The UAE commercial interiors market is estimated at nearly half a million dollars in 2014 or a quarter of the $1.8 billion (about Dh6.6 billion) GCC market, say the organisers of workspace at Index, the region’s biggest commercial interiors exhibition, which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from today until May 22.
The event is the only one of its kind for the buoyant commercial interiors industry in this lucrative region. “Coupled with the projected increase in commercial interiors projects in the region, the buzz from Expo 2020 and the increased confidence in the region demonstrated through the surge in international participation in 2014, the UAE is definitely on the upswing,” says Rebecca Lockwood, Event Manager, workspace at Index.
Big markets
Lockwood quotes data from market research firm Ventures that shows Saudi Arabia is the region’s biggest market, estimated at $898 million in 2014, with the UAE in second place at $454 million. Qatar ($300 milllion) and Kuwait ($136 million) are the other markets of note.
Formerly called the Office Exhibition, workspace at Index will see participation from Poland, France and Ukraine for the first time this year. Over 110 exhibitors from 20 countries are showcasing products and services covering three different areas: commercial interiors, educational interiors, and health-care interiors.
Presenting the latest global trends, about 85 per cent of exhibiting companies are from outside the GCC. “The largest growth for 2014 is our international participation, with over 450 per cent growth year-on-year from Turkish clients, and 25 per cent North American,” says Lockwood. Bookings indicate that the show will be at least 9 per cent larger than the previous edition.
“Our vision is to lead in office furniture and design with exclusive partnerships with world renowned brands. At workspace at Index 2014 we will showcase modern office design and furniture concepts from the brands that we represent, including Indiana, the American brand that we recently added to our portfolio,” says Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Bin Suleiman Al Mukairi, Chairman of the Saudi Arabian office furniture supplier Al Maktaba.
Recognised as the largest regional trade fair of the sector, workspace at Index attracts architects, interior designers and project managers, buyers and specifiers of commercial interiors fit-out projects. Visitors could look forward to a fully comprehensive Design Talks programme and seminar sessions supported by two of the most influential associations in commercial interiors, the European Association for Office Furniture Manufacturers and Middle East Council for Offices.
Change for the best
Design Talks covers a wide spectrum of topics related to the interior design and architecture industry, with international trendsetters headlining the four-day programme, which covers trends for luxury interiors, how fashion influences design and the importance
of illumination.
The 13-year-old Office Exhibition was rebranded last year in an attempt to keep pace with the evolving workplace. The show is now back under the umbrella of Index, considered the region’s top interior design exhibition. Index and workspace at Index are organised by dmg events.
Flexibility to define $450m UAE workspace market
With Expo 2020, the rise in projects and an increase in exhibitors at workspace at Index, the commercial interiors industry is on an upswing