WORKSPACE INSPIRES RADICAL DESIGN
From surreal concepts to conventional yet chic corporate lines, Kalandoor’s project portfolio is as thought provoking and bold as the environment it is generated in
Kalandoor’s office is an exemplary showcase of what can be achieved in any empty space with good materials and great taste. The vast expanse of soothing white is defined by textures and contrasts. A sprawling T-shaped workspace is so glossy, it is hard to resist the urge to caress the surfaces in secret. The chenille of the stuffed armchairs and sofas is patterned discreetly. The sporadic touch of gold – a name plate, trimmings, flowers – adds depth and dimension.
Even a casual study of the Kalandoor Group’s portfolio of completed projects provides many insights. Whether they are working with surreal concepts from designers or meeting the precise requirements of international corporations, the results are unusual and unique: new wallpaper is tinted to look much older, furniture combinations defy the conventional, retail spaces are matched to meet shopping psychology, and interior spaces are so flexible they can accommodate anywhere between 20 and 2,000 guests.
“Discretion is important in any business, and it is very important in our business,” he says with a kindly shrug when questioned about the largest and most challenging projects the team has handled. Pictures of all the projects are on view, but none of the project owners. “We operate with a basic premise: Treat every project like it is your first and most important project. If you don’t satisfy your client the first time, you will be out of the running for the next one. There are no second chances. Keep the clients happy, and they will return to you.”
The Kalandoor Group of Companies’ new headquarters is located at Dubai Investment Park 1, and Kalandoor says the location, almost mid-point between
Abu Dhabi and Dubai, allows his teams to travel with ease in either direction.
The sprawling 50,000-square-foot space is split over two levels. On the top, management offices and meeting spaces take in discreet chandeliers, polished parquet floors and recessed lighting in a professional stillness. In startling contrast, there is much activity downstairs at workshops, fabrication units, storage spaces and loading docks, and many people are engaged at work on aluminium doors, curtain walls, skylights and the like.
Kalandoor is an undisputed leader in his domain and has built a sterling reputation to match, but that does not stop him from preparing for the future. A third office is due to open in the Far East later this year, and a corporate
restructuring plan is underway.
Concurrent to the international expansion, he is focussed on better serving the UAE. “Look at the astonishing figures for luxury villa sales in Dubai this year. International investors are so confident about the UAE,” he exclaims. “As residents, we have to support the government’s vision of this country as a beacon for the world.”
His teams are engaged in studying the markets to create bespoke, highlypersonalised signature-style interiors for owners of luxury villas and luxury yachts. “As soon as any need arises in the local market, we will address it.”