COMING TOGETHER

Completed last year, the 1400-square metre Conference Centre at TECOM Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) was created to be a central hub for this busy area, where more than 12,000 students study in 13 international higher education schools, colleges and universities.

TECOM commissioned Swiss Bureau to design the DIAC Conference Centre, with the brief that it must offer functionality and elegance while standing the test of time.

After several design workshops with the client, Swiss Bureau generated a minimalist mood through a palette of natural materials used in juxtaposition.

Concrete flooring was used in different tones, with a border in a darker accent that also serves as a wayfinding feature, complementing the graphics and signage, which serve as design elements and are integrated into groove lines.

Wood was utilised to create the louvres, which are a key feature of the project, while tinted glass has been used for all the partitions and doors, adding a level of privacy into the spaces.

Plants feature throughout the space, enhancing wellbeing and introducing the one accent colour – green – to the centre.

The main conference centre is formed of three rooms which can be converted into a single large space through the use of foldable partitions that are also acoustically treated.

The rooms all spill out onto the single large pre-conference space, while buffet counters are cleverly integrated into the peripheral walls, giving the illusion of a wider space.