Project name: Energy of the Elements: The New Office of an International Corporation in the UAE by T+T Architects
Architects: Sergey Trukhanov, Anastasia Abasheva, Polina Voevodina, Olga Rubleva, Anna Chernyshuk
Architect in Charge: Polina Voevodina
Location: Dubai, UAE
Photo: Sergei Nekrasov
Area: 6200 square meters
Year: 2024
Project description from design firms T+T Architects
Energy of the Elements: The New Office of an International Corporation in the UAE by T+T Architects.
The construction of the international office for a large international company in Dubai has been completed, based on the project by the Moscow bureau T+T Architects. The corporation’s office, covering over 6.2 thousand square meters, occupies two floors in one of the major business complexes in the megapolis.
The company, specializing in industrial technologies, innovations, and manufacturing, tasked T+T Architects with creating a business space that meets modern challenges. The key metaphor of the concept is the work with energy in all its manifestations: from the power of nature to the infrastructure and power sources that support production processes. At the core of this energy flow is the human, uniting and directing energy for the benefit of people.
Space Structure
The office is located on two floors of a modern business center in the largest city of the UAE. On one floor, the company occupies 2.47 thousand square meters, and on the other – 3.79 thousand square meters. At the heart of the space is a central core accessible to all employees. On the main floor, the architects placed the main reception and an adjacent multifunctional space. This is a key zone with wide possibilities for transformation depending on the chosen usage scenario.
Its main element is the “Golden Petal,” a massive six-meter pivoting partition finished with natural metal of a golden hue. It integrates a digital screen displaying corporate content, and depending on its position, the space can be used as a meeting room, conference hall, media center, demo zone, or venue for informal events. Pivoting partitions, glass transformers, and other flexible solutions complement this zone, allowing for easy transitions between scenarios. The “Petal” is a highly complex engineering object, installed using a unique pivot hinge, ceiling and floor rails, and concealed rolling mechanisms. Despite the impressive mass of the structure, it can be easily moved by just one person.
Around the central block are distributed the offices of executives and top management, open-space areas, and meeting rooms of various formats. A variety of workspaces support a hybrid system of business processes, providing optimal working conditions for each department.
Both floors are equipped with all the necessary service infrastructure, including printing stations, locker areas, phone rooms, coffee points, and a cafeteria. Overall, the configuration of the office ensures a balanced distribution of scenarios, so that each part of the office has a full set of options for work, communication, and auxiliary functions.
Since a large number of employees are moving into the office, it was necessary to create an extremely efficient layout. There are not many separate informal zones or relaxation areas. Instead, coffee points have become the centers of communication and informal interaction. All functional blocks on each of the two floors are equipped with them. To create the desired atmosphere and contrast, they have been turned into focal points of design, visual accents, and solutions. Moreover, they are multifunctional, allowing for small meetings and content presentations in addition to their primary purpose.
Design Code
The design code of the office is based on industrial themes, expressed by the architects through various textures and color schemes. The background palette is monochrome, in light gray and off-white tones. The accent colors chosen are bright terracotta and graphite.
Several characteristic images inspired the interior design. The first pattern uses shades that reference the texture of compressed earth walls. Wall panels create a multi-layered visual effect, where the industrial theme, layering, and intertwining of work processes are evident. This solution conveys a metaphor of stability and the smooth flow of time, while also serving as a memorable visual accent.
The second color and texture pattern symbolizes the gold, culture, and nature of the Middle East. There are many ways to incorporate this color into the interior, and in this project, the architects chose a brass shade as the most noble and refined. Accents are placed subtly and discreetly, creating stylish touches of gold without excess.
The third reference in the design code reflects industrial processes. This idea is translated in the finishes through rough details, mineral shades, and grainy textures, emphasizing the raw nature of resource extraction/processing and production processes.
Given the overall industrial theme, great attention has been paid to the greenery in the office, with numerous plant compositions scattered throughout. From an aesthetic point of view, the region is known for its love of flowers, gardens, and lush green plants, which is evident in the interior. They not only create a comfortable visual contrast, making the environment cozier but also have a positive ecological impact. A small yet elegant visual reference from the Russian authors of the project is the stylized metal pipes in the office’s central core. Painted white, they vary in diameter and are arranged in a random pattern, creating a stylized image of a birch grove.
Careful attention in the project was given to the placement of engineering systems and creating an optimal microclimate. Dehumidifiers, advanced temperature control systems, and air purification units are installed throughout. For a business space located in Dubai, maintaining these parameters correctly is essential. The process of placing numerous devices and aesthetically routing communications in the ceiling space required significant effort and detail work.
Since the concept initially included the mobility of departments within the office, the design of all blocks follows a unified code, making it universal. Any part of the space can be used by different departments with their internal branding. To effectively implement this idea, a special navigation system was developed, allowing any sub-brand logo to fit seamlessly into different zones.
The approach to working with the office interiors reflects the global nature of the client’s business, the multifaceted nature of corporate processes, production chains, and the vast number of people working towards a common goal. This concept is revealed through the variety of textures, shades, and design variations, but at the same time, the overarching idea of uniting the energy of nature and human labor is evident throughout.
Polina Voevodina, Chief Architect at T+T Architects:
“For us, working on such a large-scale, technically complex, and multitasking project was a real challenge. A huge advantage was the opportunity to actively participate in the implementation, oversee the project, and fly to Dubai for several days every two weeks to monitor the construction process. We were able to deeply immerse ourselves in the local specifics of the work, where many things differ significantly from the usual processes in Russia. For example, contractors provided samples and mockups for every tiny detail, including invisible profiles and hardware. After approving a sample, making any changes was extremely difficult. We are very pleased with the result, as the final product turned out to be a unique office, and we also made many interesting contacts in the local fit-out and interior design industry. None of this would have been possible without the coordinated work of the team, the genuine dedication of every employee, and the full support of the client.”
