SPACEZERO EXPANDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Manchester-headquartered interior architecture specialist, Spacezero is to export its innovative approach to designing education environments to the Middle East.
Managing director, Wayne Taylor was recently invited to discuss the impact of design on education outcomes in Dubai and now the company plans to build on its international reputation by targeting projects in United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The company has already completed a higher education scheme in Saudi Arabia and a British School in Abu Dhabi, generating significant interest in Spacezero’s creative approach.
Wayne explains: “In the UAE alone, education accounts for 25 per cent of total federal government spending and the country’s private education sector was valued at US$1.9 billion* in 2014, presenting a fantastic opportunity for education interior specialists like Spacezero.
“Our rapid growth in the UK in just five years demonstrates that we have a winning combination of creativity and technical ability, while our international track record proves that we can replicate that success further afield.
“The potential for us in the region is enormous and we are in advanced talks with the largest operators and investors in the Middle East and partnering with key architectural practices to enhance their regional offer.”
A specialist in Building Information Management (BIM), Spacezero has completed 180 education projects in the UK, ranging from primary to university environments, with 100 of these being delivered in BIM.
The company will bring this expertise to the Middle East market where the crucial link between architecture and procurement is often missing, enabling clients to join up intelligent design and efficient procurement.
Spacezero aims to double its turnover in 2015 to reach £5m by the end of this year and expansion in the Middle East is a key element of that strategy.
Wayne adds: “The population of UAE is expected to exceed 9.9m in 2016 and there are hundreds of new schools being built in the region, creating an urgent need to deliver exceptional education environments that address the sector’s specific requirements and challenges in the Middle East.
“Our approach is to improve the human experience by exporting our world-class design capabilities, unrivalled experience and technical expertise to inject creativity into spaces.
“This means that we are ideally placed to design premium education environments that the Middle East market demands and we look forward to showcasing the work we have done here later this year.”