Posted by Gilbert on Aug 18, 2008 in
Materials,
Office Furniture,
Space Planning 
Burj Al Arab - World's Only 7 Star Hotel
The current generation of fabrics has a huge range of useful uses and properties, with the focus now on more than mere issues of aesthetics or touch.
Functionality is the current king: water repellant, anti-bacterial properties; fabrics that enhance the quality of the air; there are all properties that are of tangible value to the retailer and the consumer alike.
Take the Burj Al Arab that creatively used fabric in exterior material for an entire facade of the building.
Here is an article from Wikipedia:
“The space between the wings is enclosed by a Teflon-coated fibreglass sail, curving across the front of the building and creating an atrium inside. The sail is made of a material called Dyneon, spanning over 161,000 square feet (15,000 m²), consists of two layers, and is divided into twelve panels and installed vertically. The fabric is coated with DuPont Teflon to protect it from harsh desert heat, wind, and dirt; as a result, “the fabricators estimate that it will hold up for up to 50 years. The whole design in itself was originally put forward to the design committee by Edah Yllib, a Scandinavian designer. It took great mathematical thinking by this designer, but in the end proved very successful.”
“During the day, the white fabric allows a soft, milky light inside the hotel, whereas a clear glass front would produce blinding amounts of glare and a constantly increasing temperature. At night, both inside and outside, the fabric is lit by color-changing lights.
How about you, have you used fabric in a creative way in your office or interior projects?
Posted by Rhea on Aug 14, 2008 in
UAE Market As an active participant in the UAE Property Market, we have always heard the stories from our clients about their difficulties in getting an office space. They have waited for more than a month to get confirmations on a tiny office in Sheikh Zayed Road, Media City, Internet City, or various freezones here in the UAE.
The demand is just high enough and entrepreneurs are willing to wait for months for a confirmation in their office space. Free zone clusters continue to attract blue-chip tenants wishing to base their regional expansion in Dubai.
Average Rent for Office in Dubai: (as of Aug 2008)
Class A office space is Dh3,230 per sq m
Class B office space is Dh1,876 per sq m
Average Selling Price for Office Space in Dubai: (as of Aug 2008)
Class A office space is Dh23,680 per sq m
Class B office space is Dh15,080 per sq m
Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE, is also not far behind with property prices catching and even exceeding now.
Posted by Michelle on Aug 13, 2008 in
Office Furniture 
A MODERN AND CLEAN DESK THAT COMBINES STYLE AND FUNCTION!
With the fast pace development here in Dubai, our desks are not spared from ‘burj dubai‘ like height of paperwork. Having a clutter free desk involves discipline and the right choice of furniture that support your work habits.
Jimmy Office Desk is made of sustainable bamboo with 5 file separators to leave your desk clutter free. It also sports simplistic design with hidden compartments that when opened reveals more storage. The design is ideal for home offices and modern designed workplaces.
Specs: 71d x 150w x 74h (cm).
Available in the US at 17,800 AED.
Tags: Office Furniture
Posted by Gilbert on Aug 12, 2008 in
Events in Bafco Office Hours is a weblog featuring workplace design, furniture, materials, and culture.
Isn’t it a fact that you spend most part of each day in your office? This makes it true that work spaces should be a place where you actually enjoy spending time. And your work area should support you to get your job done, right? It should allow you to be creative or concentrate whenever needed.
So through Office Hours, we wanted to look at what makes a good workplace, perhaps on the news, online, places that we have seen and maybe even our very own respective offices. We’ll try to piece out the creative ideas behind desks, chairs, walls, floors, technology and anything that you can lay your eyes in the office.
We’ll find ways on how to spend our Office Hours a little bit better every day.
CONTRIBUTORS:
Gilbert Griño, from Dubai, UAE, a landscape architect and enthusiast of modern workplaces, furniture, and design.
Michelle Santos, a Dubai expat who is currently residing in Bur Dubai, and graphic designer by heart and a full time cubicle warrior.
Rhea Aviles, another Dubai expat who understands and enjoys good conversation.
All three of us work in Bafco, a company known for its executive line of furniture and office interiors division in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE. We are not here trying to sell anything, we are here to learn from you and to listen to the workplace challenges that you are facing.
All photographs, product names, quotes and otherwise are copyrighted and/or trademarked by their respective owners.
© 2008 – 2009 Office Hours
