By Marie Claire Maison Arabia
Founded in Lebanon and now anchored in Dubai, DA Design has quickly become one of the region’s most distinctive voices in contemporary interiors. Established in 2017 by Joy Dagher Abdulsamad, Emad Abdulsamad, and Rudy Dagher, the studio mixes artistic creativity with technical precision, creating environments that are both immersive and enduring.
“Lebanon gave us an appreciation for heritage, intimacy, and texture, while Dubai sharpened our lens for innovation, scale, and global relevance,” the founders explain. “This blend allows us to design with both emotional depth and contemporary vision, grounding our work in cultural sensitivity while responding to the pace and ambition of a global city.”
For DA Design, every project begins not with a sketch, but with listening. “Every project begins with listening. We look for the narratives embedded in a brand’s DNA; its culture, energy, and aspirations,” they say. For K Consultancy’s new offices, the narrative was about connections: “Connecting people, ideas, and global networks. We translated this into space through interlocking volumes that echo the simplicity of building blocks, reinterpreted with architectural refinement.”
The conceptual framework guiding the project was rooted in modularity. “We drew from the archetype of the building block – elemental, timeless, and playful – reimagined with clean planes, intersecting volumes, and subtle material shifts that allow spaces to fit together in rhythm,” the designers explain. “The materials are deliberately luxurious yet understated: warm woods, refined stone, and tactile fabrics. Rather than literal cultural references, we wanted the design to embody Dubai’s cosmopolitan spirit, where diverse influences meet and evolve into something greater.”
Detail, for DA Design, is never an afterthought. “Detail for us is never decoration; it is structure,” they emphasize. “In K Consultancy’s offices, this meant orchestrating every junction and transition with care. The way stone surfaces align seamlessly with plastered walls, how curves soften corners, or how lighting dissolves discreetly into ceiling planes; every gesture was deliberate.” The result is a sense of quiet elegance, mirroring “the client’s own precision in communication.”
DA Design’s services extend across the full design and delivery spectrum, from concept creation and space planning to detailed drawings, FF&E curation, and project execution oversight. This end-to-end approach ensures consistency, precision, and creativity at every stage of a project. Alongside this, technology is integral to the design process. The studio integrates tools like 360-degree virtual tours and virtual reality services to give clients a complete and transparent understanding of the space from the earliest stages, offering far more clarity than a static render ever could, and reducing the risk of misunderstandings or unexpected outcomes during construction.
“For K Consultancy, the 360-degree virtual tour played a vital role, allowing the client to navigate the environment freely and understand how everything connects, from layout to finishes. It offered far more clarity than a static render ever could, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or unexpected outcomes during construction.”
The office was conceived as a sequence, much like a narrative arc. “We choreographed the project as a sequence, much like a narrative arc. Visitors pass through a grounded threshold, then into open collaborative environments, and finally into more private zones,” the team explains. “Materials guide this rhythm: stone anchoring public spaces, fabrics softening meeting areas, and layered lighting animating the paths between them.”
Looking ahead, DA Design is determined to let its work speak for itself. “Dubai remains at the heart of our growth, and we see our presence here evolving through steady, proven work rather than bold claims,” they reflect.
Asked to distill the essence of K Consultancy’s new home, the studio responds with poetic precision: “The word would be composed, confident, intentional, and quietly in control. The signature color would be red, not part of their branding, but a bold and commanding tone that captures presence, influence, and Khalil’s personal energy. The soundtrack would be Time by Hans Zimmer, a piece that begins with calm restraint and gradually builds into something powerful and expansive.”
