-based design firm SAY Studio announces Phases II to III in its refurbishment plans for Fairmont Dubai. Situated in the heart of Dubai’s bustling financial district, Fairmont Dubai is currently undergoing Phase I of SAY Studio’s roll-out plan to refurbish all private guest spaces for the hotel brand.
According to CBRE’s Market Review UAE Q3 2021; As travel restrictions continue to be eased globally, we are seeing a marked increase in the number of daily flights through or to Dubai. The average daily number of flights reached highs close to 96,000 as of the 30th September, 2021. Whilst this is still 20.7% below the same period in 2019, due to the fact vaccination rates continue to increase and travel restrictions are made less onerous, we expect that we will continue to see the gap narrow.
STR’s Middle East Q3 2021 hotel performance update notes; Interestingly, in September, Middle East hotel occupancy was 58.6%, which was the region’s highest level since February 2020 and 93.9 % of the 2019 comparable (62.4%). These levels reflect a consistent upward trend as the region’s occupancy was 50.7% in July and 55.9% in August, which represented 83.8% and 88.6% of 2019 comparable, respectively.
Phase I sees the refurbishment of 275 rooms and suites, as part of an initiative to further elevate the hotels’ guest experience. Spanning three categories including the signature rooms, junior suites and one-bedroom suites designed with the modern business traveler in mind, the rooms have been refurbished to add a modern touch while retaining the luxury and standard to which guests have come to expect of Fairmont hotels around the world. Within the rooms, SAY Studio has used a soft palette and natural materials representative of those that could be found within the surrounding landscape. Warm timbers, to represent the soft tones of the dunes, complimented with deep ocean blues found within the carpet and furniture, is a subtle reference to the views of the Arabian Gulf. The occasional use of satin bronze displayed within the bespoke light fixtures pays homage to the early decadence of the Fairmont in San Francisco. Finally, the textured wall coverings add a sense of depth and luxury making the environment warm and inviting.
Rasha Al-Tekreeti, senior interior designer at SAY Studio said: “When we began the project, we took inspiration from two distinct points, the rich history of Fairmont and the innate ambitions of grandeur found in Dubai. It is easy to view Dubai in the form which it holds today, a vibrant cosmopolitan city that pushes boundaries and sets global standards. But if you return to a few decades ago, things were quite different. We felt a symbolic representation of the city’s diversity and development, and inspirational ambition could be found in the dynamism of its location. It perfectly balances the idea of travel, and a destination. The ambition was to create a timeless yet classic ambience that respected the story of both Fairmont and Dubai equally.”
Matthew Sexton, managing director at SAY Studio concluded: “We are delighted our work on this project has extended so far beyond the initial brief. We are in discussions with multiple hospitality brands concurrently, all with similar briefs to upgrade rooms and public spaces in order to attract the increasing number of visitors due to both Expo and peak tourist seasons.”
Known for its unique exterior inspired by an Arabic wind tower, the 34-story property is home to 394 guest rooms and suites, 12 dining and entertainment venues including The Theater, OPA and Bagatelle, Bistrot Novanta, a unique hotel spa covering 40,000 square feet and two terraced rooftop swimming pools.
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Bring your blank wall spaces to life with homegrown brand inkopia
Introducing inkopia: an online shopping destination where you can select or upload awe-inspiring photography to purchase and bring the walls of your home, office, school, or business to life. A unique end-to-end service, inkopia ensures each customer receives a personalised, one-of-a-kind end product every time, by offering an extensive range of options and specifications, from print and framing right through to delivery and installation.
Superb-quality handmade prints, coming in a wide selection of sizes, frame formats and colours, complemented by speedy delivery, efficient installation, and a friendly voice on the end of the phone, is the utopia that inkopia always creates for its customers.
So, whether you want your living space to reflect your own personality, or your workspace to encapsulate your brand’s personality, inkopia is your one-stop solution – a user-friendly online destination for decorating those daily spaces with amazing, accessible and affordable photography that gets people talking.
