Steelcase unveils the newly renovated workspace in Media City
WORKSPACE INSPIRATION – Design Middle East
Note Design Studio creates a practical workspace for Samsen and it has a wine bar too

Note Design Studio creates a practical workspace for Samsen and it has a wine bar too


Note Design Studio creates a practical workspace for Samsen and it has a wine bar too

With working cultures and practices in a state of transition and flux, as businesses around the world adjust to a post-pandemic landscape, one company has taken a particularly inventive approach. In need of a workspace and meeting venue in central Stockholm, Swedish digital tech consultancy Samsen is opening – not an office – but a wine bar, and Note Design Studio have been charged with creating the perfect interior.

Designed for work and play
As a specialist tech consultancy working with the likes of Klarna, Spotify and Nespresso, Samsen normally despatches employees to work in its clients’ offices – something that COVID-19 made impossible. They had been planning a home of their own long before the pandemic struck, with a vision of an office shaped by long standing workplace trends that embrace flexibility and employee satisfaction. It became clear that, although the company didn’t need anything like a conventional corporate office, it did need a shared space that the team could come to whenever they needed, to use however they liked – whether as a space to work, hang out, or spend time with family and friends. Not just a practical resource, but an employee perk. With the founders of Samsen sharing a passion for wine and a determination that their space should look nothing like the traditional office, a wine bar seemed the perfect option.

“When we did our first presentation for Samsen, they first went quiet. They had to explain to us that they didn’t want an office at all – they just wanted to work in a wine bar. The whole idea is to offer employees something different, and add real value besides going to work every day,” SAYS – Susanna Wåhlin, Note Design Studio.

The wine-bar workspace – dubbed the Samsen Atelier – is in keeping with the young company’s fundamental philosophy: the belief that work should be built on the personal life of the individual, not the other way around. The Samsen team are free to design their work around their needs and passions, able to choose how, when and where they work, and with which clients. In their they have access to a flexible space that they are empowered to use as their own, whether for personal or professional reasons.

Adaptable seating
The need to balance function and atmosphere was the driving force behind Note’s design process. The team took inspiration from the small bars and cafés found in Japan – spaces that often seem tiny, but have a surprising capacity to hold a large number of people thanks to clever seating arrangements.

The space is made up of two connected rooms – one houses a large communal table that can be used for dining or collaborative work; the other holds a bar lined with stools, a trio of café tables, and bespoke upholstered benches beneath two large windows. This set-up allows for multiple seating arrangements to be employed simultaneously – from group gatherings, to one-to-one chats and working in isolation – and ensures the atmosphere is vibrant and bustling even when relatively few people are on site.
Inspired by Japan

Taking the dark-wood look of Japanese bars and restaurants as a starting point, Note developed a palette that balanced warm and cool colours and materials, combining traditional stained soft wood with harder, more modern accents of concrete and steel. The wooden cabinets on the walls are a direct reference to Japanese interiors, as is the half-length curtain that divides the two rooms. Another curtain separates the kitchen area, which houses brushed metal units from Reform that contrast with the golden woody warmth of the yellow-brown palette elsewhere.

Built from chunky slabs of limestone, the bespoke bar backs a tall wine fridge also designed by Note. The space houses a number of other Note designs created especially for Samsen, including a statement yellow shelving unit on the wall, the integrated window benches, and the large yellow communal table, which is surrounded by black chairs from the Candid collection that the studio designed for Zilio A&C. Above the table, Rich Brilliant Willing’s Palindrome lamp in bent tubular steel adds a sculptural element. In the adjoining space, the bar stools, café chairs and tables have been sourced from Mattiazzi.

Despite the distinct ‘anti-office’ feel of the space, there are, inevitably, practical features that facilitate the use of the space for work. Power outlets have been positioned to enable easy access from all seating areas; and the silver curtain on the wall conceals a whiteboard. Two large screens can be used for presentations – as well as video gaming and showing major sports events.

 

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Bauporte Gulf to launch a design challenge for architects and designers at INDEX and Workspace

Bauporte Gulf to launch a design challenge for architects and designers at INDEX and Workspace


Bauporte Gulf to launch a design challenge for architects and designers at INDEX and Workspace

Gear up for the Bauporte Gulf Design Challenge at the upcoming INDEX and Workspace Shows in Dubai starting on May 31, 2021.

