256 | Amanat Office

Marble, walnut and oak on either side

The visit starts in the lobby, at the desk cut from grey stone. From there, the corridor runs the length of the floor, and the two halves of the office sit on either side of it. The executive half holds the offices, the majlis and the board room, in walnut and deep sofas. Across the line, the operations rooms are lighter, and the meeting box can be opened onto the floor or closed away.

Pietra Grey marble forms the reception desk, a single heavy piece that anchors the arrival. White and grey marble meet on the lobby floor, at the point where the two sides divide. Walnut slats line the executive offices, warm and dark. Light oak clads the operations side, its walls and doors paler and brighter. Close up, stone, timber, glass and brass are joined with care. The office is at Dubai World Trade Centre.

An investment company works in two modes, and these corporate offices at Dubai World Trade Centre give each one the setting it needs. Executives receive clients, so their side is darker and weightier, with walnut, grey marble and a majlis for formal meetings. Operations staff spend the whole day at their desks, so their side is lighter, with offices shaped around each role and room to work together. The single line that divides the floor makes the logic clear to anyone walking it, and the lobby, on the executive side, sets the tone for visitors. Completed in 2022 by IAIA, it shows interior architects planning an office around the way a company works.