With inkopia, the printing, framing, delivery and installation of your prints are just a few clicks way. You can enjoy a smooth and hassle-free, end-to-end shopping experience, from web to wall, without the stress of driving around the city searching for, sourcing and dealing with suppliers. Photography is clearly showcased in user-friendly categories, such as lifestyle, abstract, urban, kids, and more, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.
The inkteam also curates collections of similar photo prints and offers useful suggestions filtered by room/gift/trends etc. to help you decide on your end product from the various choices on offer. You can then select your option based on price-range to help keep within your budget.
Whether you choose to upload your favourite photo to cherish, or select from inkopia’s curated collection of captivating images – there’s something for everyone to really transform blank wall spaces in six simple steps.
The brainchild of Richard Sanders, the idea for inkopia was actually left brewing for quite a while. But, after all, good things come to those who wait. After Richard teamed up with Jenny Moore and Aimee Warren, the three like-minded inklings – who share a keen eye for detail, a love of design and a vision of how décor in its many forms can start a conversation – brought the concept to life and co-founded inkopia.
Their mission since then has been straightforward: Make photography accessible, affordable and aspirational to all, while improving everyday environments through captivating imagery. Consequently, inkopia champion unique wall spaces and encourage people to add awe-inspiring images to their daily spaces, through a variety of photo printing mediums: including personalised prints, canvas prints, canvas frames, acrylic, and aluminium. Customers can even choose to go bespoke if their preferred size or frame isn’t available; simply send the desired specs onto the inkteam and they’ll send back a quote.
As a homegrown brand founded by Dubai residents, inkopia is committed to supporting the local creative community by providing an online platform for UAE-based photographers to showcase their amazing images. From award-winning local lensmen and women, to global travel photographers, to talented inkopians – inkopia offers customers a diverse range of imagery snapped by photographers who know how to truly capture moments and tell stories through their photography.
Havelock One Interiors launches COVID-19 Defender, an AI-enabled digital concierge for safer spaces
In a post-Covid world, it is important to keep customers, guests, visitors, and staff as safe as possible. To tackle this challenge, Havelock One, Admira, and Samsung have partnered up to develop Covid Defender. The sleek digital display unit incorporates AI and IoT technology to ensure compliance with recommended COVID-19 safety measures.
Covid Defender offers basic and optional features such as mask and temperature detection, capacity and appointment management, as well as social distancing control. An integrated touchless hydro-alcoholic gel dispenser and the provision of additional PPE, like masks and gloves, further enables safer access to shops, restaurants, clinics and offices, for example.
The standard unit is available in metal or Corian and comes with a 32” Samsung screen (1080×1920 px) and a thermal camera. Providing a SaaS (software as a service) platform, real-time data and display content can be easily managed from one proprietary app.
“Having decades of experience, working for clients in hospitality, retail, commercial and entertainment sectors, we have a great understanding of the needs around reception desks and welcome counters,” says Mark Waters, Division Director – Retail Manufacturing at Havelock One. “Collaborating with the Spanish technology company, Admira, and Samsung Display Solutions has allowed us to integrate their AI and digital display know-how and technology with our regional fit-out and manufacturing expertise.”
Depending on the size, material and integrated features, the list price of a single unit varies between EUR 2916 and EUR 5233. For bulk orders, discounts are available and further customisation like branding can be discussed, as the units are manufactured and assembled in Havelock One’s factory in Askar, Bahrain. Admira’s software licence comes at EUR 35 per month and a subscription of remote support and monitoring services costs EUR 25 per month.
Syed Kashif Akhtar, Group Managing Director of Havelock One, adds: “For now, the challenge is Covid-19. However, in the future, digital interfaces will play a stronger role in welcoming and onboarding customers and clients. We truly believe, that QR codes, NFC tags and interactive displays are here to stay. Therefore, investing into solutions like Covid Defender, makes our and our clients’ business more future proof,” Akhtar continues.
