International multidisciplinary architectural and design practice Perkins+Will said its Middle East office has picked up three highly coveted accolades at the annual Commercial Interior Design awards event held at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel, Dubai, UAE.

The firm, which specialises in corporate, hospitality and multi-unit residential interior fit-outs, amongst other architectural disciplines, clinched the Best Commercial Office of the Year award for its work on BP’s flagship Dubai headquarters.

Diane Thorsen, the design principal at Perkins+Will was named best designer, while Laila Al-Yousuf, the senior interior designer, took the Best Young Designer prize.

“This is fantastic recognition of Perkins+Will’s work in the region and of the extraordinary pool of talent that makes our dynamic creative team a force to be reckoned with in the industry,” remarked Steven Charlton, the managing director, Perkins + Will’s Middle East.

The BP brief challenged Perkins+Will to deliver a forward-thinking, fresh and branded space for the world-leading oil and gas company at its new 1,400-sq-m office building in Dubai.

“After 15 years in the same location, we set out to create a unique narrative that would showcase the brand and all it stands for, within a working environment that would set new standards but also stand the test of time,” explained Charlton.

The final design reflected both BP’s stringent brand guidelines and corporate philosophy, with the collaborative partnership between client and design team resulting in a visually fluid aesthetic which also embodied the company’s ‘one team’ philosophy.

"The functionality and aesthetics which were built into the design work seamlessly and are aligned with BP global brand and core values. Every aspect of the design has contributed to an innovative, agile, progressive and attractive working environment in which our people are comfortable, happy and work well," remarked Sana Hassani, the office manager at BP.

Perkins+Will used the iconic helios design that forms the BP logo as the central motif, integrating it into the reflected ceiling in the reception area to create a powerful first impression, she stated.

Front- and back-of-house locations, which included various meeting areas, boardrooms, a café and open-plan offices, were transformed into inspirational innovative spaces with a vibrant colour palette picking up accents from BP’s green and yellow logo, added Hassani.

Thorsen received the Best Designer award for her impressive body of work across a wide cross-section of industries and projects.

Thorsen, whose international experience has taken her from Europe and Africa to the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, has a long list of regional projects to her name including work for high-profile and blue chip clients such as Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Al Jazeera, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing, Deutsche Bank, Microsoft, Deloitte and Dolphin Energy.

UAE National Al Yousuf won the Best Young Designer award for her insightful approach to blending local heritage and customs with international design principles.

Al Yousuf, who joined the company in 2011, has already racked up a sizeable portfolio of important clients including TNS, Serco Group and Google.

“With many active projects in the region and a team of passionate, creative people breaking new ground in the design field, Perkins+Will will continue to make a name for itself in the region both with future contract wins and industry accolades,” remarked Charlton. -TradeArabia News Service