Interview with Amer Abidi

MY passion from design evolved from my passion of sketching and drawing at a very young age

I have always wanted to be a designer and nothing else

restaurants, bars and hotels are my forte and would love to always do more of that

Never stop dreaming, aim high and always keep a sketchbook in your pocket

a relentless passion and incredible attention to details

The balance of materials used, Good lighting design and practical efficient usage of form and space

Not only does good design elevate your mood and psyche, but also solves invisible problems that you may or may not have realized exist.

Upon my last trip to Goa in India, I noticed a hotel roof top with incredible ocean and mountain views, but the pool and Bar was badly designed for the potential of the location - I would love ot redesign that rooftop given the time.

I would love to design a luxury yacht one day

always have a wow factor that the concept revolves around

Heatherwick, Zaha Hadid, Avroko, and Kengo Kuma to name a few

I am very fond of AVROKO's restaurant interiors - a perfect balance of warmth and Chic, with a masterful blend of materials

I would say the Monarch Hotel Bar & Lounge - incorporating AI into our design process for the first time really gave us that push we needed to realize this project. The design manifests Class and Royalty, without being intimidating or overpowering.

The old adage Practice makes perfect applies here - I would always deign one thing or another, even if it wasn't for a client i would imagine one.

If i wasn't a designer i would've probably invested in Hotels, restaurants and bars around the world

Design plays a crucial role in our daily lives, influencing how we interact with the world around us. It is not merely about aesthetics; effective design enhances usability, communicates messages clearly, and differentiates brands in a crowded marketplace. Good design improves user experience by making products and services more intuitive and accessible.

Though i wasn't fortunate enough in the beggining of my career to have the financial support i needed, I am very proud to say that i am a self-made designer. The support i got was later in my career path from the repeat clients who realized my talent and passion for what i do.

gaining clients trust has allowed me to gain bigger projects, with bigger budgets and more design freedom to realize my true vision for each project.

Client intervention - I am now hired for my proven track record of handling the whole design process uninterrupted by the client.

a picture says a thousand words. Mood boards and material palettes along with photorealistic renderings should be in every proposal and presentation.

I am working on designing Chalets in Bali, Indonesia. I would love to have more opportunities to work in diverse and different parts of the world

to own and manage my own Designer Hotel brand, where every item in every room is bespoke designed

the WOW factor

Effective design enhances usability, communicates messages clearly, and differentiates brands in a crowded marketplace. Good design improves user experience by making products and services more intuitive and accessible.

Im currently working on a Chalets compound in Bali (Indonesia) - super excited and inspired by their ancient use of bamboo as a structural element which i am researching to use

Projects where the client appreciates your talent and gives you the freedom to express and realize your vision

Depending on the scale of the project and level of details entailed - it can take me 2 weeks to finish a designer chair or a high-rise tower concept in the same timeframe

I always start a project sketching out new conceptual shapes and forms on my pocket notepad

Our last project is always our best yet

good design is trend following, but great design is a trend setter

Technology is pivotal in my design process offering the ability to experiment visually with new concepts and ideas that would be difficult to express otherwise

we use AutoCAD, 3DS max, and Adobe Suite for our design process (in that order). Lately we have incorporated AI software such as Midjourney in the initial and later part of the design process.

ambience is everything in designing hospitality spaces, and i think that light creates much more drama than the choice of colour and materials to create more impact.

I get inspired to go sketch

I believe in Co-design - my partner in TwoOpposites design was a branding genius. Different design specialists got together to create exquisite and full packaged projects.

Design Magazines and Journals gave me a diverse look and understanding of architecture and design

constant practice

Giacometti, Modigliani and Picasso.

on the contrary, it is very rewarding and fulfilling for your talent to be realized by credible international award bodies.

To me the Desert provides for all of my favorite things... from the cool water spots and falls to the captivating scenery and sunsets

I once had a client who responded to my question of what is our budget here with "there is no budget". So Naturally you would expect money is not an issue, so I started knocking down the old place for the renovation, after which he explained no budget means No money for the project!! So i had to reinvent the whole approach to design after demolition to meet the deadline. Thankfully it was a big hit with minimal expenses.

realizing that my new concept can be developed and eventually manifest and be built.

