Can you tell us about your design journey and how your career blossomed?
4SPACE Design is a firm that eschews quantity for quality, maintaining a hands-on approach allowing them to meticulously manage every phase of the design process with their clients. Firas Alsahin founded 4SPACE Design in Dubai in 2011 with his business partner Amjad Hourieh. They moved to Dubai when the emirates’ growth in the commercial sector was booming and offered unique opportunities for the firm. At the time, Dubai was the centre of a burgeoning and vibrant market, serving as an impetus for them to explore various fields within the design industry. They quickly developed a name for themselves as designers of dramatic, dynamic and experiential spaces, particularly in the food and beverage and hospitality sectors. They have created many well-known noteworthy projects in the United Arab Emirates and collected many awards.
4SPACE launched Meta4SPACE as a Metaverse design department with the first NFT furniture collection, The Meta Chair Society, to accommodate the demand for NFTs in the creative world of architecture and interior design. The Meta Chair Society and Meta4SPACE are attracting more people daily. Meta4SPACE complements the traditional architectural firm. The architects and designers have been encouraged to free their minds and understand that the Metaverse is a complete shift of perspective and understanding.
Artificial Intelligence has, without question, revolutionised the interior design process. The introduction of Meta4SPACE has allowed 4SPACE to generate 3D renderings allowing us to create designs more efficiently than before. The future role of AI in interior design and architecture will be hugely inspiring and creative and provide new perspectives on new or existing concepts.
Meta4SPACE also supports brands that want to bring their businesses to life in the Metaverse, where there are no limits or boundaries. Our team helps clients teleport their brands across different realms to enhance their brand stories and messaging. Brands and businesses are increasingly willing to be a part of the next big thing. They need to exist where their customers exist, and to achieve that; they need to invest in the virtual world.
What do you feel is most challenging about being an interior designer in this region?
The start-up of 4SPACE was challenging. When my partner and I co-founded 4SPACE, we had no team, so I was the designer, the visualiser and the CAD detailer. Amjad and I overcame the challenges by putting in the extra hours by working weekends and overseeing every stage of the project, from the design process to on-site coordination and project management.
One of the biggest challenges is the high calibre of the design industry, seeking solutions and continuously creating the highest standards of work. We competed with ourselves to produce creative and new ideas and designs. We also regulated developer standards, including MEP requirements, and how they reflected on designs for ceiling heights and treatments, kitchen location and size. Within the next five years, we will likely own various digital assets, whether a title deed, contract, certificate, NFTs or even virtual properties in virtual lands.
How would you describe your design style, and where do you find your inspiration?
Since conception, we have used the most up-to-date design software for modelling, design, CAD drawings and visualisations. Our key attributes are uniqueness and originality. Our designs are always bespoke and tailor-made for each space. We dislike limiting ourselves by filling up a fancy shopping list. We strive to create unique designs to build spaces and experiences that clients have never experienced or lived before. Our designs are timeless and stand out from the crowd.
We invest heavily in our in-house tech-savvy team to stay ahead of the market. We use parametric design practices based on algorithmic processes rather than direct manipulation; the introduction of Meta4SPACE and the use of AI means that we can quickly create unique designs to ensure their viability. We also use VR technology, allowing clients to visualise our designs and have a completely different experience beyond a traditional screen walkthrough. They’ll experience 3D images, animation and video, and real-world scenes overlaid with computer-generated or digital information.
Man experiencing VR simulation entertainment technology
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Aim high, dream big and have an open mind.
Your work keeps inspiring the interior design community. What does the future hold for Firas Alsahin, and What do you see for the future of design?
For over a decade, the team has strived to remain futuristic in its thinking, create something extraordinary, use modern technology and ever-expand its goals. Our next 10-year plan is essential in illuminating and forming a road map to understand where we are heading. Within the next five years, we want to transition from a boutique design studio to a design studio with over 50 employees and over 140 in the next decade.
We are embracing all of the opportunities in the Metaverse and plan to bridge the gap between the physical, augmented and virtual worlds. We are already focusing on a sustainable business model and dynamic structure so that 4SPACE can grow and expand to encompass new areas of business and markets. We aspire to be in the top five companies in the region within the next five years. I strive to push the boundaries of interior design, seek to design spaces that effortlessly and emotionally touch the occupants and create tangible long-term relationships between them and their spaces.
Dubai is set to become one of the most sustainable cities globally and strives to be the first net-zero operational city to create a healthy environment for its citizens. We are excited about being part of this change with our technological advancements. We already work with sustainable materials and design methods that encourage longevity, durability and a timeless appeal. We want to foster a sense of belonging. By introducing biophilic design elements into spaces, 4SPACE can help alleviate stress, improve cognitive function and enhance creativity and mood.
We are advancing with innovative classes through wearable computer-capable glasses that add extra detail and overlay designs in the physical world as computer-generated images and digital information files. We know that we have to develop our skills and knowledge in upcoming fields, including NFT design, augmented reality technology and mastering 3D modelling software. XR technologies are the most transformative trends of the future, and organisations will seek technology professionals with the knowledge, vision and skills to implement these applications. The term Metaverse is increasingly a buzzword in the world of technology and holds endless opportunities for architects and designers. It’s disruptive and exciting.
A cool geometric triangular figure in a neon laser light – great for backgrounds and wallpapers
If a student wanted to enter the field, what advice would you give them?
To be brave and soar high, strive higher, be patient, bold, innovative, and sustainable. To leverage their exponential growth efforts and find ways to navigate the digital jungle to market themselves across different platforms.
You’ve won countless awards: Power 50 of Commercial Interior Design, Top 20 most successful boutique interior design firms in the Middle East, and recent nominations with Commercial Interior Design Awards 2022. What do you think is the key to your success?
It’s hard work, consistency, and a quest for everything new. Design should not be solely for an Instagram win, not for colleagues and peers, or to impress design awards judges, but for the community and human experience. We stand out in the design scene and provide experiences for human beings.