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    Gallery Collectional exhibition spotlights contemporary Asian craftsmanship

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    Gallery Collectional, a collectible design gallery in Dubai, has presented its inaugural exhibition featuring furniture and lighting crafted by seven Asian designers.

    For Urban Fabric Series 001, Gallery Collectional invited seven designers to create designs informed by the urban settings from which they hail, including Tokyo, Seoul and Hangzhou.
    The Urban Fabric exhibition included recycled plastic seats by Kuo Duo. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioCurated by Yoko Choy, the collectible design exhibition features 28 pieces that showcase the diverse range of crafts honed by the designers.
    It includes 3D-printed chairs, woven sculptures, metal light sculptures and furniture made from reclaimed architectural elements.
    Teo Yang repurposed remnants of traditional Korean houses. Photo by Mario Tsai Studio”Since the inception of Gallery Collectional, its desire has always been to create a multicultural, cross-functional platform that fosters disruptive and worldly conversations across design and art,” the gallery said.

    “The 28 artworks commissioned and created for this inaugural series epitomise the juxtaposition between industrial precision and artisanal finesse, the nuanced interplay between vulnerability and resilience, and the seamless fusion of rationality and emotion,” Gallery Collectional continued.
    “They delve into the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, the relentless passage of time, and the subtle balance between ruggedness and sophistication, encapsulating the essence of contemporary urban life and inspiring our collective vision for the future.”
    Cutting Lines is a collection of 3D-printed chairsKorean designer Teo Yang used remnants of traditional Korean houses known as hanoks – including glass, rubble, marble and veneer – to create a series of furniture pieces.
    The collection, named Remaining Things, includes a room divider made from hanok panels and a table made from a repurposed column with a metal base and glass tabletop.

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    Koren design studio Kuo Duo, founded by Hwachan Lee and Yoomin Maeng, is showcasing a pair of chairs with a matching ottoman made from recycled plastic.
    The Kerf Plastic seats were designed to showcase the “untapped potential” of the material to form three-dimensional objects, according to the duo.
    The Sparks pendant light moves from side to sideThe exhibition also featured the 3D-printed Cutting Lines chair by Korean designer Kwangho Lee, with textured surfaces inspired by the act of tying knots.
    Sparks is a pendant light created by Chinese designer Mario Tsai, comprising brass chimes that sway and collide.
    A woven sculpture by Tiffany Loy hangs from the ceiling”Within this kinetic light installation, the transformative power of collision becomes palpable,” said Gallery Collectional. “It is as if the energy from each collision is harnessed and channelled, manifesting as both visible light and audible sound.”
    Also in the Urban Fabric series were tables made from white, green and pink onyx by Japanese designer Kensaku Oshiro, neon light artworks by Tokyo-based Studio Swine and a pair of woven silk and cotton sculptures by Singaporean artist Tiffany Loy.
    Gallery Collectional is located in Dubai. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioOther furniture showcases that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a furniture exhibition in a converted Bogotá townhouse and StudioTwentySeven’s newly opened flagship gallery in Tribeca.
    The photography is courtesy of Gallery Collectional.
    Urban Fabric is on show at Gallery Collectional in Dubai from 2 to 31 March 2024. For more events, talks and exhibitions in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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      Roar recreates dizzying Indian stepwells in Jaipur Rugs’ Dubai showroom

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      UAE-based studio Roar has paid homage to the Escher-esque stepwells of India in its interior design for Jaipur Rugs’ showroom in Dubai, which features cascading, rainbow-coloured staircases.

      The Jaipur Rugs showroom, the Indian brand’s first in the Middle East, is located in the creative district of Aserkal, in one of the former industrial area’s previously abandoned warehouses.
      Roar’s design for the space nods to the architecture of Jaipur, the rug manufacturer’s home city, and in particular its famous stepwells — reservoirs built with staggered terraces and dizzying sets of stairs all the way down into their depths.
      The Jaipur Rugs Dubai showroom is designed with reference to India’s stepwells”The design concept was born from a simple sketch that I did after my first meeting with the client,” Roar founder and architect Pallavi Dean told Dezeen.
      “I was so inspired by the stepwells that I’d seen in Jaipur during my first visit that I wanted to bring them to life in my design,” she added.