Bauporte is offering architects and interior designers the opportunity to work with its in-house team of designers to create new, one-of-a-kind doors and revolutionary office partitioning concepts. Some ideas for new designs include telescopic sliding doors to minimise space, oversized pivot doors and touchless entry systems that can provide building users with the ultimate flexible interactive office experience. The challenge is intended to achieve a push the boundaries of design. Extra-tall or extra-wide doors with wow-factor are envisaged while reimagining standard, fixed office partitioning in favour of new, flexible alternatives where every single panel of office partitioning is instantly changeable.

Designers can register for free at the Bauporte Gulf stand at the INDEX and Workspace shows being held at Dubai World Trade Centre running from May 31- June 2, 2021. Bauporte Gulf is offering a complimentary package of design services on a no-obligation basis, like free initial design consultation, design renderings, and technical checks and specifications.

The successful new designs, once commissioned, will be manufactured by Bauporte Gulf at its factory in Hamburg, Germany and shipped to the Middle East. Finalised designs, together with the various design challenge participants, will be featured in architectural and design media in the Middle East and internationally.

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Design firm Zebra gives a refreshing twist to casual dining concept Jones Social which doubles up as a workspace

Design firm Zebra gives a refreshing twist to casual dining concept Jones Social which doubles up as a workspace


Design firm Zebra gives a refreshing twist to casual dining concept Jones Social which doubles up as a workspace

Jones the Grocer launches a new casual dining concept, Jones Social. Located in the lobby of the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, Jones Social is an ode to food inspired by wanderlust, open-fire cooking and a desire to share good food in a vibrant, travel-inspired setting.

The eclectic interiors by design firm Zebra are amazing and refreshing, Jones Social features a licensed bar and dining room, an open kitchen with a grand wood-fired ‘Charcoal’ grill as its centrepiece, a cheese wall and charcuterie, a gorgeous informal lounge peppered with easy chairs, kilims, and handmade artefacts which doubles up as a workspace.

An elegant smart wired mezzanine with a bird’s eye view floats spirit-like in the high-ceilinged atrium, serves as either a meeting room or private dining area.

 

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Workspace announces inaugural Work Design Summit

Workspace announces inaugural Work Design Summit


Workspace announces inaugural Work Design Summit

Workspace, the dedicated commercial interiors event taking place as part of INDEX, announces the first edition of Work Design Summit. As most companies return to their office environments throughout 2021, the summit will feature three days of real-world case-studies and research-based insights and discussions from May 31 to June 2 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The commercial design community is invited to enjoy five distinct sessions staged each day, featuring prominent designers, corporate end-users, real estate developers and analysts, FM experts, technologists and psychologists.

The past year has prompted a dramatic need to reconceive and redesign all aspects related to how modern workspaces look, feel and operate in order to enhance productivity and wellness in the transition to future hybrid working communities.

Emirati Designer Laila Al-Yousuf, Design Director & Partner at SAY Studio will be one of the speakers at this launch event, sharing her knowledge and experience on what wellness design now means to clients, end-users and designers, as well as why the office is here to stay but needs to be re-invented. Asked to share a preview into what will be discussing on stage, Laila Al-Yousuf comments “The pandemic has been the largest disruptor to the way we work and now is the time to adjust and adapt or get left behind. We are looking towards a future where the office is still carrying enormous value as a place that becomes a company’s base, where staff can connect and collaborate, and where a company’s culture is built. At the Work Design Summit, I will be focussing on the workplace of the future and how radically this concept has been changed by the past eighteen months.”

A recent survey conducted by Aetna International highlights this shift precisely, with more than 80% of participants agreeing that mental health is now more important to them than ever, reinforcing the need for companies to adapt to new standards and show flexibility to safeguard employee well-being. 72% of the survey participants expect businesses and employers to ensure work environments are adapted to the new reality to promote both mental health and productivity, which in turn would enable them to be more efficient and businesses profitable.

Commenting on the launch of Work Design Summit, Katie McBride, Event Director, dmg events said: “Companies are now exploring new ways to improve the workplace for employee safety, wellness and productivity. The Work Design Summit has been launched to meet the demand for information on best practice in these areas. We look forward to providing businesses with insight into the best design practices and effective solutions that can be tangibly implemented to improve different workplaces.”

Workspace and INDEX are co-located with The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show as part of Middle East Design & Hospitality Week. Access to the show and to the Work Design Summit is by advance online pre-registration only, and with limited availability. Registration is free and also gives access to the other co-located events, as well as a broad variety of insights, experiences, installations, and product showcases.

