An ITP Business Publication b i ion February F ry Vol. V. 12 Issue 2 Kitchen & Bathroom A NEW TAKE ON NATURAL MATERIALS Industry talks MOVING TO d3 MEET EMERGING INTERIOR DESIGNERS
INTERVIEW 1 22 FEBRUARY 2016 Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com
INTERVIEW CID TALKS TO SIX EMERGING DESIGNERS IN THE GCC INTERIOR INDUSTRY CID Young Interior Designer of the Year, Sonal Kotecha of Pallavi Dean Interiors, helped us host a group discussion with her fellow designers. We talked about the challenges they face in their professional lives, aged to get where they are today. www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design FEBRUARY 2016 23
INTERVIEW JUANA HADDAD STICKMAN TRIBE T he intense interior design curriculum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York prepared Juana Haddad well for her career as an interior designer, but she believes that academic projects fail to ef ciently prepare new graduates for the tedious task of collaborating with contractors. Additionally, the school's location in one of the premier cities for design played a huge role in preparing her for the workplace. This allowed me to study under distinguished professors, attend talks from major interior designers and leading architects in the eld, and granted me access to world-class art museums and exhibits. Her rst job was at a bouti ue interior design rm based in rooklyn called bstudio Architectural Design. The founder was a part-time professor at my university. After taking a few classes with her, I started an internship position at bstudio which naturally evolved into my rst full-time designer role, which I began upon graduation. After joining Stickman Tribe, the rst major project Haddad tackled was Path ar School in Dubai, a speakeasy-styled training space dedicated to teaching guests the essentials of bartending. One of the challenges I faced on this fast-paced project was the low budget that was identi ed in the later stages of the programme, which resulted in major value engineering. In turn, main design elements were cut from the space. In order to keep the concept alive, I engaged in a lot of on-site sketching. One of the major ways my team supported me through this project was by assigning me a mentor. Having such a collaborative and supportive environment as the one at Stickman Tribe shows just how essential it is to complete any project harmoniously. Today s design world, Haddad sees becoming more multicultural and global than ever. With the use of social media and the increased exposure to international designs, I have rarely experienced the need to limit designs to one market unless the project brief speci cally calls for it. I have been working on Zaya Nurai island resort in Abu Dhabi which has a varied target market. We were really able to play with the design of the food and beverage venues and beach villas. Alternatively, I have been working on the venues and public spaces of an exciting new hotel brand in eijing with the target market the Millennials. Haddad believes that the concept of making spaces more personal and intimate by using warmer raw materials that provoke the feeling of a home away from home will be developed further as well as the idea of collaboration and interaction in business and public spaces. An important evolution that I think will shape design in the very near future is environmental awareness. This concept has been encouraged globally, though at a slower pace in this region. A method to trump the mentality that sustainability is costly will be recognised. Designers will be able to help clients realise that what may cost more upfront will actually be cheaper in the long run, whether through exploring sustainability through sourcing nishes locally or using environmentally friendly materials. 32 FEBRUARY 2016 Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com
CASE STUDY 1 Inakaya. 2 2,000 original sake bottles hang from the ceiling. 3 space was required considering small overall area. 4 The brand concept originated in Tokyo. The worlds of design and food literally came together at the Inakaya, the latest Japanese Robatayaki restaurant, located in the Ritz-Carlton, across from the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. With its large theatrical show kitchen with massive robata grills and fresh ingredients on display, Stickman, an international Dubai-based boutique interior design consultancy, has created a contemporary and slick interior that respects the traditional nature of Japanese cuisine. its doors in the heart of Roppongy Tokyo, Japan in 1970. The very successful restaurant then expanded to open a branch in yet another signature location in Manhattan, New York. For a renowned brand, the restaurant design needed to meet high expecta- 2 3 46 FEBRUARY 2016 Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com
CASE STUDY tions and be tailored to showcase the outlet's offerings. The client brief was to create a stand-alone Japanese restaurant in line with the brand concept that originated in Tokyo and New York. The restaurant has a very strong USP given the cuisine and the style of service, and is destined to be an authentic Japanese restaurant and bar with a timeless modern interior. Abu Dhabi National Hotels wanted to bring the well-renowned brand of Inakaya NY and Tokyo, known for its high expectations, to the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Abu Dhabi, explains Marcos Cain, director and co-founder of Stickman. The design features a live show kitchen set behind its iconic long dining counter where guests receive their dish on a long timber paddle handed to them by the chef himself, another lovely Inakaya signature. Cain explains that having an authentic Japanese robata grill in the heart of Abu Dhabi was a strong enough concept to draw people in. All the design had to do was to 4 www.designmena.com Commercial Interior Design FEBRUARY 2016 47
CASE STUDY 5 6 5 Most of the furniture was custom-made. 6 The interior design had to match the way the food is prepared and served. create an atmosphere to match the mouth-watering food served, he adds. The design of the outlet was created with an inviting, interesting yet simple atmosphere to match the delicious options available on the menu. To do so, the overall palette was the black stained oak, pine wood cladding and slate-inspired porcelain Upon entering, the guest is greeted by an up-lit Samurai warrior framed by FAST FACTS: Client: Abu Dhabi National Hotels Interior design: Stickman Interior Contractor: Walk Thru Gen Contracting Kitchen Consultant: Chefs First MEP Consultant: RED Engineering Area: 336m 2 Capacity: 96 seats 48 FEBRUARY 2016 Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com