Talabat HQ Office – City Walk, Dubai

Modern interior design does not only embraces innovation through technology, but also with creativity and revolutionary ideas based on the desired user experience for a selected space.

When Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed Al Maktoum inaugurated the ultra-modern headquarters of food delivery tech giant in January 2023, many had no idea about the fast timelines and extensive details the design consultant had to embrace and work through to deliver the fine aesthetics and functional edifice which was on full display.

Design by Mahsa (DBM) was the lead interior design firm selected to deliver the 10,000 square meter facility located in City Walk; which was also one of Dubai’s largest commercial project in 2022.The interior design firm led by Mahsa Gholizadeh and Matthew Bate, produced a game changing performance in the role it played, from unique design solutions to “design to cost” management which ensured that the full design package was delivered in a record three months – significantly faster for its size, complexity and project type.

The HQ’s – Scope of Work

From the get go, and focusing on the food delivery sector, Talabat’s vision was to become an industry tech-giant. It’s fast growth within the MENA region has made this happen; ultimately dominating the market. In line with this nature, DBM’s focus was on creating ergonomically enabling spaces that encouraged creative development, offering flexible workspaces reflecting the tech-savvy, futuristic and people-centred nature of the organization.

The scope of works for DBM was a full interior design package, including acoustic, MEP , and all detail drawings packages. This involved creating the general arrangement or layout, in addition to providing design ideas and groundbreaking concepts for the operational zones such as futuristic entrance portal , reception, 3 story atrium, tech hubs, meeting rooms, restaurant, breakout, chillout and zen areas, and a roof top terrance with stunning views of the worlds tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

With the use of urban industrial and natural décor elements, other stakeholders in the value chain had roles to play in ensuring that the entire concept comes to life, and within the stipulated delivery date.

How was the project delivered within record time keeping to industry standards?
Keeping to its promise of being a fully integrated interior design firm, DBM took charge and drove the initiatives when it came to critical deliverable areas of the project. It was involved during the post design tendering stage, making sure that selection in awarding the contractor to deliver the project was in line with industry standards and had the capability of delivering the design in the critical timelines.

The biggest hurdle identified by DBM to the delivery of the project was time – considering design execution was to be done in three months.
Sticking to the fit-out budget from the client, DBM came in and took charge of design cost management for the 10,000 square meter project. The process included, but was in no means restricted to: Specifying all fine details in advance during the concept development stage. This involved for example liaising with the supplier and getting codes, lead time, and availability in the procurement of carpets, veneers, lighting, fabric, wall finishers, and so on. This is not a usual practice of designers in Dubai, however, being part of this process provided information on the availability and quantity of the required materials during the concept and rendering stage.
Producing a qualified and detailed Bill of Quantities (BOQ). This involved calculations for the material quantities. As expected, the contractors in their tendering came back with proposals that showed that each of them was within budget. Knowing the lead time of all the material also gave the contractor a better chance of finishing a fit-out of the area and size within four months.