      “I wanted to strip the idea to its bare minimum though, and work within its architectural purity, in order to avoid any plain pastiche.”
      The stairs are carpeted in a gradient of rainbow huesIn Dean’s design, the repeating staircases feature across three of the walls, making a striking impression in the double-height space while connecting the ground-floor browsing area to the offices and sales suites on the mezzanine.
      The arches that are typical to stepwells also feature in the 780-square-metre showroom, forming doorways or alcoves wallpapered with decorative rugs.
      The hues in these rug displays are echoed in the carpet on the stairs, which is rendered in a jewel-toned rainbow colour gradient starting at indigo on one side of the space and ending in ruby red.
      Some of the stairs read to alcoves with rug displaysDean called the construction of the staircases a “structural feat” that required navigating challenging approval processes.
      “We had to ensure the steps were safe to use by installing a glass balustrade, which gives the impression that they’re floating when they’re actually carefully enclosed!” she said.

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      Also nestled between the staircases on the ground floor are two rooms described as immersive experiences, the Sapphire and Emerald rooms, which are covered floor to ceiling with rugs custom-made by Jaipur Rugs’ weavers as part of the brand’s Manchaha intiative.
      In the project, the artisans design the rugs themselves spontaneously on the loom as they weave, using leftover yarn from the industry.
      Two “immersive” rooms are carpeted in rugs designed by Jaipur Rugs’ weaversThey would typically use a broader range of colours for the rugs in this series, but were briefed to work with emerald and sapphire tones for the showroom and given the precise dimensions.
      The lack of sound in these rooms, created by the acoustic properties of the rugs, adds a dramatic dimension to visitors’ experience, according to Dean.
      One room is emerald and the other is sapphire huedNext to the rooms, along the fourth wall, is the showroom’s rug library, with custom-made sliding panels allowing visitors to browse freely.
      The walls and floors are finished with a warm-grey micro-cement and textured paint, forming a neutral base for the colourful features.
      Metallic rose gold features in doorframes, cabinetry and other details, in another reference to Jaipur, which is sometimes called the Pink City.
      Metallic rose gold touches nod to Jaipur’s nickname of the “Pink City””All of our designs come from a place of empathy, and this one is no exception,” Dean said. “We always endeavour to understand what the client is trying to achieve – here, the client was trying to create a bold statement for their first flagship store in the Middle East.”
      “It also had to be an experiential space, which can be intuitively navigated by its users. This is why, for example, we decided to build bespoke rug libraries with sliding doors for clients to flick through instead of having the rugs stacked on the floor, which, in my opinion, are so inconvenient to browse!”
      The showroom is located in a formerly abandoned warehouseDean founded Roar in 2013. The studio’s past projects include the interiors for cafe Drop Coffee and the Nursery of the Future, both in Dubai.
      Last year it announced it was expanding into digital design after purchasing two plots of land for a showroom in the metaverse.

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      VSHD Design creates “intriguing and mysterious” interior for sushi restaurant Origami

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      Emirati studio VSHD Design has completed a dark and dramatic interior for a restaurant in The Dubai Mall, featuring a pared-back palette of natural materials chosen to reflect Japanese minimalism.

      Origami is a sushi restaurant, whose first outpost opened in Dubai’s Jumeriah neighbourhood in 2014.
      VSHD Design has designed the Origami restaurant in The Dubai MallFor its second branch, the owners asked VSHD Design to create a space that provides a unique experience within the cookie-cutter environment of a shopping mall.
      The studio, led by interior architect Rania Hamed, used materials such as textured grey plaster, matte-black tiles and low lighting to create an atmosphere that evokes the underground sushi bars found throughout Japan.
      Glass bricks form a low bar in the waiting area”Origami’s interior makeover features simple forms in natural materials, and organic shapes reflecting the simplicity and minimalism of traditional Japanese culture,” VSHD Design explained.

