Attributed to Kadambari Uppal, Founder & Creative Director, KAD Designs

Based in Dubai, a city synonymous with innovation and luxury, KAD Designs has established itself as a design-forward atelier delivering the region’s most distinguished residences. Founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife duo Kadambari and Akshat, both accomplished pilots and entrepreneurs, the studio offers an unrivalled proposition: luxury interiors, bespoke furniture, and in-house manufacturing, seamlessly woven into one practice.

With a growing portfolio that includes residences at The Royal Atlantis, Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, and Jumeirah Islands, KAD Designs is celebrated for crafting homes that are both timeless and deeply personal. Each project is treated as a work of art, balancing architectural elegance with the individuality of its owner. The result is interiors that are not only visually compelling but also spaces of permanence and beauty.

What distinguishes KAD Designs is its design-led approach supported by complete in-house production. Unlike conventional studios that separate vision from execution, every element from joinery to furniture is designed, developed, and produced within their own facilities. This integration allows them to maintain uncompromising standards, ensuring that no detail is left to chance.

“At KAD Designs, we curate spaces that transcend trends,” says Kadambari Uppal, Founder and Creative Director. “Each home is approached as a canvas, shaped by dialogue with our clients and defined by bespoke craftsmanship. For us, luxury lies in individuality and in the details that reveal character.”

Alongside Kadambari, Akshat, Director of Production, ensures that this creative vision is executed with discipline and precision. Overseeing factory operations and project delivery, he provides clients with the rare assurance that even large-scale villas are brought to life with boutique-level attention. Their partnership, rooted in trust and dual expertise, forms the foundation of the studio’s reputation for excellence.

KAD Designs also aligns its practice with sustainability. The studio integrates responsibly sourced, durable materials into its projects and has committed to planting trees with every completed commission, extending its philosophy of lasting design to the environment.

As the studio looks toward the future, KAD Designs is expanding into limited-edition collectible furniture and international collaborations, further cementing its position as one of Dubai’s most design-forward luxury ateliers.

By Sherif Nagy, Chief Executive Officer of ME FITOUT

Across the Gulf, design has always been driven by a combination of adaptation and aesthetics. In recent years, as the region has begun encountering shifting weather patterns, new consumer preferences and industry challenges, the role of interior fit-out design is fast expanding. Rather than being a secondary element in the built environment, fit-out design has now evolved into a strategic factor central to advancing the Gulf’s long-term climate resilience and shaping future-ready, high-performance interiors.

Today, the way we design, construct, and maintain interiors directly impacts how well buildings can withstand environmental pressures while maintaining comfort for occupants. Modern interiors are increasingly engineered to handle higher cooling loads, regulate elevated humidity, and support efficient maintenance cycles, all while meeting the growing demand for sustainability.

For fit-out professionals, resilience is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Beyond enhancing operational efficiency, it plays a key role in long-term cost management and asset longevity. As regional governments accelerate their sustainability and net-zero agendas, the fit-out industry’s ability to integrate climate-adaptive strategies will define its relevance in the coming decade.

Choosing the right materials is one of the most effective ways to adapt to extreme climate conditions. The Gulf’s harsh weather demands materials that can withstand heat, moisture, and corrosion without compromising on aesthetics. Studies on Gulf high-rise buildings have shown that even simple improvements to the building envelope and interior materials can cut energy demand by up to 60 per cent in existing structures and nearly 70 per cent in new ones.

Thermally reflective finishes, corrosion-resistant metals, and materials with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that maintain air quality under constant air-conditioning loads, are becoming the new standard. As clients increasingly demand environmentally responsible solutions, the industry must focus on materials that balance durability, sustainability, and performance under extreme conditions.

Even though fit-out work focuses on interior environments, designers have a surprising amount of influence on energy performance. Passive design principles such as smart partitioning to enhance airflow, reflective surfaces to reduce heat absorption, and integrated shading can significantly reduce the burden on HVAC systems. With urban heat islands intensifying across Gulf cities, every interior layout and material choice must now serve the dual purpose of aesthetic appeal and thermal efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Gulf’s real estate market is evolving at an unprecedented pace. With progressive regulations, dynamic tenant expectations, and rapid technological advancements, buildings are becoming more responsive and future-oriented. As a result, interiors are now designed with adaptability in mind, enabling spaces to evolve sustainably as needs and innovations continue to arise.

Modular joinery systems, raised flooring, and flexible lighting grids allow spaces to evolve with minimal disruption and waste. This flexibility improves operational resilience as well as supports environmental goals by reducing material waste over time. In a future defined by constant change, modularity is the foundation of longevity.

Resilience in the Gulf region will also be powered by data. Smart sensors that monitor temperature, humidity, and occupancy patterns can automatically adjust lighting and cooling, maintaining energy efficiency while ensuring occupant comfort. IoT-enabled systems can even detect early signs of humidity-related issues, such as mould formations, before they escalate into major financial concerns. As high energy consumption remains a regional challenge, integrating technology into fit-out design is essential. These innovations align with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy and broader GCC sustainability goals, creating interiors that are intelligent, adaptive, and environmentally responsible.

