ETISALAT - CORPORATE LOBBY AUH

Client – Etisalat Corporate AUH Lobby

Client briefing:

Reevaluation of the existing public space in the Abu Dhabi HQ lobby area.

Design briefing:

Open brief. The MD of Etisalat Abu Dhabi recognized our prior commissions and requested the redesign of the Etisalat HQ building in Abu Dhabi. The brand guidelines had to follow along with the requirements of space and its interaction with the consumer.

Designer’s rationale:

Etisalat’s equilibrium within the existing economic climate being deeply rooted within the region and structurally sound was our main visual aim. The environment was designed to communicate steadfast evolution within turbulent times through visual clarity of the brand, consumer product development as well as employee morale boosting initiatives. With a beautiful circular landscape to work with, we crafted the ceiling with inspiration from a photograph of a load of cables sticking out of a pipe in Covent Garden, London. We aimed to create motion in the ceiling with multiple circular 3D moulded bulkheads that were complimented with the hand moulded spiraling column detail.
Working with 1.5 metre Thasos flooring we aligned the Verde marble inlays in locations that highlighted vantage points with the lobby leading to the elevators and the PCPM’s. The reception, brochure displays, the freestanding displays, the floor directory, the LCD screen display, the columns as well as the consumer interaction section are uniformly finished in multi-buffed hand moulded GRP & GRC acrylic paint.

Original Design:

Using our trademarked biomorphic fluidity, we strive to create original elements everytime. Within the Etisalat HQ lobby it was the ceiling, the future wall, the consumer interaction units, the LCD encasing, the brochure displays as well as the hand moulded GRP columns.

Original Features:

• The columns: We hate columns!!! Hence our objective in most of projects where the budget allowance exists, we strive to present each structural detail in our version of artistic elementary existence. Alfred’s visions as we see them create subtle contours within every hand moulded detail so as to project the brand in the light that it deserves to be.
• The future wall: the existing wall was clad with neo-paries while we custom moulded mdf and sprayed it with super high gloss polyurethane. The result was an aisle blending wall that enhanced the use of the cove lighting within the ceiling.
• The brochure displays – As seen, it projects intricate detail that eventually reaches out to Etisalat’s consumer through their corporate marketing language. Conceptualized from the thought process of technology and its ever amazing evolution, we aimed at crafting art whilst communicating to the desired clientele.
• The LCD casing: Developed from Alfred’s love affair with biomorphic design, the it is structurally supported by 300mm ms base with triangled elementary ms structures, reinforced with concrete.

Being an interior designer and with a passion for unusual luxury, I founded Alfred Johnson as a brand to enable us to provide our astute clientele with more than just a space to live in and work in.

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