Latest news with #AzharSajan
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Design Duels Season 3 returns this October with new sports
Design Duels, the UAE's biggest multi-sport event for the design and home improvement industries, returns for its third season on October 11 at Danube Sports World. Hosted by Casa Milano and supported by the Dubai Sports Council, the event will once again bring the industry together for a day of high-energy competition, networking and community spirit. Registration will be open from August 15 to September 15 through the Playinga app. Azhar Sajan, director of Casa Milano and Danube Hospitality, said: 'Over the past two seasons, Design Duels has become more than just a sports tournament. It is a celebration of the design community. Our first season brought together 78 companies and 1,200 participants. In Season 2, we grew to 120 companies and 2,100 participants. Every event we host at Casa Milano is about bringing the design community together, building connections and creating moments beyond the workplace.' ' We have refined participation to focus on design and architecture companies and contractors, staying true to the industry roots of Design Duels,' Sajan explained and added that this year he's expecting between 80 to 100 companies to take part in this year's competition. The competition will also expand with two new sports: Pickleball, one of the fastest-growing racket sports globally, and Carrom, a classic board game enjoyed by many. 'These new additions make the event more inclusive and fun for all skill levels,' Sajan explained.
Campaign ME
25-03-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Casa Milano Talking Walls community-first campaign prioritises people over products
Casa Milano has revealed details about its Talking Walls campaign, which aimed to go beyond a product showcase to place designers at the heart of its story, creating a collaborative platform to connect both emerging and established designers. The integrated campaign was rolled out across social media, including Casa Milano's Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook channels, featuring designer stories, behind-the-scenes content and mentorship sessions. It also included digital content production, complete with designer interviews, video diaries and design-reveal content. Casa Milano partnered with Intelier for its media services, as well as for PR, but handled all the creative strategy, campaign management, digital and social media execution, and production, including event coverage, video shoots and design showcases internally. The brand also entered strategic collaborations with publications such as Khaleej Times and The National to amplify the campaign's narrative, ensure widespread visibility and reinforce the initiative's credibility. In conversation with Campaign Middle East, Azhar Sajan, Founder of Casa Milano, said, 'This wasn't just another marketing campaign; it was a design community-first, experience-led initiative. By shining the spotlight on the designers' personal journeys — their inspirations, challenges, and growth — Casa Milano crafted an authentic narrative that resonated deeply within the design fraternity. Each mentorship session, each design concept and each transformation were shared with the wider public, encouraging organic conversations and engagement across the industry.' Sajan added, 'The specific goals of the Talking Walls campaign were to nurture the next generation of design talent, providing them with visibility and mentorship; to create a collaborative platform where senior industry experts can guide young designers, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing; and, importantly, to expand its network within the design community, tapping into fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, while positioning Casa Milano as a facilitator of creativity and professional growth.' Rather than focusing on products or sales, Casa Milano positioned its platform as a creative canvas, inviting emerging talent to reimagine bathroom spaces using materials supplied by the brand — all under the mentorship of respected stakeholders in the industry. 'At its core, the strategy was about empowering fresh voices, celebrating senior expertise, and bridging the gap between generations of designers. In doing so, Casa Milano not only aimed to foster creativity, but also broaden and strengthen its ever-growing design community,' Sajan said. The success of the campaign is being measured through brand awareness and engagement: by monitoring social media impressions, reach and engagement rates across platforms, as well as through sentiment analysis: by gathering feedback from mentors, participants and the wider design community to assess positive sentiment and long-term brand perception. 'Through this campaign, everybody is a winner — designers, mentors and firms alike benefit from exposure, learning, and recognition. It also gives recognition to design firms and provides junior designers a platform for learning and growth, fostering connections across the design community,' Sajan said. He concluded, 'The market's response has been extremely encouraging and positive. Junior designers have welcomed the opportunity as a platform that genuinely supports their careers, while mentors appreciate being part of a meaningful initiative that nurtures upcoming talent.' CREDITS: Client: Casa Milano Media agency: Intelier Production, digital and social media: Casa Milano in-house team
Khaleej Times
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Casa Milano's Talking Walls design challenge is back — Get ready for Season 3
Casa Milano, the leading luxury home solutions provider, has announced the return of Talking Walls, an innovative design challenge that reimagines bathroom experiences and brings groundbreaking design concepts, created by some of the leading UAE design studios. Gearing up for Season 3, Casa Milano hosted a soft launch of the competition in a special Iftar gathering, unveiling the names of the participating design firms — KCA International, MMAC Design Associates, ema., Interspace, Cherwell, DFYN, and Mimar Interiors — all of whom will compete in this prestigious challenge. The event was attended by industry leaders, partners, and design enthusiasts, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead. During the Iftar dinner, teams were asked to write down words that would inspire their bathroom design concepts. Out of those words, seven — one per team — will be shortlisted for this year's competition. During the official competition launch, which will be held on April 16 at the Casa Milano showroom, team mentors will be tasked with randomly picking a word, and based on that theme, they will be developing their concepts. Each team is tasked with transforming a 12 sqm space into a stunning bathroom mockup. After developing their initial designs over three weeks, the teams, mentored by senior colleagues, will present their concepts at their respective studios. One of the key features of the event is the opportunity for visitors to explore these innovative mockups at the Downtown Design Fair in Dubai. The competition will culminate in a VIP awards ceremony in November, where the winning design will be announced. Last year's winner, SBID, developed their standout concept based on the theme 'Aquatonic,' setting a high standard for innovation. Over past editions, themes such as quirky, whimsical, urban, and power have challenged designers to push creative boundaries, transforming bathrooms into immersive spaces with unique storytelling elements. The Talking Walls design challenge is hosted by Casa Milano in partnership with Intelier. The brainchild of Azhar Sajan, founder and director of Casa Milano, Talking Walls serves as a platform that celebrates visionary design by bringing together some of the most talented professionals in the industry. Speaking about the initiative, Sajan stated: 'Talking Walls is more than just a competition; it is a movement that nurtures creativity, fosters collaboration, and showcases the limitless potential of design while spotlighting young designers working in the region. With Season 3, we aim to raise the bar even higher and provide designers with an extraordinary opportunity to showcase their talent on a grand stage.' After months of dedicated effort, the teams will present their custom creations within Casa Milano's booth, offering visitors and judges an immersive design experience. A grand prize worth competing for The winning team will embark on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy, immersing themselves in the country's rich heritage of design and craftsmanship. This exclusive opportunity offers unparalleled inspiration and professional growth, reinforcing their commitment to excellence in interior design. An esteemed panel of international and local design professionals will oversee the competition, ensuring a fair and inspiring selection process. In addition to the main prize of a trip to Europe, which will be decided by an expert jury, Talking Walls: Reimagining the Bathroom Experience will also feature several other awards. These include 'The Best Executed Stand', 'The Public Vote Award', 'The Most Sustainable Design Award', and 'The Best Presentation Award', presented by Intelier, offering further opportunities to recognise and celebrate outstanding design achievements. Firas, the founder of 4Space and a past participant, shared his experience, "Talking Walls was an incredible journey for 4SPACE — a platform that truly celebrates creativity and challenges designers to think beyond boundaries. It pushed us to bring a bold and unconventional vision to life, and the overwhelming engagement showed just how deeply people connected with it. A huge thank you to Casa Milano and the organisers for curating such a dynamic and inspiring competition." Casa Milano continues to champion creativity and innovation in the design industry, and Talking Walls Season 3 is set to be a landmark event in Dubai's design calendar.
