When KPS set out to reimagine its own existing commercial furniture showroom in Dubai Design District, the brief was to create a ‘showcase theatre’ which would reflect the growing reputation of KPS as a technology-led and design focused interior construction group, and the company’s knowhow and commitment to innovative solutions.
As KPS Operations Director Stephen Taylor, speaking at the reopening event, said: “It all starts with an empty space – and that space resembles the endless possibilities that creativity holds.” After delivering major interior construction projects for some of the world’s biggest brands, from New York to Frankfurt and from Hong Kong to London, Stephen is no stranger to creating amazing spaces. He continued: “At KPS, we hold the firm belief that every space has the potential to be something remarkable.” The wall graphics in the new showroom bear testament to KPS’ approach; a large blue speech bubble reads: “Bring us the ideas that others say are too crazy or even impossible, we’d love to prove them wrong.”
This nothing is impossible approach to interior construction has helped KPS expand from its home base in the UAE, to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, France, and the UK, with a network of 9 offices, around 500 staff, and an annual turnover of over US$ 150 million a year.
For Dubai and Amsterdam-based architects Aces of Space, the KPS showroom brief was an opportunity to translate the recently launched KPS branding into a bricks and mortar environment. KPS’ brand identity is a simple frame representing the floor, walls, and ceiling of an empty room. Leading Dutch architect, Andrew Theunissen, Head of Design and Founder of Aces of Space used this visual language of the KPS logo to inform the design of the new D3 showroom. Outlined spaces create zones within the showroom that function as style-rooms to break through the monotony of a typical furniture showroom. These ‘empty rooms’ are transformative areas that that can be filled with a variety of configurations and finishes to inspire and engage KPS’ visitors.
KPS does much more than just display commercial furniture in D3. As part of the end-to-end solutions on offer, an in-house team of 50 designers can support with complete workspace design solutions, while professional consultants help to guide architects and project managers seamlessly through the complex process of selecting, specifying, and installing commercial furniture and fittings. There is even a complete KPS after-sales team on hand to offer clients regular maintenance and repairs.
One highlight of the D3 showroom is a multilevel theatrical display set-up as a catwalk of key furniture pieces. It elevates a unique assortment of chair designs and gives each of them more attention value. In future the plan is to use this area as an auditorium for regular presentations from leading furniture designers: watch this space!
