The Office Exhibition

I think that the UAE office sector is starting to come out of the recession," says Sinead Bridgett, event director of The Office Exhibition taking place from 9 to 11 February, 2010. "The show may have shrunk in size this year, but is definitely busier with better quality brands and products."

Visitor registration for the show is surprisingly greater than last year and the organisers, dmg world media, suggest it is a must-see for anyone involved with office architecture, interiors, fit-out and design or even from a networking perspective. The exhibition area has been segmented into four broad categories for easy browsing - interiors, furniture, consultancy and technology. Bridgett excitedly relayed the star events and new additions for the exhibition, and the one that grabbed our attention was The Future Office, a platform that allows a number of manufacturers to collaborate on what they perceived to be the future of the office space. The welcome reception, which does not include a smiling receptionist but a touch screen provided by Hewlett Packard, leads to interiors kitted out by Ferrari designers Pininfarina. Their Ducati range of furniture is heavily futuristic and design-worthy as well as ergonomically sound. Quantum Glass has installed glass panels that simulate virtual surroundings such as forests and mountains and the entire space is cleverly lit by Three Deluxe, the company responsible for Yas Hotel's incredible lighting.

With such jaw-dropping designs on display, it only made sense to include The Office Awards, yet another new feature introduced this year to give special recognition to high design and exceptional creativity. In an informal chat, Total Office MD Siddharth Peters leaked a few of their show stoppers. These include acoustic wall panelling, cutting-edge flooring design and, the humdinger, wireless electricity. "The idea is to basically charge your equipment, laptop, phone or desk lamp, individually and without wires," he says of this breakthrough product. "We are the sole UAE agents for Teknion, the international company that has teamed up with Powermat, the wireless hub manufacturers. This unique product helps eliminate tangled wiring, decluttering your desk immensely, which works towards a positive working environment."

The buzzwords for this year's show are undoubtedly ergonomics, green awareness and sustainability. Peters is one of the speakers at the show's seminars, and insists that both the sustainable and the ergonomic approaches are inherently holistic. "Ergonomics literally translated means ‘the laws of work'. Looking back about 40 years, we were not so restricted to a computer, desk and chair, and there was constant movement," he says. "We need to go back to that style of working and encourage movement. The Dutch have a law that offices must have height-adjustable tables, allowing employees to stand up and work. Rigidity is what causes the aches and pains."

Peters believes that the modern office should have an ergonomically-friendly layout with collaborative spaces that encourage movement. "Our challenge is to incorporate movement through technology and to accommodate this within hectic work schedules where employees are required to be at their desks for prompt service." Education in implementation of ergonomically-friendly products is just as key, and Total Office take up this task with their clients, insisting that their staff participate in group training. Such advances and technology within the office space would be a white collar worker's living dream. However, is the UAE corporate market educated enough to understand the benefits of ergonomics and take responsibility for their green footprint? "You can't talk the talk and not walk the walk," says Peters.

Total Office are proud of their Abu Dhabi offices ‘going green', and regarding sustainability, Peters emphasises the holistic viewpoint again. "Conserving energy by switching off lights when you leave the room is more important than changing your incandescent bulb to LED lights."

The exhibition this year has taken a more serious turn in cutting edge and responsible design. Bridgett believes the seminars will prove extremely educational, and the show inspirational. "Despite the recession, the Middle East remains an attractive location for companies and so the office sector continues to grow," she says. In its ninth year running, The Office Exhibition is showcased at the Dubai World Trade Centre exhibition halls.