CLOUD Spaces, new co-working offices set to launch at Yas Mall next month
CLOUD Spaces, Yas Mall’s new co-working space and the first to be based in a mall across the GCC region, is set to launch in August 2020. A hybrid concept, it will offer a fresh and flexible approach to working and collaborating, serving the needs of the evolving business landscape across the UAE.
More than just an office, the co-working space will bridge the gap between traditional working environments and the current demand in UAE for flexibility, agility and connectivity in business. Cloud Spaces will cater to both local and international companies and entrepreneurs, with existing Yas Mall retailers making use of the creative space and associated services.
CLOUD Spaces aims to attract innovative businesses and individuals with a focus on retail, fashion product design and emerging brands and will also offer comprehensive solutions for new businesses in a similar vein to incubation hubs. This will include support for acquiring trade licenses and opening units, to mentoring programs and access to consumers for product showcases. Importantly, CLOUD Spaces will enable networking between like-minded individuals and businesses within a thriving commercial destination.
Saoud Khoory, executive director of retail, Aldar Properties said: “We welcome the addition of Cloud Spaces to Yas Mall, another first-of-its-kind model in the region and a response to the changing needs of Abu Dhabi’s commercial landscape. With growing demand for flexible working spaces across the UAE, CLOUD Spaces will serve as a hub to support the growth plans of existing tenants and future tenants alike, as well as the wider business community.”
Offering cost-effective solutions, CLOUD Spaces provides flexible co-working memberships and workspace options on both monthly and annual plans to suit diverse working needs. All office spaces and pods are equipped with the latest technology, a dedicated phone number and a team on hand to support all members. CLOUD Spaces members will also enjoy access to fully-equipped meeting facilities, photo and recording studios and a café managed by Drop Coffee, known for its world-class baristas. In line with government rules and regulations, all areas have been designed to the highest safety standards and will follow social distancing protocols.
Malak Smejkalova, general manager at CLOUD Spaces, said: “A number of local and international businesses have already signed up, with many more in the pipeline. As an office space designed for the future, CLOUD Spaces is poised for further expansion in the UAE, the wider region and internationally.”
Better together: A recent research breathes optimism into the future of public spaces
Daily tous les jours, an art and design studio based out of Canada creating collective experiences for public spaces since 2010, is proud to release a timely research paper entitled “Better Together: Reflections for Pandemic Times”. In keeping with the studio’s core values, the research paper invites humans to play a critical role, now more than ever, in the transformation of their environments.
“The pandemic is a prequel to a lot of challenges that humanity will eventually have to face in terms of climate change, inequality, over-population, and more,” explains Mouna Andraos, a co-founder of Daily tous les jours, along with Melissa Mongiat. “It’s an opportunity to reflect on the bigger picture by saying ‘ok, it’s time to move in a cohesive manner’.”
The power of art and design
Having studied abroad in New York and London, the studio’s co-founders returned to Montreal 10 years ago at a time when technology was increasingly being incorporated into the planning stages of public spaces. Their collective experiences in both arenas provided them with a unique perspective on the potential power of people gathering in vibrant public spaces that harness emerging technologies.
During Montreal’s redevelopment of the Quartier des Spectacles, in the heart of the downtown core, Daily tous les jours made their mark with the introduction of “Musical Swings”, an interactive artwork that was incorporated into the surrounding public space. With acclaimed success, and a glowing endorsement from Oprah Winfrey, the studio leveraged its international network to take the project on the road, presenting it to an international audience of public space stakeholders. The process served as a proof of concept, reinforcing their belief that art and design belongs in conversations about public spaces and a wide array of related urban challenges.