Always. I would close my eyes and envision it every day.

Human cultivation of planets, each run by a different race, with their own ancient design heritage

Two Opposites design is an Architectural / Interior Design firm with a strong focus on the Hospitality Industry

Design is all about offering an elated experience while intelligently providing a solution to an existing and often invisble problem

Restaurant and Bar interiors are the focus of my work

Foodsmith Bar and grill was created almost entirely of reclaimed materials while providing that edgy modern look and feel to its customers

Our first project was a Wine Bar for a client, who then brought us a few a few restaurants and a boutique hotel to design

We like to work with wood, steel and concrete

Creativity flows immediately from visiting the project site

We focus almost entirely on the end customer's experience and try to maximize their first impression upon walking into the space

Passion, creativity and Fun

Pride and Joy

leaving a memorable impression

lighting design and material allocation

to be environmentally aware to the materials and methods used to realize his vision consciously

even with the advent of AI driven design, it's always nice to see the box and grid being broken - designers and artists are continuously finding new ways and methods to innovate new designs and break out of the box

my last exhibition was at an art fair in Amman, Jordan showcasing a personal concrete sculpture. I would love to showcase my work in London, New York and Milan.

I find incredible inspiration from nature - from rock formations to insect (micro) design

I try to use materials in an organic non-conventional way, with very high focus on aesthetics

I live in Jordan, but have practiced all over the middle east, with recent projects reaching as far away as Bali in Indonesia. Diversity is key, but a strong native design language is essential for any designers success

we are often invited by word of mouth and do very little to no marketing

The designers Portfolio should align with the project in mind, and then the designer should be given the design freedom required to realize their vision.

The conceptual stage is the most vital in the process. Once the general design "wow' factor is realized, then spaces and form are developed after which details emerge through several digital media channels for a complete and harmonious vision of the project.

Chair, table lamp, lighting fixtures, side tables and display shelves

If working on a project then i dedicate my every waking hour to it's development. If there is no work at haand, then i go into my workshop and create my own crafts mostly with concrete as the main material

Even if you have a 9-5 job, find time afterwards to focus a certain niche in design that you are passionate about, read as much as you can about it and practice it on the side till it becomes second nature to you - then start working on your own specialty portfolio.

Positives are the gratification and rewards of your work being recognized - The Negatives are the long hours involved in developing details so they are at par with your vision while dealing with deadlines

Sketching is a very important part of realizing your concept at an early stage before working out plans and layouts.

Computer skills and digital medias are rapidly evolving, and it is important to stay in aware of the rapid technology advancement

Sketching is important, from then on I jump into a suite of Digital steps - AutoCAD and 3DS Max being the foundation of the process

Time-management is the hardest task in a passionate designers life, and so rules have to maleable and times flexible. Art is never truly finished, only abandoned at one point.

Its all about the scale of project and level of details - sometimes it can take me as much time to develop a furniture set as it would to design a concept for a skyscraper tower

how much will it cost

being exposed to all the diverse talent all over the world with the advancement of social media

I have a very diverse range of clients ranging from the farmer asking for supermarket stand designs, to mega real-estate developers working on hotels and resorts

I enjoy working on hospitality projects (restaurants, bars, hotels, etc...) because the project is far less personal to the client than say if i was building their home, The hospitality project is about the brand not about their personal preference - so while pink might work wonderfully in a tea lounge, it might not pass so easily int he clients home.

I am seeking larger scale hospitality projects in the middle east area with all these new mega projects being announced

I develop the concept and then work with my team on detail development

I am currently working a tropical resort in Bali, Indonesia - too early to discuss but i am fascinated with their ingenious use of bamboo and so have incorporated into my design process

directly via phone, WhatsApp or email

thank you, its always a privilege to have your work realized and recognized across the world