      The interior features monolithic columns and walls informed by the architecture of temples, along with seating covered with draped fabric and textured glass partitions that contribute to the feeling of “intrigue and mystery”, the studio said.
      Six-metre-thick columns frame the restaurant’s entranceThe restaurant is entered through the gaps between a number of six-metre-thick columns, designed to enhance the sense of separation between the mall and the main dining room.
      A small retail space on one side of the entrance hosts a concession selling chocolates while on the other side, a low bar area with wooden stools and a glass-block counter provides a waiting area for diners.

      Weathered rocks inform interior of Orijins coffee shop by VSHD Design

      “The solid shop front facade made of rammed-earth clay and glass bricks evokes a feeling of intrigue meant to draw people inside,” said VSHD Design.
      The narrow entrance also limits the amount of natural light entering the dining room, which helps to maintain the dark and intimate feel.
      The main dining room is dimly litThe restaurant is arranged over two split levels that offer different seating arrangements, with the main area featuring built-in bench seating arranged around its perimeter.
      Three steps lead up to a space housing the sushi bar, which is illuminated by an overhead light box and allows diners to watch the chefs at work.
      A sushi counter at the back allows diners to watch the chefs at workBlack tiles covering the walls, floors and counter create a dark and minimalist ambience throughout the interior.
      The furnishings, including wooden chairs and benches upholstered with draped white fabric, provide a more relaxed and tactile element.
      “Overall, it is the lines, the materials and the colours incorporated within the design that uphold a Japanese sensibility and spirit, while still appealing to a modern sense of luxury,” the studio said.
      Black tiles cover the walls and floorsRania Hamed founded VSHD Design in 2007 and has since worked on residential and commercial projects in countries including Jordan, Egypt and the United Kingdom.
      The studio’s projects in Dubai include a gym that references brutalist architecture and underground fight clubs, as well as a coffee shop with a curved ceiling and boulder-like counters.
      The photography is by Oculis Project.

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      Studio N highlights textured materials with lighting at Dubai spa

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      Dubai-based Studio N has created a lighting scheme to emphasise the natural materials used in the Sensasia Stories Spa designed by interiors studio Roar in the Kempinski Hotel Mall in the UAE.

      As the spa has no natural light, Studio N focussed on highlighting the variety of materials used in the space, which includes grey slate, stone, wood and hessian wallpaper.
      “We were very conscious of how we illuminated each of the different surfaces and how light could help emphasise the natural characteristics of materials”, the studio told Dezeen.
      The central space features illuminated archesOverall the studio aimed to meet spa lighting guidelines while maintaining a calm and peaceful atmosphere in the space.
      As the Sensasia Stories Spa is located in a busy mall, the lighting designers wanted the entrance space and reception area to act as a calm area of transition from retail to spa environment.

      Concealed low-power and high-lumen LED lights were used to create a soothing environment, with under-counter lighting used for soft, ambient light in the the reception.
      Strip lights illuminate stairs at the spa poolThe 270-square-metre spa contains eight treatment rooms, along with an ice fountain, herb saunas, steam rooms, and pool, that are arranged around a central courtyard.
      In this central space interiors studio Roar and Studio N created a large arched structure that contains illuminated arches. “We used linear grazers to pick out the texture of stone walls,” said Studio N.
      Concealed low-power lights are used in treatment roomsStrip lights were integrated into the pool’s stairs and, in other areas, smaller lights and decorative light fixtures were used to create illuminated accent walls.
      A recessed gobo projector was used to replicate the movement of water, which the studio said was “a subtle reference to the natural world”.

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      The studio used recessed wide-beam pinhole downlights to provide general lighting to the space in a minimal style.
      The lighting of each area of the spa can be controlled via a DALI lighting control system which allows lighting to be changed between lighting scenes. Treatment rooms can be changed between ‘mood lighting’, ‘treatment’ and ‘cleaning scenes’.
      Studio N used LED lights throughout the spaStudio N is shortlisted in the architectural lighting design category at the Dezeen awards 2022 alongside Liftshutz Davidson Sandiland and Leo Villareal’s Illuminated River installation and a theatre venue clad in luminous tiles in China, by Brandston Partnership.
      The photography is by The Oculis Project.

