The newly completed Middle East headquarters for Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda in Dubai, UAE, has much to boast about apart from a prestigious location, having been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification from the USGBC.

The stunning new 2,075-sq-m office located in the One Central development in the Central Business District of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) was delivered last month by Summertown Interiors, the UAE’s leading fit-out contractor specialising in green interiors.

The result of a ‘design and build’ project, the contemporary office blends traditional Japanese design philosophy with modern mathematical efficiency that is anchored in its local environment. Dubai-based interior design firm Roar holds credit for the design while the project was managed by CBRE.

Takeda’s office has been awarded LEED silver certification from the USGBC.

Key to the workspace design is a focus on biophilic principles and use of natural materials including wood and raw exposed concrete as well as the subtle inclusion of the corporate philosophy the firm calls “Takeda-ism” based on four values: integrity, fairness, honesty and perseverance.

Among the highlights of the workspace at Takeda are the boardroom which is inspired by a Japanese tea house, and the reception area which is modelled on the ‘genkan’ entrance hallway concept of a traditional Japanese home.

Pallavi Dean, Founder and Creative director of Roar, comments: “We designed a space around three themes: Japanese values, Emirati culture and data-driven design. At one end of the spectrum, it is very artistic and intuitive, drawing on concepts and materials such as pared back minimalism with wood, raw concrete and paper – coupled with Emirati craftsmanship such as khous handweaving. At the other extreme, the space planning used sophisticated mathematical models to find the right mix of private, shared and public spaces.”

One of the main challenges during the construction was to keep the project on track amidst the outbreak of the coronavirus and new government regulations.

Japanese influence ... the boardroom is inspired by a Japanese tea house.

Nicola Trivett, Project Director, Summertown Interiors, explains: “Construction was one of the few industries that could keep running during the Dubai government’s strict sterilisation programme that required everyone to stay home. We were halfway through the Takeda office fit-out when the pandemic broke out – we had to act swiftly to make the necessary changes to our health and safety procedures on site to keep the project progressing in the safest way possible. Despite this challenge, we managed to successfully deliver this project together with the support of the Roar design team.”

Summertown led the LEED certification process for the design-and-build project which achieved a certification level of Silver.

During the construction phase, the project team established environment-friendly strategies for construction waste management, segregating the waste and sending it for recycling/reusing/composting to reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

The key LEED initiatives for this project included achieving 12.3 per cent savings on energy use set by the globally-recognised Ashrae 90.1-2010 baseline; improving air quality through the incorporation of ample fresh air solutions within the premises as per the Ashrae 62.1–2010 requirements, which helps in controlling pollutant sources, removing contaminants, and enhancing occupant health and comfort.

The space planning used sophisticated mathematical models to find the right mix of private, shared and public spaces.

In addition, as the building is located in a well-developed area, Takeda employees enjoy good connections to public transport and services.

Summertown Interiors has been among the UAE’s leading and most sustainable contractors for over two decades, offering superior quality interior fit-out solutions. Reputed for its green expertise and exceptional client service, the company specialises in commercial, healthcare, and education projects for global Fortune 500 companies, government authorities and local businesses.

Summertown Interiors was the first fit-out contractor to occupy LEED Gold-certified interiors in the UAE and has also been awarded the LEED Gold certification for its existing building; and operations and maintenance (LEED EBOM). It carried out all projects in accordance with the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.