Building anew
For Daily tous les jours, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it the gut-wrenching realization that many of the studio’s projects now fell on the wrong side of new social distancing measures. Most of the world’s initial studies emerged as dystopic portrayals of touchless societies and an end to public gatherings as we know them. In the face of grim news and stressful confinement, the studio took a deep breath and began reflecting on a brighter future. What began as a therapeutic self-examination soon evolved into a research project, driven by a sense of duty to keep collective experience planning on urban agendas. In addition to monitoring global events, they kept their fingers on the pulse of current collaborators and stakeholders on all sides of the public space debate. As theaters, concert promoters, and a slew of other business interests emerge in search of new models for a new reality, their research also recognizes the importance of positive economic effects as part of any solution.
“After being inundated in recent months with what we need to do, and what we can’t touch, the more we advanced with our research, the less grim it all began to feel,” notes Mongiat. “We are social beings who will continue to gather, and this pandemic can pave the way to us gathering in even more meaningful and profound ways than before.”
Designing the future
Daily tous les jours presents their research in the form of a guidebook, and as a work in progress aimed at expanding the dialogue within the circles of decision-makers at all levels. It is a bridge towards a brighter future of socialization, while acknowledging the impacts of the current health crisis, and proposing new ways to infuse enchantment into urban experiences. The research also highlights the important role played by artists and designers in the creation of human-scale experiences in public spaces, and how the emergence of a global pandemic can be converted into opportunities for creating more equal, more accessible, and more joyful projects.
Divided into three parts (State of Human Connection, Urban Principles for Planning Ahead, Future of Collective Experiences), Daily tous les jours’ research examines a broad array of social, economic, and climate-related issues that can inspire new urban principles and energise city visions of future collective experiences.
“If significant change is going to come in the aftermath of this pandemic, then its important to ensure that the change encompasses the entirety of how we want to live, and not just questions of public health or economic recovery,” emphasises Andraos. “As designers and artists, we felt that it was critically important for us to examine the larger context of how our own work should evolve.”
Expanding the conversation
In recognising the importance of their research, Daily tous les jours has made it available to the public in a variety of formats aimed at inspiring better planning of public spaces. In addition to the full report, interested parties can read an executive summary that sums up the research’s innovative ideas, or they can browse through the studio’s cheat sheet for post-pandemic public life.
The positivity of the research is being received as a breath of fresh air, and new projects are on the way. The authors hope that the momentum of renewed inspiration and optimism will carry through to the highest levels of decision-making, becoming a catalyst for concrete new guidelines for getting together better and relating to our environments.
“Montreal is sort of a lab for this type of innovation, and our university programs are producing a new breed of designers and artists who are using their talents to radically transform public spaces,” says Mongiat. “A lot of tactical things are being done, and we hope that our research will help all stakeholders to understand the value of social gatherings and enchantment so that we can tackle the challenges in economical and sustainable ways.”
HostMilano: Rethinking spaces and furnishings
HostMilano is the world leading trade fair dedicated to the Ho.re.ca. sector, a reference point for operators of the industry, confirming itself as a veritable driver of quality business. The contribution of top players and professionals who share their know-how and express their reflections becomes interesting food for thought for everyone involved in the world of hospitality looking to discuss the future of the industry.
The hospitality sector is waiting to know which will be the final anti-Coronavirus regulations; certainly the ”must” will be safety for the staff and for the guests. From welcoming areas up to cafeteria, the horeca sector must be projected towards the future by changing the spaces and furnishings with dynamic formulas. In this delicate process of remodulation, world renowned Italian architects together with top players of the hospitality industry disclose their views, projects and products to meet the new requirements while enhancing the guest experience.
Hospitality and tourism: domotics and redesigned spaces represent the winning formula for hotels
Many hotel chains already choose the develop structures certifications, as the priority is to redesign the guests experience in compliance with sanitary obligations and forms of social distancing.
As a result, it seems clear that automation and the IoT will prove to be important allies for hoteliers. “At this historic moment in time we are becoming increasingly smart, and quickly getting used to using whatever technology can offer us in terms of allowing us to connect, share and move around in a virtual way and this is just the beginning of the process of transformation in the way we interact with each other in the current dimension of space and time,” writes architect Simone Micheli on his blog. He has identified three concepts to define the world as it will be: alteration, hybridization and crossovers.
