“This will affect human culture. It’ll change human habits,” says Jonathan Ashmore, founder of Anarchitect, a design and architecture practice with branches in Dubai and London.
Much has changed in the past six months, but the full ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic will take much longer to reveal themselves. From how we interact with each other to how we utilise shared spaces, it is possible that our new awareness of the threat of a global health crisis will influence our behaviour and thought patterns even after a vaccine for Covid-19 has been developed and distributed.
'People don't want to feel isolated'
Will the design of high-end restaurants, hotels, luxury offices and retail outlets need to adapt as a result? And, given that maintaining a distance from each other has become the new norm, will space become the ultimate luxury?
Yes and no, says Ashmore. “The problem is, that’s not necessarily what people want. They don’t want to be dispersed and feel isolated.”
While the immediate response to the pandemic has been to limit the capacity of existing commercial spaces – from offices and malls to restaurants and hotels – this is neither economically viable in the long run, nor particularly appealing to consumers. For the most part, people want to feel safe, but do not want to have dinner in an empty, echoey restaurant.
How do you harness space? How do you create a sense of intimacy, but also security
“It’s more about human distribution in space,” says Ashmore. “Not so much isolation and segregation, but how do you harness space? How do you create a sense of intimacy, but also security?
“Luxury can compensate for these new parameters, because it can work with high-quality materials and beautiful lighting; it can look at the composition of space. The most luxurious spaces will be the ones that respond in the most holistic way, where it isn’t overt or obvious,” he continues.
Privacy and compartmentalisation will be important, but not only through the use of walls and partitions. Zones can be created through the subtle use of floor finishes and lighting, or staggered seating heights.
Entry and exit points and the way people move through a space will need to be reconsidered. Creating a sense of volume by playing with height, or introducing outdoor space (or at least the perception of outdoor space) will make “people feel like they can breathe. This idea of not feeling suppressed is key".
The age of 'subtle buffering'
Pallavi Dean, founder of Dubai design studio Roar, is predicting the death of the buffet and sharing concepts in dining settings, but this is only an acceleration of an existing trend, she says.
In terms of design, she agrees that “subtle buffering” is the order of the day, rather than the huge Perspex-style partitions that some are predicting. “People don’t need to know they are being separated, but you’ll have clever design and clever circulation through a restaurant that will allow you to do this,” she says.
While users may not demand blatant sterility in all the spaces they visit, touchpoints will need to be designed to give people a sense of security. “So, for example, in restaurants, the toilets will have to be pretty much touchless,” says Dean. “Everything is going to be sensor-operated, it’s going to be contactless. You are going to move away from any doors leading to these functional spaces.”
There needs to be careful thought about how to reconfigure and reuse existing layouts. From both an environmental and economic standpoint, this is not the time to be tearing down existing structures to build new ones from scratch.
This could be seen as a precursor to issues surrounding climate change
“An important aspect of all this is working with existing space – that’s where the interesting dynamic is going to be. I don’t think it’s going to be knock out and demolish and build new. That’s the antithesis of what this pandemic means,” says Ashmore. “Because this could be seen as a precursor to issues surrounding climate change.”
New ways of working
Perhaps the greatest shift in design thinking will come in the office arena. Now that employers know working from home actually works, the role and design of offices will need to evolve. Perhaps counter-intuitively at a time when people are going out of their way to distance themselves from each other, Dean is anticipating a rise in shared working spaces.
“First we were thinking the cubicle is back and co-working spaces are dead. But actually, what we are going to see is a sophisticated, sanitised version of the co-working space. The thing that will dictate this is not really health and safety concerns, but economics.”
All of the things that have been steadily value engineered out of office builds over recent years are set to make a comeback – whether it is antimicrobial surfaces and materials such as copper, or Hepa filters in air-conditioning units. "This stuff is expensive and it really ramps up the cost per square foot of fitting out an office," says Dean. "As such, people are going have to share this space."
Creative hubs
That doesn’t mean packing more people in, though. It means being selective about who needs to be where, and when. “The first thing we asked ourselves when we started working from home was: ‘What do we need an office for? What are we missing?’” says Ashmore.
“And what was missing was that sense of creativity and social interaction. It’s something we need. Yes, you can be productive at home, yes you can facilitate remote working, and it can be more individually creative and comforting doing things in your own time. But I think what’s going to happen is we are going to have more, smaller hubs.
