HAKKASAN Dubai, the Michelin starred and premier Chinese restaurant, has won the ‘Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East’ award at the Commercial Interior Design (CID) Awards 2012, which took place recently in Dubai, UAE.

The ‘Highly Commended’ spot this year went to Dewan Architects for the Al Bateen School project.

The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, has supported the CID Awards for the second time with the introduction of this new category as part of its extensive outreach campaign championing the usage of American hardwoods in leading design projects. AHEC’s involvement as the Gold sponsor is also reflective of its commitment to educate specifiers and to increase awareness of the potential applications offered by American hardwoods.

Woods Bagot’s senior associate – urban design practice leader Steven Velegrinis, and architect Banah Mustafa received the award from Roderick Wiles, AHEC director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania.

Woods Bagot, a global design studio specialising in the design and planning of facilities, served as the executive architect for the Hakkasan Dubai project, following its involvement in the execution of Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, which was also nominated for the same award at the CID Awards last year.

The team that worked on the Hakkasan Dubai project included Bruno Veninga, Velegrinis, Patrick Soriano, Leonardo Quevada and Mustafa.

Velegrinis, Wiles and Mustafa at the awards ceremony.

According to the judges, Hakkasan Dubai won the award for its unique form and structure that used timber beyond a 2D cladding scenario, while also highlighting the beauty of American red oak.

“We are very honoured to have been recognised for our work on Hakkasan Dubai, which is an evolution of the Abu Dhabi project, and includes large amounts of sustainable American red oak,” says Velegrinis. “With both traditional Chinese and Arabic design sharing certain elements such as screens and latticework (mashrabiya), the design of Hakkasan Dubai has evolved as a modern international interpretation of eastern Chinese design. New to the Dubai restaurant is an outdoor terrace, which seats an additional 88 people and steals the spotlight with its cascading wooden pavilions that have been made out of American red oak, surrounded by a wall of lush green vegetation.

“Hakkasan Dubai is a worthy winner of this year’s award incorporating the trademark Hakkasan elements – a dining area, lounge and blue-lit bar section – but also featuring the significant use of American red oak, which provided a warm complement to the luxurious interior of the restaurant,” says Wiles.

The award category garnered a total of seven nominations this year, included the Bab Al Bahr Spa and Metdist Offices by Bishop Design; the Al Bateen School; ‘Cezanne’, ‘Opium’ and ‘Salmonti Riva’ by H Deco Qatar; and the winning Hakkasan Dubai. These included projects based in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ajman in addition to Lebanon.

The projects submitted incorporated a variety of American hardwoods including walnut, hard maple, and red oak – a testament to the fact that American hardwoods are well-established as a performance material for interior projects and furniture due to the wide range of species, their performance, aesthetic appeal and excellent environmental credentials.
The CID Awards is an annual event that pays tribute to the projects, interior design firms and designers that have made their mark in the region’s interior design industry. This year’s edition featured 15 award categories that covered the whole spectrum of commercial interiors, from hospitality and retail, to public sector and institutional.

“Through our partnership with the CID Awards, we are looking towards further strengthening our ties with the region’s top architectural and design firms in line with our mission to raise awareness about American hardwoods within the specifying community across the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region. These awards continue to provide a unique and exciting opportunity to see some of the very best projects in the region and we are confident that American hardwoods will maintain its position as a preferred material for architects and designers in the region,” Wiles concludes.