Leading fit-out firms in the UAE are shifting their focus from cost to value. This is because clients today are more aware of lifecycle costs, operational risks, and ESG commitments. A fit-out that demonstrates measurable energy savings, reduced maintenance needs, and climate-ready design meets compliance and also gains a clear competitive edge.

In the years ahead, resilience will become a key commercial differentiator in the marketplace, influencing investment decisions and brand reputation alike. To future-proof interiors, fit-out specialists must embrace climate-risk modelling during the design phase, assessing how materials and layouts will perform under projected 2035–2040 conditions. Collaboration with suppliers who provide verified data on material performance in Gulf environments will be essential to ensure that sustainability claims translate into real-world durability.

By combining passive design, modular systems, and intelligent monitoring, the Gulf’s fit-out industry has the opportunity to meet sustainability standards as well as set new benchmarks. In doing so, it will help shape a new era of resilient, climate-conscious interiors that adapt as the region’s vision for sustainability evolves.

Attributed by Selva Kumar Rajulu, Managing Director, Nolte FZE

Across the built environment, design is entering an era defined by accountability. The kitchen is at the heart of this, as one of the most resource-intensive parts of any building. From forests to finished, choices in material sourcing, production, and longevity have become a barometer of how seriously the industry treats sustainability.

In the UAE, this shift is supported by national frameworks like Net Zero 2050 and the Energy Strategy 2050, which aim to cut carbon emissions and reach 50% clean energy by 2050. Dubai Green Building Regulations, the Dubai Municipality Green Building Regulations, and the growing number of LEED-certified developments have made responsible design the new standard for both developers and manufacturers.

The heart of sustainable design

The construction sector accounts for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, making material choice a powerful lever for change. As such, kitchens’ value is no longer judged only by finishes but also by carbon footprint, recyclability, and contribution to healthier indoor air quality. New-gen kitchens must combine aesthetics and functionality with ethical material use, low-emission production, and circularity. Every surface, fixture, and joint carries a story of how resources were sourced, processed, and designed for long-term use. This is increasingly prioritised by developers and homeowners as reports forecast demand for green buildings in Dubai alone to rise by 25% this year.

Certified sourcing as a foundation

Wood remains the backbone of kitchen manufacturing, with more than 70% of designs using wood or wood-based materials. This makes responsible forestry critical to preserving global biodiversity and maintaining the credibility of sustainable design. Certifications such as FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) are now the international benchmarks for ethical origin of materials.

Across the region, these standards are becoming decisive factors in project specifications. Data from the FSC shows that between 2018 and 2021, the number of certified forest areas increased by 31%, a sign that sustainable sourcing is essential for climate resilience and market access.

By choosing certified products, builders and manufacturers ensure each certified kitchen contributes to global conservation efforts and reinforces the industry’s transition toward transparent, verifiable value chains.

A lifecycle approach to kitchen manufacturing

Responsibility is most effective when viewed as a continuous cycle rather than a single design choice. It begins with selecting responsibly managed raw materials and extends through manufacturing powered by renewable energy, resource-efficient logistics, and thoughtful packaging.

In production, the focus is on durability, repairability, and recyclability. Energy efficiency and material optimisation are supported by reusing by-products. For instance, Nolte utilizes wood waste for 98% of its thermal energy needs. Building on this, strategic energy management helps improve overall efficiency, reduce costs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.Regional sourcing and digitally optimised transportation help minimise emissions. Across the sector, climate-neutral manufacturing initiatives and industry pacts aligned with the UN’s 1.5-degree target are shaping how furniture is produced and assessed. Packaging waste is transferred to certified partners for recycling, with disposal certificates issued to ensure full compliance. Even at the point of sale, there is a shift toward informed retail experiences that promote awareness of material health and lifecycle impact. 

At the end of the chain lies circular design: ensuring that kitchens can be repaired, recycled, or repurposed rather than discarded. Each of these stages connects environmental care with responsible business practice, forming the foundation for a genuinely sustainable design economy.

Building value through longevity

Green buildings in the UAE are projected to grow from US$6.94 billion in 2024 to US$15.5 billion by 2032, driven by regulation and consumer demand. Within that growth, interior elements such as kitchens play a pivotal role in achieving ESG targets and maintaining compliance with evolving green codes.

Durability and quality are also financial strategies. Products built to last reduce replacement costs, limit resource consumption, and build confidence among clients. Similarly, certified sourcing strengthens brand reputation, demonstrating that sustainability reporting and craftsmanship can coexist. The result is a more resilient value chain that benefits investors, developers, and end users alike.

As design evolves, responsibility will remain its most enduring ingredient. Kitchens that respect natural resources, reduce emissions, and stand the test of time are the blueprint for a sustainable future in the built environment.