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      Journey of the Pioneers exhibition presents the world in 2071

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      German studio Atelier Brueckner has created an immersive exhibition at the Museum of the Future in Dubai that aims to investigate the world in 2071.

      Named Journey of the Pioneers, the permanent exhibition was created for the recently opened Museum of the Future, which was designed by local studio Killa Design.
      Atelier Brueckner split the exhibition, which was shortlisted for this year’s Dezeen Awards, into three sections that aim to investigate what the world may look like 50 years from now. The sections focus on life in space, bioengineering developments and the future of well-being.
      The exhibition’s first district contains a space stationAccording to Atelier Brueckner, each district was designed using different materials and methods to represent their distinct but interconnected narratives.
      The first district focuses on life in a space station, the second on an organisation that aims to regenerate endangered ecosystems, and the final district examines the future developments of well-being rituals.

      “The experience touches on subjects and narratives that are relevant in the present day and foreseen to be still the challenges that we will face in the future,” said Atelier Brueckner.
      “The experience is both informative and transformative and calls on the visitors to embark upon an expedition to a future for which they will, through individual choices, become part of a collective effort to create a better future for all humanity.”
      The second district is named The LibraryThe first district presents the OSS Hope space station – the “largest man-made object in space”. Within the exhibition, visitors can look out from “space” to see a digital image depicting the Earth 50 years from now.
      During the immersive experience, visitors are “recruited” to undertake a fictitious mission aligned to the space station’s overall aim – “to use the sun’s energy to provide power for mankind by harvesting it from the moon and then transmitting it down to the Earth”.
      As a nod to its futuristic theme, the exhibition’s surfaces were 3D-printed, according to Atelier Brueckner.
      The Library presents a range of organisms, such as single-cell organisms, plants and mammalsThe second district is named the HEAL Institute – an organisation that uses bioengineering to help regenerate damaged ecosystems.
      Also included is a “digital Amazon”, which intends to showcase how life in the rainforest is interconnected.
      “In ‘the Forest’, visitors gaze upon a majestic Ceiba tree at the sound of rain, as thousands of dancing point clouds overlay the scenery with the choreographed, but invisible life, that infuses the Amazon,” said Atelier Brueckner.
      This district also features The Library, which includes 2,400 laser-engraved crystal jars that represent different species. This includes single-cell organisms, plants and mammals, which will either be alive or extinct by 2071.
      The organisms presented in the second district will alive or extinct by 2071The third and final district is described by Atelier Brueckner as “the space where the pioneers encounter themselves”. It aims to be a space where visitors can reconnect to their senses while exploring what the future of well-being will look like in an increasingly technological world.
      The district includes a number of therapies and treatments using technologies, such as “Movement Therapy” where visitors can explore and discover the benefit of dance. Additional therapeutic areas in the space include Grounding, Connection, and Feeling.
      The district also includes “The Centre”, which is designed as a space for relaxation and contemplation, and Atelier Brueckner chose earth and clay-like tones on the district’s walls to be in keeping with its theme.
      The final district explores a number of therapies including Movement Therapy”The design approach for the whole experience was an exercise in the creation of suspension of disbelief, crafting convincing environments through the choice of materials and the overall spatial design, and through the intricate score-like staging of the various narrative & sensorial components,” said Atelier Brueckner.
      “With moments of tension and moments of release, rhythmic crescendos and climaxes, and phases of decompression and contemplation.”
      The designers chose warm, earthy colours to complement the final districtIn addition to the main exhibition, the museum includes a space showcasing future innovations and products, in addition to a space with an “immersive and engaging landscape dedicated to children”.
      The exhibition’s design was created in collaboration with Marshmallow Laser Feast, Jason Bruges Studios, Galerija 12, Altspace, Framestore, Superflux, Emilie Baltz, Deep Local and Certain Measures.
      Journey of the Pioneers been shortlisted in the exhibition design category at this year’s Dezeen Awards alongside Ginza Ecological Map, Weird Sensation Feels Good – The World of ASMR and Greenwood Rising: Black Wall Street History Center exhibition.

