$1.9 trillion Gulf construction boom driving demand for luxury interior design services

The UAE is currently the center of roughly $3 trillion worth of Middle Eastern construction activities, with more than 1,200 projects valued at around $1 trillion currently under way mainly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These developments are being influenced by the country's transformation to a major business, leisure and lifestyle destination due to its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In the hotel sector alone, the 60,000 rooms currently available are expected to triple to 180,000 rooms by 2015 to meet the surge in foreign guests. This has driven demand for upscale interior design services that can provide a crucial edge in a highly competitive market.

"Huge infrastructure investments throughout the Gulf and the UAE in particular have triggered a golden age in interior designing throughout the Arab markets. We see more developers seeking highly experienced firms that can deliver exciting, luxurious and unique designs that harmonize Eastern, European and traditional Arabic elements. As one of the most prestigious and respected firms in Abu Dhabi, we will leverage our extensive expertise to service not only the Capital but other areas and projects as well that require reliable, creative and high-quality interior work,"

said Gary Richard Lawton, CEO, United Design International.

UDI originally catered to high-end clientele in the residential and commercial sectors. The firm has since emerged as a leader in luxurious, exclusive and unique commercial interior design. It currently partners with more than 100 specialised sub-contractors in the UAE and abroad to serve Royal Families, Ministries and major property developers in the UAE. Its impressive project portfolio ranges from Majlis, private gymnasiums and hotel and residential apartments to yachts, exhibitions, special organizations such as the Family Development Foundation, and academic institutions such as the Higher Colleges of Technology and the Emirates National Centre for Education.