The only design brief given to Chris was to do what he wanted, but give me ‘wow' - and that's what he did, says Shahriyar Khodjasteh, group marketing director of Al Aqili Furnishings.
And so begins the story of Neocasa's launch project, The Loft. Neocasa is Al Aqili's latest division, one that is less commercial and much more inspirational than some. Shahriyar had the philanthropic notion of creating a platform for locally established designers and thus promoting the local design scene. He also happened to own a loft space in the Jumeirah Beach Residences. When he learnt of old friend and designer Chris Barnes' inclination towards developing loft designs, he asked him to create an ‘out and out' interior design marvel for this loft, which would then stand as the design launch pad for many inspirational ventures. Cue, the first project, The Loft...
As you enter this sizeable top floor space, industrial chic greets you in contemporary hues of red, white, black, warm woods and metal. Lacquered surfaces highlight a contemporary canvas and the decor remains mostly linear - very ‘super slick bachelor pad'. High ceilings are accentuated through full-length glass windows that take up two sides of the apartment dowsing the space in natural light. At night, however, the mood is very different. The lights are dimmed and the city glimmers through as far as the eye can see. Within these high design confines reside the crème de la crème of brands. Poggenpohl, Technogym, i4 Mariani, Loewe and Sub-Zero jostle for space with design heavyweights from Al Aqili's own brand portfolio.
Neocasa is far from a commercial entity. "The Loft project was born of two ideas from two completely different inspirations that came together right in the middle," says Chris.
"It is a very fluid form and I was fortunate enough to be the design guardian for its first project. With Neocasa, Shahriyar has created a platform for people like myself and my peers to generate something creative."
Shahriyar's inclination towards design and interiors is to be expected since his entire immediate family is involved with some aspect of the interior furnishings business. Dynamic, entrepreneurial (and endearingly cheeky), Shahriyar is a world citizen, having lived in many places. He moved to Dubai 13 years ago to help his father build Al Aqili's flooring division. His father is managing director and started the flooring business 35 years ago. "And it was his vision that took us from flooring to office furniture to lighting and more," he says, proudly adding that his mother too is a prolific artist, and her work has been exhibited in the Ludwig Museum in Germany. "I am honoured that she did a piece, especially for The Loft," he says. Her artwork takes pride of place next to the entrance and dominates the large wall, which is saying something given the extra loft-style height of the ceilings.
Long-standing Dubai resident Chris has his own tale to tell. "I came here from the UK in 1997 on a casual holiday to visit a friend," he says. "I fell in love with Dubai and moved here six months later. In 1999 I started my own company called Broadway Interiors." His company deals mostly with commercial interiors but he admits to indulging the odd residential requests from clients. Big names in their design portfolio include the Jumeirah Beach Residence Sales Centres and the development of DIFC. The company is now branching into an exteriors division.
Chris' favourite decor element in The Loft is the "contemporary spin on bamboo", which you can't see properly until nighttime. "When all the lights are off and the television is on, you see the LED lights shining through the (metal) bamboo," he says.
"My second favourite element is the white mashrabiya wall with the concealed door that leads to the closet and bathroom upstairs. The details on that were challenging to execute as the paint has a tendency to collect and smooth the edges, making the details disappear."
Shahriyar nods in agreement as the mashrabiya wall is also one of his favourites. "Not only is that feature wall beautiful, it is also a symbol of Arabian heritage, including mine (Iranian)." Among other favourite design elements is the open space and the different levels that have been created within, particularly the viewing gallery. "I also love the lighting and technology!" he says. The entire apartment - kitchen, lights, audio visual, gym, blinds and more - can be controlled with an iTouch. The technology implementation here can wow the socks off any visitor. So has Neocasa's first project spawned a loft craze in Dubai? "I think it actually has," says Shahriyar. Chris says it will inspire developers. "Some developers have been offering loft spaces. This way they can see the finished result and what can be achieved if they provide the right fabric in the first place."
Chris admits that loft living in Dubai would never be the same as in Paris, New York, London or Sydney, simply based on different evolution and heritage. "The challenge for a developer is to create a loft living concept in a modern way. We're just trying to open the thought process both to developers and individuals here and show them that you can still create a loft space without the history, even if it's artificially made as they have here. I feel very comfortable that this loft could sit in New York or London or anywhere.
Monthly open nights at The Loft see designers, artists and fans of the creative world, sharing thoughts, ideas and inspirations. The exercise behind Neocasa was to create a platform for design, and showcase design forward brands and talent. It is a canvas to make a picture. And the next venture could be entirely different, completely off-the-wall and in a completely different direction.
"Neocasa could be a public space, it could be a yacht, it could be a floating palace, it could even be an object," says Shahriyar. "That's the spirit of Neocasa. It is a fluid form."
Neocasa is meant to inspire, and hence educate. The concept is noble. Shahriyar believes that once it gains popularity among the masses, it will help cultivate a design culture that will gain its own momentum. People will eventually open their own homes and offices for others to come in, admire, take inspiration from and learn. Design philanthropy indeed.