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Swiss Bureau creates an interactive workspace for Julius Baer with a focus on employee well-being!

Swiss Bureau creates an interactive workspace for Julius Baer with a focus on employee well-being!


Swiss Bureau creates an interactive workspace for Julius Baer with a focus on employee well-being!

Swiss Bureau Interior Design collaborated with leading Swiss wealth management group, Julius Baer, to design its new corporate office in Dubai. As the firm enters a new chapter in the UAE with its move to ICD Brookfield in DIFC, Swiss Bureau worked with the Julius Baer’s global architecture concept as its framework to help maintain uniformity across locations. The new premises intend to provide greater interaction space and promote employee well-being while offering unrivalled views of the DIFC and Downtown Dubai.

The contemporary corporate workspace designed with sustainability in mind has an expansive client reception area with seven meeting rooms and three boardrooms with state-of-the-art facilities and excellent infrastructure. Colors inspired by the Dubai desert add a local touch where light sand and orange hues connect with biophilic elements. A naturally lit reception sports a focal wall inspired by the UAE sand dunes, sweeping from the point of entry across to the glazing facade. The Julius Baer Art collection featuring artworks of contemporary Swiss artists adorn the walls across the two floors, realizing an elegant space able to withstand the test of time.

Besides work desks allowing for healthy alternation between seated and standing activities, provision of quiet rooms (i.e. ‘phone booths’) are placed enabling colleagues to quietly talk to clients while enjoying the facilities of an open office. A large pantry also serves as the heart of social interaction for employees.

With a solid history of 130 years, Julius Baer is a premium brand in this global sector, focusing on servicing and advising sophisticated private clients. In the last 16 years, in addition to Dubai, the bank has strategically grown in the Middle East and Africa with additional offices in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Johannesburg, and Manama, offering its clients proximity and access to a well-established range of advisory and wealth management services.

 

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JLL implemented Activity Based Working (ABW) concept for Bayer’s new workspace in Dubai Science Park

JLL implemented Activity Based Working (ABW) concept for Bayer's new workspace in Dubai Science Park


JLL implemented Activity Based Working (ABW) concept for Bayer’s new workspace in Dubai Science Park

Bayer, an innovative life-sciences company, has officially inaugurated its brand-new state-of-the-art facility as its regional quarters, Bayer Middle East, located in Dubai Science Park. The new workplace not only reaffirms the life science company’s commitment to Dubai as a regional hub for cultivating innovation, but to its employees to mirror the collaborative and innovative culture encouraged at Bayer. The project commenced in November 2019, and was designed by specialized workplace strategists and interior design entity, JLL.

Henrik Wulff, Senior Bayer Representative – Middle East and Head of Bayer Pharmaceuticals Middle East, commented: “While businesses advance every day and new technologies are constantly introduced across all industries, new needs arise – so we decided we needed a new space that creates a warm and welcoming experience for guests and employees alike. We envisioned an environment that fosters team creativity, collaboration, technology-use and optimism, so the ABW concept seemed like the perfect fit. Although the spread of the novel coronavirus led to new challenges, we were confident in JLL because of their known ability to study the holistic environment and concurrent relevant updates prior to starting their projects. Our main concern was to provide a safe and healthy environment based on safety precautions and guidelines, and JLL truly delivered in terms of safety and aesthetic.”

Well-versed on the importance of providing collaborative and agile working spaces, Bayer was enthusiastic to implement the Activity Based Working (ABW) concept, as well as workplace that better supported their working style. This approach uses non-assigned workstations and multiple areas for various activities to foster employee collaboration, learning, focussed work, and socialising. This underlying conceptual ABW approach aims to set new standards regarding workplace organization. The contemporary office design is based on a holistic approach, aiming to utilize space in a way to foster engagement, encourage collaboration, and inspire innovation.

The layout, a total of 1,536sqm divided into two floors, was designed based on neighborhoods or zones to equally provide support and collaborative spaces for all staff members, regardless of the location, facilitating their own choice to select where, when and how they shall work. Global company guidelines were weaved in throughout to invoke a strong sense of pride and community. The architectural details created in this project enhance transparency, light and patterns. In addition to design, JLL provided change management services to support Bayer with the cultural transformation in adapting to the new environment and new ways of working.

