On the occasion of the opening of Boffi | DePadova’s temporary pop-up at Alserkal Avenue, realised in partnership with Atelio ahead of its permanent UAE flagship opening in 2026, Marie Claire Maison Arabia sat down with Roberto Gavazzi, President and CEO of Boffi | DePadova, Elie Khouri, Chairman of Atelio and Ruggero Ottogalli, CEO of Atelio, to discuss architecture, systems, and contemporary living within the region’s evolving design landscape.
Located in Warehouse 65 at Alserkal Avenue, the space moves beyond the traditional showroom format, presenting a fully integrated domestic environment where kitchens, furniture, lighting, and architectural systems coexist within a singular spatial language. Through brands including Boffi, De Padova, the Italian group continues to expand its vision of “A Way of Living,” rooted in craftsmanship, material precision, and architectural continuity.
Founded in 1934, Boffi | DePadova has become one of contemporary design’s leading names, collaborating over the years with figures such as Piero Lissoni, Elisa Ossino, David Lopez Quincoces, and Mikal Harrsen. Its collaboration with Atelio also reflects a broader evolution within the Middle Eastern design ecosystem, where collectible design, architecture, and interiors increasingly intersect within a more culturally driven vision of domestic space.
For Roberto Gavazzi, President and CEO of Boffi | DePadova, contemporary luxury is no longer defined by isolated statement pieces, but by the ability to construct complete and coherent ways of living. Speaking during the opening of the brand’s new Alserkal Avenue pop-up in Dubai, realised in partnership with Atelio ahead of its permanent UAE flagship in 2026, Gavazzi described the importance of moving beyond the logic of the single product toward a more integrated architectural vision of the home.
“Our strategy is not simply to create high-end products comparable in terms of quality,” he says. “The project is about improving the perception and quality of life at home.” Rather than focusing on individual best sellers, Gavazzi emphasises the importance of “creating a system” capable of shaping openness, continuity, and atmosphere within domestic space.
This approach feels particularly significant within Dubai’s evolving design landscape. While the city has long been associated with spectacle and visibility, Gavazzi believes the regional audience is becoming increasingly sophisticated. “Design culture is constantly growing around the world,” he explains. “The world of design becomes progressively more sophisticated as the clientele evolves alongside it.”
For Gavazzi, this evolution also reflects a wider transformation within the design industry itself, where brands are increasingly expected to construct coherent cultural visions rather than simply collections. “There must be consistency of thought, coherence, direction, and vision,” he says. “But within that continuity, it is also important to preserve a certain vibrant diversity.”
This broader vision of domestic space also sits at the core of Atelio’s collaboration with Boffi | DePadova. “Partnering with Boffi | DePadova is a natural expression of what Atelio stands for — connecting the world’s finest design culture with a region that increasingly defines it,” says Elie Khouri, Chairman of Atelio. “This is not simply a retail space, but a destination where craftsmanship, architecture and contemporary living converge.” For Khouri, the project reflects the evolving role of design within the Middle East itself, as the region increasingly positions itself as an active participant within global design culture rather than simply a consumer of it.
For Ruggero Ottogalli, CEO of Atelio, the collaboration is rooted in a shared approach to design as a complete spatial and emotional experience. He describes the partnership between Atelio and Boffi | DePadova as “a seamless marriage” between architectural precision, craftsmanship and atmosphere, where systems, lighting, furniture and materials interact within a coherent environment rather than functioning as isolated pieces. “The experience is about how everything interacts as part of a complete environment,” he explains.
Ottogalli also sees the project as a reflection of a rapidly maturing regional audience increasingly drawn toward interiors that feel architectural, intentional and deeply personal. “Clients today are far more informed, globally connected and emotionally engaged with design than ever before,” he says. “They are looking beyond individual pieces towards spaces that feel considered, architectural and deeply personal.”
Positioning the pop-up within Alserkal Avenue further reinforces this approach. Rather than operating as a purely transactional showroom, the space becomes part of a wider cultural ecosystem where architecture, art, collectible design and lifestyle increasingly intersect. “The future is not about transactional spaces, but about destinations that create cultural relevance and emotional connection,” says Ottogalli.
Boffi|DePadova – Warehouse 65, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, UAE
