Now into its fourth decade, MENA’s flagship interior design and furniture exhibition is providing the perfect platform for the industry to gather and discover new innovations
Dubai: INDEX, the Middle East and North Africa’s flagship interior design and furniture exhibition, was officially inaugurated yesterday by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and Chairman of Dubai Airports, and runs until May 29 across twelve DWTC halls, including Trade Centre Arena.
INDEX is co-located alongside The Hotel Show, WORKSPACE, and HITEC, with organizers dmg events expecting 35,000 visitors and over 900 exhibitors from 48 countries, showcasing some of the latest products, designs and solutions to the industry. Now into its fourth decade in the Emirates, INDEX got underway with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations as well as the Geberit-sponsored Design Talks Stage – a cosy arena designed by 4SPACE – providing the perfect platform for the industry to gather and discuss its key issues.
During an early panel discussion entitled Inspired Spaces: Merging Architectural Vision with Design Details, Ms Nadia Shafiq, Design Director at OMNIYAT, spoke of the significance of involving all stakeholders from the start, as well as the role of budget consciousness and the impact of value engineering. Referring to design teams as the internal policemen of budgeting, she highlighted the willingness to be open to negotiation and compromise.
“Quantity surveyors – whether it’s under the architect or development – are looking at a column with just numbers – they don’t see the design value,” said Shafiq, who helped shape more than 30 major hospitality projects with Emaar prior to joining OMNIYAT.
Balancing Heritage with Interpretation
An aspect many creatives would consider non-negotiable is staying true to one’s identity, be that the client’s identity, the developer’s identity, or the identity of the surrounding area. During a fascinating panel celebrating regional highlights in design, Sumaya Dabbagh, owner of Dabbagh Architects, and Fabio Grilli, Head of Design and Development at Emaar Properties, emphasized authenticity and cultural context when it comes to balancing true heritage with interpretation.
“The word ‘heritage’ comes from the Latin ‘inherit’ – interestingly, the Arabic word also comes from a similar root – and it’s what we’ve inherited, whether that is physical or tangible. So it’s about how do we tell that story but in a new way; respecting what was there, but telling it in a way that is relevant to our time, to the materials we have and the technology we have access to? That, for me, is the real question: How to create that continuity in an authentic way while allowing the story to evolve to something relevant?”
One way, Grilli said, is using local materials, citing Saudi Arabian and Omani stone, locally produced glass, and granite from around the region. In doing so, immediately there is a stronger connection with the project than were the materials to be imported. “It’s obviously very challenging to think we can supply 12,000 units a year with local materials; sorry, but that’s almost impossible,” Grilli said. “But there are certain elements of the design, especially in the interior, that can be locally sourced.”
Rabah Saeid, Founder at Styled Habitat, added: “The younger generation of Emiratis in my experience, in the studio, are very open to understanding, which I think is the first step to all of it. When you present a material and you tell the story, there’s a real curiosity there. It can even be materials that represent, or even kind of hint at, certain natural materials found in the region.”
Homegrown UAE Design
The panel also touched on the potential for regional design to influence global trends, a theme that continued into the afternoon when Paul Bishop took to the stage. Bishop moved to the Emirates 29 years ago and founded Bishop Design eight years later. He has since transformed it into a globally recognized award-winning brand with studios in Dubai and Miami.
Widely regarded as a homegrown UAE firm enjoying success internationally, Bishop Design’s most celebrated work lies in the hospitality sector, with projects such as Massimo Bottura’s Michelin-starred Torno Subito on Palm Jumeirah garnering much plaudits. He discussed how the design came to be.
Perfect Stage for A Product Launch
As well as panel discussions and keynote speeches, exhibitors are also launching products this week. André Rathammer, Managing Director of WONDA, an Austrian company specializing in innovative, barrier-free washbasin systems that feature hidden water and wastewater connections for a seamless, design-led bathroom experience, said it made perfect sense to launch his latest product in Dubai given the emirate “has always been a place that embraces innovation.” He added: “INDEX is the perfect stage for us to showcase what WONDA is all about and Dubai is exactly the kind of forward-thinking market where we see WONDA making a strong impact.”
Ahmed Al-Rumaili, Product Line Manager at Geberit, a European leader in sanitary products that marked its 150th anniversary in 2024 likewise spoke highly of the event on opening day. “INDEX Dubai has really grown over the years – not just in scale, but in the diversity of people it attracts,” he said. “It’s not only a space for professionals anymore, but also for individuals who genuinely care about design and comfort in everyday living.”