Sara Afkir, Workplace Strategist and Designer from JLL commented: “As a team, we welcomed Bayer’s brief and were enthusatic to work with a visionary client willing and wanting to move away from traditional ways of working. Bayer’s CRE team were an integral part of the design process and this effort became a collaborative journey for all of us. The architectural language created for Bayer’s new home embraces and highlights the company’s brand and values. The design experience pays homage to the local culture with a modern and urban twist; the outcome is a warm, welcoming, inspirational, and agile environment. As designers, our team is proud of the wellness and ergonomics features of the new office, putting the staff’s needs as a top design driver. The multi-level office becomes a multifunctional and versatile space, where each area can cater to numerous functions and encourages the team to adapt and change. In today’s diverse workplace, as designers, we must aspire to create environments to foster growth, encourage choice and empower the users”

The technology-driven workplace encompasses a variety of ergonomic tools and pleasing aesthetics for employees such as light woods to bring warmth into the space, concrete faux finishes to bring rawness and create an industrial look and feel, acoustic finishes to enhance acoustic performance and writable surfaces in all small meeting and think tank rooms for brainstorming and creative engagements. Lastly, an important element was biophilia – creating a string connection between the outdoors and indoors. The flexibility in the design, flow, growth and modularity will allow for staff to move within the space based on their daily activities and makes for a very flexible and inspirational environment.

 

INC creates a new future-focussed workspace for KPMG at One Central, Dubai

INC creates a new future-focussed workspace for KPMG at One Central, Dubai


INC creates a new future-focussed workspace for KPMG at One Central, Dubai

This summer, more than 950 staff members from KPMG Lower Gulf’s offices in Dubai and Sharjah are relocating to a future-focussed and sustainable 4,675sqm workspace at One Central, a gateway to international trade, finance, and business.

Design by INC, a leading design and fit-out solution provider, KPMG’s new workplace is expected to save 60% in power usage and 35% in water consumption through energy efficient fittings and furnishings. The unique layout features various kinds of workspaces, including fixed working areas for focused work, quiet spaces to take calls, touchdown areas for socialising, open and closed meeting areas, and collaborative working areas. This also caters to the different needs of both introverts and extroverts Moreover, activity-based working (ABW) was adopted to help empower teams, increase levels of collaboration and creative thinking.

Nader Haffar, chairman and CEO, KPMG Lower Gulf, commented: “We relocated to our new office during the pandemic, without scaling back on plans. KPMG’s significant investment in the heart of Dubai and a similar upgrade currently underway at our Abu Dhabi office testify to our confidence in the resilient UAE economy. Our new office reflects our values of authenticity, honest communication and integrity.”

DZ Design creates a collaborative and flexible workspace for YAP in Dubai

DZ Design creates a collaborative and flexible workspace for YAP in Dubai


DZ Design creates a collaborative and flexible workspace for YAP in Dubai

DZ Design delivered the YAP project in Downtown Dubai. YAP is an all-in-one digital banking app that helps  to quickly and easily solve any financial need across all areas of your life – family, personal or business. YAP is created to keep you at its core, always. YAP is reverse for PAY, and while that’s super cool, it’s also an indication of the shift they’re bringing about by eliminating the need for cumbersome paperwork at physical banks.

DZ Design expertly carried the philosophy of the brand into the design through architectural elements: the use of glass walls speaks of transparency, a large community space at the entrance near the coffee bar reflects the inclusivity of the brand and custom lighting elements were created, all of which symbolise the main pillars of YAP’s values.

Overall, the 3000sqft office accommodates an open space plan with 12 height-adjustable working stations and four private offices. The office comprises a large board room showcased in the centre of the office by using floor-to-ceiling sliding folding glass wall. The finished design allows the space to be used to entertain clients while at the same time, creates a space the staff can collaborate, meet, and enjoy . To enhance employee productivity and flexibility the design firm created nooks, open offices, break out zones, and meeting rooms to maximise collaboration, while workstations were positioned to enjoy the buildings natural light.

The challenge to create a future-proofed space where staff, customers and partners could collaborate to rapidly pioneer new technologies was achieved by DZ Design. The offices of YAP serves as a progressive ecosystem to accelerate the innovation process. A melting pot of culture and fusing of creative minds, Downtown Dubai provides the best location for access to the local tech talent pool and travel partners worldwide. Hence the location of YAP proved to suit fantastic to their business model.

Photography is by Natelee Cocks 

 

 

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