Practically, this means dedicating a special attention at moments like check in and check out, through the use of thermal cameras to check body temperature and apps that will be set up to give access to rooms from your own device. Once in the room, domotics will limit interaction with devices and controls considered to be “at risk”, while an interactive TV system will provide a continuous contact between the hotel and its guests. More generally, phases 2 and 3 will lead to a redefinition of roles and functions. And hotels can now look forward to a new lease of life. “By upgrading the common spaces and opening the structures to the public, with a full-time service and a guarantee of the structure’s quality, hotels can now play a whole new role, regaining wide segments of the market and offering a highly original and quality service,” says the president of Costa Group, Franco Costa, a company that presented innovative solutions during the last editions of HostMilano and that has been highly active in the field of adapting structures to ensure maximum safety.
The materials used also contribute to protecting the environment: it will be essential to choose materials and components for architecture and interior design that prevent bacterial accumulation and that are easy to maintain and clean. In addition, the use of technologies aimed at environmental quality will be essential especially in certain high-frequented spaces such as elevators. Surface and air sanitation systems as well as lighting systems equipped with ultraviolet sources, will help reduce the agents’ proliferation.
Establishments after Covid-19: rethinking furniture and furnishings
In China, as well as in Italy, the modular Plexiglas panels seem to be the only way out for the safe reopening of bars and restaurants. “As a result of the emergency and the need to rethink spaces, our Research Centre developed a possible solution to be proposed to our clients working in the Contract sector,” says Stefano Zajotti, design & communication manager at EMU. “It is a Plexiglas panel that produces a certain degree of social distancing and allows to keep the highest number of places inside.”
The next edition of HostMilano will take place from October 22-26, 2021.
What is the future of co-working and office spaces in a post-COVID world?
Where do we go from here (Part 1)
By Marina Mrdjen Petrovic, marketing & communications manager, OFIS
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the global interior design community is beginning to think differently by looking at future epidemic prevention strategies that can be implemented across various commercial spaces. And although it may still be difficult to predict what the right way forward would be, the new pandemic will inevitably bring about a new norm not only in the way designers approach their future projects but also in the way we all think, live, work, shop and gather. Will interior designers working in the region be rethinking proximity in spatial design? And how will they manage to create spaces where people can convey, engage, and interact with one another while still feeling safe and keeping a distance?
SHARING ECONOMY 2.0
Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director of Dubai-based design studio Roar, shares her thoughts on the current COVID-19 pandemic and our initial response to it: “We as human beings are often more reactive, rather than being proactive, so when something hits us, we then suddenly wake up and say: “Oh my God, what are we going to do about it? We had similar threats of a pandemic for quite some time with MERS and SARS [viruses], and we didn’t do anything about it. Now, it hit home, and suddenly, all of us are awake.” With growing concerns about the possible health risks of being in overly crowded spaces, Pallavi says that popular concepts such as Airb&b, Uber, Wework “would never work for her.” “I could never book through Airb&B,” she says, describing herself as a true germaphobe. “The sharing economy, however, was created to solve real social problems such as urbanisation and urban density, so it was a great solution on a microeconomic level. Let’s look at office spaces, for example. Every business owner, including me, is thinking how much real estate we should dedicate per employee, and that’s why concepts such as co-working spaces are here to stay as they were generated from a real need. It will be interesting, however, to see how sharing economy 2.0 will look like.”
