DESIGN FOCUS KITCHENS

The kitchen is slowly beginning to take its rightful place at the heart of the home. This month’s Design Focus explores the trends, products and materials that are propelling kitchen design to the forefront, while showcasing projects that highlight its position within the home.

Blurred lines

Styled Habitat has completed the renovation of its design studio in Dubai Design District that exemplifies the co-existing notions of work and home

Central Post Office by Rifat Chadirji

ID Classics celebrates buildings, personalities and objects that have left their mark on the fields of design and architecture. This month we pay tribute to prominent modern Iraqi architect, Rifat Chadirji, who passed away aged 93, this April during the COVID-19 pandemic

ARCHITECTURE AS RESISTANCE

identity speaks to Lebanon’s legendary architect, Bernard Khoury, about how a home can be translated from a physical space to the wider city while remaining representative of a political struggle

Two of a kind

Over the past few years, British-born designers Hasan and Husain Roomi of H2R Design have been creating dynamic, innovative hotels and commercial spaces, while scooping up prestigious design awards along the way.

You're the top

The renovation of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel New York, one of the world’s most iconic hotels, is being managed by a team comprising highly revered architects, designers and engineers, to ensure that the magical Art Deco masterpiece is restored to palatial perfection.

Small and perfectly formed

This historic apartment in the Porta Venezia area of Milan has been reconfigured by architectural practice Studio Wok to create a pared-back space with plenty of style.

Mirror image

Designed by Giò Forma and Black Engineering, the 500-seat Maraya Concert Hall in Saudi Arabia has been named the world’s largest mirror-clad building by Guinness World Records.

Luxurious simplicity

Dubai-based, Italian-born Marianna Piccolo fuses cultures with luxurious simplicity in an unmistakably Parisian apartment.

Doorway to discovery

Crowdsourced research, high-tech materials, traditional Emirati handicrafts, and Arabic calligraphy have combined to form Expo 2020 Dubai’s spectacular Public Realm, designed by British architect Asif Khan, MBE.

Clock Tower

A collaboration between two pioneering architects over fifty years ago led to the birth of Dubai’s iconic Clock Tower roundabout.

Blank canvas

Ministry of Design unveils striking all-white concept for traditional Singaporean shophouse which treads the line between the past and the present.

The light brigade

Smart, portable, lightweight, versatile, sustainable and fascinatingly beautiful, the boundaries between light and object are constantly blurring.

The geometry set

Lebanese designer Nada Debs has collaborated on a new Ramadan collection for Ikea that incorporates her contemporary arabesque style...

Vive la France!

‘Long live French design’ was very much the message sent and received during the 25th-anniversary edition of Maison et Objet, held in Paris in January.

Design in motion

The spectacular shiny metal and glass façade of the Expo 2020 Mobility Pavilion is on track for its October debut. The fantastic, futuristic structure is being billed as one of the highlights of the upcoming Expo 2020 and is the work of British architect Gerard Evenden, Senior Executive Partner, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners.

Pyramid cabinet

Some radical designs inspire copies and imitations, while others – such as this month’s Icon – seem so shocking as to be inimitable, ensuring they remain unique.

Blue sky thinking

Italian architect Mario Mazzer tells identity about his award-winning project, Villa Emma - the perfect marriage of location and innovation.

Third time is a charm

The third iteration of Residents at Art Dubai shines a special spotlight on the African continent and some of its emerging artists. identity talks to Residents curator Kabelo Malatsie.

Art of the matter

Taking place from 25 to 28 March at Madinat Jumeirah, the 14th edition of Art Dubai features galleries from 38 countries across four gallery sections, reflecting the multicultural identity of the city.

Integrating with nature

A new building at the Georgia Institute of Technology aims to generate more power than it uses, micro-mobility company Helbiz is to begin operating a eet of 00 electric dockless bicycles in Rome, and Colgate-Palmolive has designed an innovative recyclable toothpaste tube.

Gazing into the future

When Dubai hosts the biennial IFI Congress this month, the focus will be on the future of technology, design and education in the international design world.

Valley Of Lights

Switched on to the world by digitalisation, US lighting giant Hudson Valley Lighting Group is enjoying new opportunities in the Middle East, Europe and beyond…

Designs for life

To follow this year’s trends, look no further than modern home furniture and accessories brand, aura.

Love is in the air...

As we approach Saint Valentine’s Day, we are tuning into all things red – the colour of love and passion… From ambient scents to tables and chairs, id sets the scene for mid-month romance, and provides inspiration on how to create a love nest…

Art of the matter

An oasis of calm, a haven for culture lovers and one of the nest galleries in the Middle East, The Majlis Gallery is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary. identity meets its owner, Alison Collins – who has done much to promote the art scene in the UAE – to talk about the humble beginnings and future of this quietly impressive institution.

Living in the moment

Functionality and comfort will be the underlying current of living zones in this new decade – underpinning a sense of calm and wellness, manifested in soft colours, minimal decor and relaxed living room designs.

A Dance Of Contrasts

The winner of the Editor’s Choice Award at the identity Design Awards fuses contemporary luxury and timeless elegance within a traditional Dubai home.

Sense and sensibility

The success of Neel Shukla, Founder and Creative Director of IV-Four, is intrinsically linked to that of Dubai. Having worked on residential palaces and top hospitality projects including the Burj Al Arab, Grosvenor House Dubai and W Hotel The Palm, Shukla is synonymous with dramatic lights and installations. He tells identity about his design journey, his recent projects and the rebranding of his company, Four Seasons Ramesh Gallery (FSRG).

The light fantastic

One of the most prolific and poetic lighting designers in the world, Michael Anastassiades is returning to Paris’ Maison & Objet, where he launched his eponymous brand in 2007, as its Designer of the Year.