•5th Contemporary Majlis Design Award Jury select the best modern interpretation of the traditional Arabic space
•Awarding ceremonies of The 2013 Middle East Interior Design Competition and The 2013 INDEX & Office Exhibition Product Design Awards take place
•Late night opening till 9pm tomorrow, Wednesday 22nd May
Dubai, May 21st, 2013 - The most talented designers and architects working in the region were recognized yesterday at the Dubai World Trade Centre where INDEX 2013 and the Office Exhibition, the MENA's leading trade exhibitions for the residential and commercial interior design sector, are taking place. After the inauguration of INDEX by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and of The Office Exhibition by H.E. Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qatami, the winners of the The IIDA 2013 Middle East Interior Design Competition, The IIDA 2013 INDEX & Office Exhibition Product Design Awards and of the Fifth Contemporary Majlis Design Competition were announced.
The IIDA 2013 INDEX & Office Exhibition Product Design Awards
'In_Motion' by Guialmi, a company with over 40 years of experience in the development of office furniture solutions, was selected by the jury for this award.
"At Guialmi we are very pleased of having been selected for this award that recognizes our work. Even If we have been working with Italian designers and architects for many years now, this product was designed by a young designer from our R&D team. A proof that design culture is now a part of Guialmi DNA. We want to thank ÍNDEX for promoting and supporting this design initiative", said Jorge Almeida, Export Director of Guialmi.
The IIDA 2013 Middle East Interior Design Competition
The Middle East Interior Design Competition rewarded interior designers and architects with a project located in the Middle East which was completed between 2010 and 2012.
'One GE Solution Offices' on Sowwah Square, Abu Dhabi, realized by Ak Design, a Dubai & Abu Dhabi based design practice, was selected by the jury as the best project among all categories.
"We were inspired by the ideology of Ecomagination and wanted to create a great workspace that would translate this into built form, designed to aid staff interaction and productivity. With GE's commitment to green initiatives, the project was strongly driven by environmental considerations. Also the practicalities and complexities of populating a great number of staff, within the given floor plate, whilst retaining an open, light and spacious feel presented unique opportunities", saids Kim Nielsen, Design Director at AK Design.
Other winners were identified for each participating category of the IIDA The Middle East Interior Design Competition including: Women's Museum by Enrico Botta Architecture for the Cultural/Institutional/Educational category; Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice by NBBJ for the Healthcare category; Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa realized by The Gettys Group for the Hotel category; Slider Station by Bishop Design LLC for the Restaurants; Bin Sina Pharmacies by Brand Creative for the Retails category; and Ahasees Spa & Club at Grand Hyatt Dubai by HBA for Spas/Fitness/Wellness Centers.
The INDEX & Office Exhibition Product Design Awards honoured manufacturers and designers for their excellence in product design serving the residential and commercial office industries, whereas The Middle East Interior Design Competition rewarded interior designers and architects with a project located in the Middle East which was completed between 2010 and 2012. The two competitions, created by International Interior Design Association (IIDA) with the support of dmg events, were ideated to celebrate excellence in product design and interior design in the Middle East
The 5th Contemporary Majlis Design Competition
The winner of the fifth Contemporary Majlis Design Competition, that tasks the region's design talents with creating a modern and innovative concept for the traditional Arabic meeting and social space, was also announced yesterday; the team of LOCI achitecture+design took the Jury's Award, beating three other projects displayed at the show with its 'Flow' design concept.
Commenting on the design Hani Fallaha, partner of LOCI architecture+design with Hamad Khoory, said: "Inspired by footsteps left in the sand, the Flow Majlis concept came about by the idea of leaving behind your memory for someone else to discover. With sand giving the Majlis its fluid structural integrity one has the ability to sit down and shape his/ her own seat to what suits them best. Derived from the Bedouin ideology, Flow allows people to sit low to the ground, which reflects humbleness, a strong connection to the land and the absence of a social hierarchy".
The four final designs for the Contemporary Majlis Competition are on display at INDEX in Hall 8 of the Dubai World Trade Centre for the duration of the show. All candidates will have another chance of winning with the second award - the People's Choice Award - given to the design that collects the most votes from INDEX and The Office visitors. All visitors can submit one vote and the most popular project will be announced on the final day of the exhibitions, Thursday 23rd May, at 12noon.
INDEX 2013 and The Office Exhibition will be open exceptionally till 9pm tomorrow Wednesday 22nd May.
Further information on the shows is available at www.indexexhibition.com and at www.theofficeexhibition.com or on the show's Facebook pages www.facebook.com/INDEXDubai .
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About INDEX:
The INDEX International Design Exhibition is the largest event for the architect and design industry in the Middle East. It attracts more than 700 exhibitors from 45 countries, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
For 23 years INDEX has provided a business and networking opportunity for buyers and sellers of residential interiors products and services from around the world to source an astounding array of the very latest design innovations, trends and techniques.
More than just an exhibition, the event provides attendees with unrivalled access to information, intelligence, contacts and hands on experience. Experts from around the world engage in the industry's most topical discussions, finding design solutions, facing challenges and seizing opportunities. The show is the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) providing both exhibitors and visitors with the opportunity to conduct serious business with like-minded professionals.
About The Office Exhibition 2013
The Office Exhibition is the largest commercial interiors fit-out and design exhibition in the Middle East. It is the premium showcase for high-end products and services which combine to create outstanding working environments. Organised by dmg :: events, the show attracts thousands of top tier architectural and interior design firms and end-users from the Middle East and beyond.
The 12th annual edition of The Office Exhibition will include a wider range of products and services to reflect the ever expanding market and different working environments across the general office/commercial, retail, healthcare, and educational design, fit out, and upgrade sectors.
dmg events
An international exhibition and publishing company, dmg events produces market-leading exhibitions and conferences for the global energy, construction, digital marketing, hospitality and interior industries, with events in the Middle East, North America, Europe and Asia.
As a leading supplier of face-to-face business information, with a customer-centric focus that localizes operations and relationships, our objectives are to keep businesses informed and connect them with relevant consumers to create vibrant marketplaces across multiple event platforms and communities.
Founded in 1989, dmg events has operated in the Middle East since 1995 and owns many leading brands such as The Big 5 construction events, ADIPEC the oil & gas exhibition and conference, INDEX the interior design exhibition and the Hotel Show. For more information visit www.dmgeventsme.com
dmg events is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT, www.dmgt.co.uk), one of the largest media companies in the United Kingdom.
© Press Release 2013