In its latest report titled “COVID-19 Global Real Estate Implications”, JLL’s research team revealed that the office utilisation rates will fall due to an increase of remote working, which will make “landlords with exposure to short-term leases the most vulnerable.” “Co-working operators, in particular, may be at risk if members decide to cut short-term contracts; hybrid operators with more secure medium-term income will be less exposed,” the report further states. In the past years, both social and flexible co-working concepts have inspired designers to rethink the way traditional offices are designed with so-called communal spaces becoming a prominent part of workspaces. But, could such areas that bring together a sizable number of people, lose their appeal? “When you look at office design, it usually caters to two personalities – introverts and extroverts, and our job as designers is to make them feel comfortable in different spaces. So, post-Covid, we will be designing for a germaphobe, like myself, and someone who’s quite casual about it and still thinks that Coronavirus is just a regular flu,” adds Pallavi. According to her, designers will still have to offer communal spaces for people who feel comfortable hot-desking and working in shared spaces. The flip side of it will be creating more individual offices. “I’ve never been a fan of big communal spaces. Call me old-school, but I am a big fan of personal spaces and assigned desks. I like having my sketch papers and pencils where I left them,” she says.
BACK TO WORK – BACK TO CUBICLES
The majority of workers in the UAE (52%) share private offices; far more than the global average, which is 37%, according to the Steelcase employee engagement report, published a few years ago. Entirely open-plan offices are rare in the UAE, only 11% compared to a global average of 23% with the majority of workplaces consisting of both open-plan and private spaces. “People have been ridiculing the corner office and traditional office concepts that are still prevalent here in the Middle East, but if you look at any research on office design, employee engagement is far better if space is designed to support our individual needs,” adds Pallavi. “I need to be in a confined space so I can do focused work.” So, what is the solution for already existing open-plan concepts? “I would like to see what’s the COVID version of a cubicle?” asks Pallavi. Similarly, Carla Conte, creative director of Brand Creative, prefers shared private offices to open-plan spaces. “We have redesigned our office last year, and I’m also kind of old school. I share a private office with a managing director, and I need my own space for deep, focused work.” Interestingly, Carla and her design team have chosen Bivi workstations from Steelcase, a configurable desking system range inspired by the co-working and startup culture. “The majority of our team works in an open-plan setup, which they like as they collaborate and work in teams. However, once we go back to work from the office, we will be allowing people to step away from their desks and use our glass-enclosed meeting rooms as their temporary offices if they feel that they need that extra private space,” explains Carla. Apart from rethinking proximity in workspaces and greater awareness for sanitization, Carla points out another crucial preventive epidemic strategy: if you’re sick, you better stay at home. She comments: “I will take the role of being that captain and saying to my staff that ‘if you’re sick, even remotely sick, you need to stay at home.’ It’s a collective responsibility, and the only way we can take care of each other. If someone turns up sick and touches all the door handles in the office or cupboards in the pantry, there is nothing you can do, so we have a responsibility to set new rules on how an office is run.”
HOME SWEET HOME: REMOTE WORKING
UAE-based design director and co-founder of Interspace, Melani Sabhaney, says that some of the lessons learned during the recent transition to working remotely can be ultimately taken back to the design studio. “I would have never thought that I could run my design company and run projects out of my living room. In our studio, everyone has their assigned space but what we realized is that the back-end work can happen remotely. Until everything settles down, we will be implementing a rotation system, so the team doesn’t have to be in the office at the same time. No one exactly knows whether everything will be the way we left it and whether we will need such large office spaces in the future,” comments Melani. She predicts that the current virus outbreak will also impact future residential projects as there will be a higher demand for home offices. “In the majority of our residential projects, a home office was often a requirement, but I believe that we will rethink these spaces in a way that cater to full-time work, rather than just occasional,” concludes Melani. Note to editors: “Where do we go from here” is a 3-part blog series, bringing you highlights from a recently held online panel discussion co-hosted by OFIS and Cosentino, which featured three prominent industry leaders – Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director at Roar, Carla Conte, creative director at Brand Creative, and Melani Sabhaney, co-founder and design director at Interspace.
“Where do we go from here” is a 3-part blog series, bringing you highlights from a recently held online panel discussion co-hosted by OFIS and Cosentino, which featured three prominent industry leaders – Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director at Roar, Carla Conte, creative director at Brand Creative, and Melani Sabhaney,
co-founder and design director at Interspace.
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