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      Weathered rocks inform interior of Orijins coffee shop by VSHD Design

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      Interiors studio VSHD Design has added a curved ceiling and boulder-like marble counters to this minimalist coffee shop in Dubai.

      Located on the street level of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), the Orijins coffee shop is sparsely decorated using muted colours and natural materials.
      Slim metal furnishings fill the interior of VSHD Design’s Orijins coffee shop in DubaiVSHD Design, which was founded by local interior architect Rania Hamed in 2007, designed the cafe to mimic the “beautiful imperfections found in nature” and in particular a collection of water-smoothed stones picked up from the shores of the Red Sea.
      Orijins’ desaturated colour palette references sand, shells, stone and wood, while the dramatic curved ceiling and the seven uneven marble blocks that form the coffee bar lend a weathered quality to the 105-square-metre space.
      A curved ceiling and plastered walls mimic the surface of stonesThe marble blocks with their abstract shapes were drawn by hand but cut by automated CNC machines, creating a mixture of smooth and rough edges.

      These heavy forms are contrasted with slender metal furnishings and tactile textiles such as fur, boucle and heavy weaves, which were selected to complement the interior’s raw finishes.

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      Plaster walls and polished concrete floors provide a neutral backdrop for the scheme.
      The cafe is lit by a slim LED strip that runs along the length of the space, highlighting the gentle curve of Orijins’ ceiling. Spotlights are positioned over the bar area and a brushed-aluminium sconce custom designed by VSHD decorates one of the walls.
      Seven uneven marble blocks form the coffee bar”Orijins represents the design firm’s interpretation of what it means to be calm, to sit still and to observe the beauty that can be found even in our flawed, everyday reality,” said VSHD Design.
      “It’s the feeling of calm and serenity one gets when sitting on a rock by the sea.”
      All of the furnishings are held in neutral tonesOther cavernous coffee bars include the Blue Bottle Coffee shop at the Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi, Japan, where Keiji Ashizawa paired brick floors with a warm colour palette.
      The photography is by Oculis Project.

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      Roar Studio decorates Dubai cafe with terrazzo flooring and broken ceramic tiles

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      Design office Roar Studio combined industrial materials such as concrete and stainless steel with decorative terrazzo and broken ceramic tiles for Drop Coffee, a cafe in Dubai’s Dar Al Wasl Mall.The Dubai-based studio was asked to design an interior that would suit the flow of visitors to the cafe, who enter the space from two different entrances – one connected to the outdoors and one to the mall.

      The bar area is framed by a wooden structure
      It chose to keep the design simple by focusing on the materials used and framed the bar area of the cafe in pale wood and LED lights to create an eye-catching centrepiece.
      “This is the second outlet for this homegrown Emirati brand,” Roar Studio founder Pallavi Dean told Dezeen.
      “Their main drive was to achieve a minimal space where the coffee bar is a central feature and creates a theatrical moment – the making of the coffee is at the front and centre stage.”

      A broken-tile mosaic decorates the main wall

      The ceiling of the cafe is concrete and the studio also painted the walls with a concrete paint finish, which is complemented by a terrazzo-effect tiled stone floor in grey and white hues.
      Its colours and shapes are picked up on the main wall, which was decorated with a mosaic of broken ceramic tiles that form an abstract pattern similar to the floor.
      “We sourced basic white tiles from Rakceramics – a local manufacturer – which were then broken on-site to compose a patterned wall,” Dean explained.
      “We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel by using broken tiles – our idea was to form a counterpoint to the terrazzo effect porcelain flooring as though the chips of the broken tiles were used in the flooring.”

      Stainless steel was used for the countertops
      A large counter in pale wood is connected to the ceiling by beams in the same material, framing the bar area of the store. The counter is covered in stainless steel, which was chosen for both practical and aesthetic reasons.