"I think everyone likes the idea of coming together two or three times a week to meet with their team, or meet with their superiors, or meet with their colleagues, and have a meaningful dialogue with them. It’s like going into a meeting with a proper agenda,” Ashmore says.
Securing that landmark address for your office headquarters and then using it as a symbol of your brand’s clout will quickly become passé. Instead, it will be about facilitating the actual needs of both your organisation and staff.
In terms of retail, luxury brands are already ahead of the game “when it comes to numbers of people, expanded physical distances and customer separation”, says Eric Carlson, founder of design firm Carbondale, which has created Dolce & Gabbana boutiques across the globe.
Boutiques become galleries
“For high-end boutiques, there is a doorman alleviating the need to touch the highly solicited door handle, gloved sales staff to present and polish-clean the leather goods, watches and jewellery products, and VIP rooms to create an additional degree of customer isolation,” he points out.
There will be a return towards more intimate-scale spaces, the desire for 'quality over quantity' and a general reinforcement of exclusivity
Nonetheless, the scale of some of these boutiques will need to be reassessed. In recent years, luxury retail store sizes have inflated to up to 2,000 square metres to accommodate burgeoning product ranges and customer numbers. “Because of the current situation, inevitably there will be an increased weariness for luxury shoppers to be over-exposed in these large environments,” says Carlson. “There will be a return towards more intimate-scale spaces, the desire for ‘quality over quantity’ and a general reinforcement of exclusivity,” he adds.
Either way, do expect “a conspicuous new staff member dedicated to constantly wiping down surfaces and products”.
A cross-pollination design disciplines
As our homes become our offices, as well as a hub for education, relaxation and entertainment, and restaurants, hotels and shops are united in facing the same set of challenges, the boundaries between design disciplines are being broken down. “There’s a cross-pollination of different sectors that’s really coming into play,” says Dean.
“We’ll apply the learnings from all these different sectors: how can the buffering from restaurants be used in offices? How can the collaboration spaces in offices be used in education facilities? I think there will be a lot of hybrids and shared ideas.”
“With all of these conversations now, it’s definitely got to be a dialogue,” adds Ashmore. “No one person or one body has the answer. It’ll need to be an organic response that is flexible.”
Given the amount of time it takes to design and build them, Sonu Shivdasani, founder and chief executive of Soneva Hotels, thinks it is unlikely that the current pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on the actual design of hotels.
In fact, citing lowering mortality rates and the greater ability of health systems to cope with the virus, he is optimistic that we will have adapted to our new normal within a matter of months. “I believe that even without a vaccine, in a few months’ time, we will come to a stage where we are able to live with this,” he says.
This crisis that the world is going through has allowed many people the opportunity to pause and rethink their values
All the same, he acknowledges that smaller, more boutique hotels will now be seen as more attractive to the travelling public, although this also represents an acceleration of an existing trend. “I do believe that smaller boutique hotels will be perceived as safer as they will be more intimate.
“I believe that individual smaller hotels are gaining in popularity, as luxury has become very institutional. Luxury is all about that which is rare. If certain aspects of luxury hotels are similar and commonplace, then they lose that rarity and that element of luxury. The nice thing about small boutique hotels is that they are individual and in some ways, one-of-a-kind," Shivdasani explains.
“This crisis that the world is going through has allowed many people the opportunity to pause and rethink their values and, importantly, their priorities. I suspect that travellers will become more health-focused, more aware of nature and more sensitive to the challenges of the planet.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E9pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Mubhir%20Al%20Ain%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%20(jockey)%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%20(trainer)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3A%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Exciting%20Days%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Doug%20Watson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10pm%3A%20Al%20Ain%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Suny%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Marcelino%20Rodrigues%2C%20Hamad%20Al%20Marar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C800m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Jafar%20Des%20Arnets%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Taj%20Al%20Izz%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al%20Hadhrami%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Majdy%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Jean%20de%20Roualle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E12am%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Hamloola%2C%20Sam%20Hitchcott%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Ketbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m; Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Greeley, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Marzaga, Jim Crowley, Ana Mendez.
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Ashras, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
More coverage from the Future Forum
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Everton
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
The%20specs
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Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur
Basel v Manchester City
Sevilla v Manchester United
Porto v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Besiktas
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
