Design Worldwide Partnership (dwp) won the ‘Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East’ award for Emaar’s new corporate offices at the Commercial Interior Design (CID) Awards 2014. The award was presented by Roderick Wiles, AHEC Director for Africa, Middle East, South Asia and Oceania to George Kahler, Design Director, dwp.
Emaar, one of the world’s largest property developers, wanted to reinvigorate their team and have a new vibrant workplace. In order to achieve this, they relocated their entire team to Emaar Square in Downtown Dubai, which involved dwp working to provide a new dynamic workplace, spread over 3 levels and 6,250 sqm – one that translated their vision for the future into an extraordinary design aesthetic, as a clear reflection of the Emaar brand. The project, led by Mohammed Alabbar, was not an ordinary relocation project. It was to be an honest reflection of the company’s vision, future and its ever-increasing role in the framework of a growing Dubai. “Emaar’s previous offices supported it through a different era for the development industry. It was emerging from the financial crash and wanted to claw back its entrepreneurial spirit, to shape up its operations, inspire the staff to perform and drive the organization forward,” says George Kahler. According to the judges, this year’s winner was praised for ‘its industrial feel which works seamlessly with the open office approach, using a mixture of materials to define key areas. In addition, the creative use of hardwoods throughout the design brings warmth into the space, thanks to their application not only as flooring but also in the walls, seating and rooms’.
AHEC’s involvement as the Gold Sponsor of the CID Awards is part of its extensive outreach campaign championing the usage of American hardwoods and reflects its commitment to educate specifiers and to increase awareness of the potential applications offered by American hardwoods. This year, the ‘Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East’ category once again attracted nominations from leading design practices across the region. The shortlisted nominees this year included ‘Dolphin Energy offices’ by Perkins + Will; the ‘Pavilion Cafe’ by Bishop Design; ‘Mint Leaf of London’ by AMBB Interiors; ‘SKA Energy Office’ by TOPOS Design Studio; and the ‘Sofitel The Palm Dubai’ by MPD Interiors. “Over the years we have witnessed many developments in Middle East design styles and we are delighted to see the emergence of innovative and cutting edge design in the region, embracing the use of natural materials and textures. The quality of this year’s CID Awards nominations underlined this perfectly. Wood is very much of the moment globally and it is encouraging to see so many projects in the Middle East incorporating American hardwoods in their design and in so many different functions and finishes,” concluded Roderick Wiles.
The CID Awards is an annual event that pays tribute to the projects, interior design firms and designers that have made their mark in the region’s interior design industry. This year’s edition featured 15 award categories that covered the whole spectrum of commercial interiors, from hospitality and retail, to public sector and institutional. The panel of judges this year included: Dean Skira, Founder of Skira lighting; Barbara Bochnak, Lead Architect, Zaha Hadid Architects; Michelle Evans, Creative Director, AyKa Design; Peter Aylett, Technical Director, Archimedia; Bruce Paget, Interior Design Lecturer, Heriot-Watt University Dubai; Alan McCready, Managing Director Middle East, ISG; Laura Bielecki, Senior Interior Designer, Godwin Austen Johnson and founder of Luxury Interior Design blog; Alfred Johnson, Founder and Principal of Alfred Johnson Design; Rachael Brown, Director, Capsule Arts; and Linsey Thomson, Interior Design teaching fellow, Heriot-Watt University Dubai.