Dubai-based Architect, Entrepreneur and Founder of Concept ME, Nina Parvaresh talks about her love for the world of design and one of her latest projects in Dubai, including Bulgari Penthouse project, see images below.
Bulgari Penthouse Livingroom
My unconscious learning towards architecture began in me before I could even talk fluently. I taught myself how to express things through drawing houses andlandscapes before I could read and write. My kindergarten teacher had told my parents that she was impressed by my drawings and for as long as I can remember, I never said anything but ARCHITECT in response to “What do you want to do when you grew up?” Looking back on this, I believe that growing up in France, spending a lot of time in Paris and travelling a lot as a child curated and nourished the love of architecture in me. - Nina Parvaresh
Bulgari Penthouse Master Bedroom
Bulgari Penthouse Kitchen
What are the advantages and benefits of having such a unique working environment as Dubai and which other cities inspire you?
In a fast-moving city like Dubai, the dynamic motion of the people and landscape motivates you and unconsciously pushes you to be dynamic, forward-thinkingand capable of finding a wide myriad of diverse people with interesting and various talents. As a starting entrepreneur ten years ago, Dubai gave me an ease of access to business features, a legislative flexibility and a great network of like-minded people that allowed my business to bloom in its context.
Nina Parvaresh, Architect and Founder of Concept ME
In our field of high-end design, it is often quite difficult to find ways that enable us to bring luxury in a mindful manner. However, our approach to the topic is enabled through choosing the right team members, the curation of items that are produced mindfully, the work with people who care about their community and the partnership with craftsmen who have been honing a holistic approach to their production, their supply chain and their company culture for the past couple of decades. On that note, we are mindful of the environment in which we are constructing our projects, meaning our approach to bringing a project to life in Dubai differs from the way we are enabled and empowered to build in Milan for example.
Nina Parvaresh, Architect and Founder of Concept ME
What is your leadership/management style – how many people work under you?
Across the years, I have been really conscious of my leadership style and in beingself-reflective to perfect my approach with my team. As someone who was used to being quite controlling due to my obsession with perfecting all the details, I have worked on myself through educating myself further, listening to feedbackand learning from role models to become a person that collaborates rather than delegates, as someone who is open to conversation rather than centralized decision making and as someone who tries to make sure that all 11 people I manage daily are actually enjoying what they do and growing within the shell of the company. At the end of the day, this industry is built on open communication between all the individuals that make it up with the aim of the project’s overall success-from the suppliers to the contractors to the brains that design aesthetically. It takes a village!
Tell us about your inspiration for the new Bulgari penthouse project? What high-quality materials are clients excited about today?
The inspiration in a nutshell: a peaceful and timeless space. Our client aimed fora space in which they can enter and sigh in relief, where the stress and tangible pressure of real life can disappear. This informed every one of our design choices for the space. It had to be, again, peaceful and again, timeless. Additionally, the panoramic view of the city refuses to be ignored.
So, we drew on inspirations that integrated that aesthetic, natural element into the space. This is reflected in the overall space layout that used the golden ratio to reflect a natural shell with perfect proportions, the earthy color scheme, the subtle material that appeased the eye through its rich textures and absent patterns and the minimalistic details that tied up the project’s narrative perfectly.
Some of these details is what we and the client were excited to use. These include the unique stone we sourced from Tuscany, the bronze finishes that take weeks to perfect in look and feel and the custom-made wood flooring that we selected based on the character of this space to make it unparalleled.
Bulgari Penthouse Master bathroom
How do you balance work and free time?
This is actually one of the things I have recently been truly working on–and somehow failing at it! I am someone who genuinely loves what she does–so much so that the boundaries between my professional and personal lives have blurred out. However, because I love what I do I recognize that my personal comfort and peace of mind play a pivotal role in my efficiency, professional productivity and satisfaction of my team. This is why I have made a conscious decision to take more breaks, to loosen up control over the tiniest of details and to be more organic in my approach to work. This has even taught me to say no to several opportunities just to avoid spreading myself and the team too thin. That being said, it’s a work in progress!
Which are your upcoming projects?
We are really excited for the new chapter that Concept Me is writing! In addition to our work in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, we have two stunning locations in Milan that we are working on to create exceptional residential spaces in them. One of these projects involves us rebuilding the rooftop of a historical building in a landmark street and the second one will allow us to bring to life a traditional Italian residence with our signature touches!
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