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      “The coffee bar has a stainless steel countertop which is extremely sturdy and hygienic but also allows the light to bounce through the space because of its reflectivity,” Dean said.

      Orange clamp-style tables for a quick coffee break
      Around the base of the bar, lighted skirting made out of glass blocks give the impression that it is floating above the ground. By the side of the bar, the enclosed kitchen area features a wall made from matching glass blocks, enabling visitors to see the silhouettes of Drop Coffee’s staff while they work.
      The studio also chose to work with certain materials to help create a less noisy atmosphere for the visitors.
      “The ceiling is acoustic foam sprayed, an effect that adds to the industrial aesthetic and helps muffle the noise in the open-plan space – not to mention the noise generated by the coffee machines,” Dean explained.

      Grey hues and pale wood decorate the space
      Drop Coffee already has one cafe in Dubai and the plan is for each of the branches to be associated with a different colour, with burnt orange used for Roar Studios’ design.
      The colour has been dotted throughout the space and was used for seating as well as on clamp-style tables set along one wall for customers who want to have a quick coffee standing up.

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      Roar Studio was founded in 2013 as Pallavi Dean Interiors by Dean, who was a Dezeen Awards 2020 judge, and rebranded as Roar Studio in 2018. It has previously designed a high-tech learning space for children in Dubai and issued a white paper about the ways in which Covid-19 will impact the design of schools and colleges.
      Photography is by Oculis Project.

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      Zayed University students present 10 interior design projects

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      Graduates from Dubai’s Zayed University present projects including an Arabic calligraphy centre and a place of worship that challenges “repetitive approaches to mosque design” in this VDF school show. The 10 works exhibited below were created by undergraduate interior design students at the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises (CACE). Projects from the rest of this year’s graduating class can be viewed in the school’s 360-degree Virtual ShowCASE.
      University: Zayed UniversityCourse: BFA Interior DesignTutors: Lina Ahmad, Karim Musfy, Omid Rouhani, Mehdi Sabet and Marco SosaStudio: ADR 496 Senior ProjectGraduate show: Virtual ShowCACE
      Course statement:
      “The Interior Design Senior Project at CACE is an advanced course, requiring students to utilise the depth and breadth of their conceptual and technical abilities to conceive, develop and present an original interiors project.
      “Usually, CACE would have hosted its end of year graduate ShowCACE in spring but due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, we are highlighting students’ work via a virtual online exhibition this year. The interior design department has developed a dedicated website to highlight the work of its graduates.”

      Calligraphy Hub by Aysha Al Hashmi

      “With the gradual loss of the Arabic language, Arabic identity has begun to fade away. I wanted to highlight this problem through a proposed Calligraphy Hub, which was designed for the Manarat Al Saadiyat arts centre in Abu Dhabi.
      “The space draws visitors’ attention to the beauty of their language in an artistic way, to help them regain a sense of pride in their identity and origins. I wanted to create a space where all people but especially the young could learn, experience and enjoy the art of calligraphy to help save their culture and history.”
      Email: aysha.alhashmi@outlook.comWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/sadaa-almansoori

      Al Shindagha Architectural Incubator by Alia Al Maktoum
      “This proposal encompasses an architectural incubator in the Al Shindagha neighbourhood of Dubai. The incubator will aid the development of new business ventures by providing low-cost commercial space, management assistance and shared services.
      “The proposed space will cater to designers, in particular, helping them to start up businesses that contribute to the development of the creative industries in the area. Via the incubator, visitors, students, faculty and professional architects and interior designers will have the chance to explore the district as well as the neighbouring museums.”

      Bait Al Shabab by Maryam AlAmeri 
      “Bait Al Shabab’s primary focus is on the young people in the Emirate of Sharjah through creating a dedicated space to share knowledge, experiences, hobbies, interests and relaxation with people from all walks of life.
      “Bait Al Shabab, or the House of Al Shabab, will provide Sharjah’s youth with an opportunity to have it all in one place – a place that is made just for them and will serve their needs and desires. The project is based on a building that is more than 100 years old, which is preserved and reused to serve the needs of Bait Al Shabab.”
      Email: MaryamAl3amri@gmail.comWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/afra-khalil-almalki

      Elham by Maryam Albannai
      “Elham means inspiration and muse, signifying a belief in the creative abilities and joys of autism. It is a place where children with autism can develop their creativity and express themselves through art.
      “Through the medium of design, this project seeks to eliminate learning and communication difficulties faced by autistic children and help them develop their confidence. Elham is about possibilities, focusing on what autistic children can do instead of what they can’t. The project nurtures the creative ability of each child and provides them with the skills to lead active and fulfilling lives in the future.”

      Purity Cafe by Sadaa Mubarak Almansoori 
      “In my childhood, I spent most of my time in the garden of my family house surrounded by the sight and smell of trees. The sun peeking through the branches and the occasional breeze of clean air helped me to feel comfortable and relaxed.
      “Due to harsh weather conditions in the United Arab Emirates, there is a lack of outdoor seating that can actually be used in the summertime, which made me miss the feeling of being close to nature. In response, Purity Cafe creates the experience of being outdoors throughout the year inside an environmentally-controlled interior.”
      Email: 201409798@zu.ac.aeWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/sadaa-almansoori

      Enlightenment by Khawla Ahli
      “As an interior designer, I believe my role is to design solutions that are both aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. This senior project represents both a futuristic and environmentally-conscious space. The design of Enlightenment implements new techniques in terms of space division and lighting design as well as its materials and colour scheme.
      “Its atmosphere creates the illusion of living in the future while housing a future-focused academy that aims to educate students about how to plan and propose solutions to climate change by adopting new technologies.”
      Email: 201509798@zu.ac.aeWebsite: marcososa.wixsite.com/caceidexhibition2020/maryam-tahir

      The Flame by Najat Saif Albraiki
      “As an interior designer, I’ve always been interested in human psychology, as well as studying the way human bodies move and occupy a space. I am committed to designing with sustainability in mind whenever possible and with a primary focus on clients’ needs and visions.
      “I attempt to design with a focus on the human interactions that will take place within a space and the functionality of the design at hand. My design proposal The Flame is a multipurpose space that allows young Emiratis to interact in a fun and safe environment.”
      Email: Najat.albraiki@outlook.comWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/najat-saif-albraiki

      Rahma by Amna Al Shamsi
      “Mosques are iconic Islamic architectural features that have gone through a series of great transitions throughout history. They are places of worship and places were the community can gather for vital social interactions.
      “Rahma is a mosque that is designed to offer services for the benefit of the local community, providing them with a calming and spiritual place. The project is situated at the Al Ain Mineral Water warehouse in Dubai hopes to serve the high number of low-income expats in the area while also challenging repetitive approaches to mosque design.”

      Difa’a by Afra Khalil Almalki
      “Difa’a, which means warmth and cosiness, provides a safe, clean home to domestic animals in need. It’s a home for pets! Most animal shelters place animals in cages instead of allowing them to move freely.
      “But Difa’a is designed as a welcoming place for pet lovers, owners and those looking to adopt a pet. It includes a daycare, boarding service and playroom to create a positive environment.”
      Email: afralmalki@gmail.comWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/zainab-ashoor

      Coffee on Track by Zainab Ashoor Saeed
      “DMX Motocross Club is a place where anyone interested in biking can practice and participate. I designed a three-story coffee shop made from repurposed shipping containers that were dumped on the site, stacking them on top of each other to create outdoor and indoor seating areas and an exhibition space.
      “The proposal focuses on incorporating nature into the sandy surroundings, to give visitors a feeling of relaxation and help them feel energized after a long day on the tracks.”
      Email: 201307126@zu.ac.aeWebsite: marcososa.com/caceidexhibition2020/shamsa-al-mazrouei
      Virtual Design Festival’s student and schools initiative offers a simple and affordable platform for student and graduate groups to present their work during the coronavirus pandemic. Click here for more details.

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