Meet your Designer

Founded in 2017, ZKANDAR STUDIO is a thought leadership led architectural and interior design practice that excels in redefining fitness and wellness spaces. Their creative juice can also be seen in their designs for up and coming food and beverage concepts as well as a variety of mixed-use projects. Speaking of their methodology, the studio’s Founder, Khaled Iskandar, describes it as multi-dimensional.  “We design alongside our clients with their customer at top of mind.  We tackle multi-sensory touchpoints, examine psychological behaviors and patterns and infuse our contemporary, modern approach, creating an essence of timelessness in our work.”

Born and raised in the UAE, Khaled is a multi-disciplinary creative - an architect, artist and passionate athlete.  Most notably he practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and dynamic forms of fitness which are self-developed.  “As an athlete, I fight to constantly challenge myself.  As an artist, creativity keeps me sane.  As an architect, visualizing is passion.” Khaled also added, “I believe the more diverse we are, the richer the creative mind is, hence what we produce is a reflection of who we truly are.”

Tell us about your studio and your chosen specialization? 

We are inspired by movement and motivated by experiential design and believe that every space is predefined to narrate a timeless story.  With ZKANDAR STUDIO’S own philosophy of being at the forefront of passionately redefining fitness and wellness spaces in the region, we often pose the question – “who are we to statically define the spaces meant to bring about healthy change, when every person’s body and every person’s capability is drastically different?  Why can’t our spaces actively reflect our actual human experience and adapt as such?”  We create concepts that exploit these spaces and functional attributes to adapt to our current way of living and truly encompass multi-sensory experiences in a more fulfilling and human centric way.  A fitness space should be able to accommodate the needs of athletes but also the needs of the everyday person who may be intimidated by overly dynamic, traditional spaces full of imposing machines.

How has the pandemic shaped your thinking in regards to design? 

It’s undeniable that the recent global pandemic has drastically changed our “everyday”.  Ultimately, the global disruption and the analysis that ensued has been a major opportunity for the design industry to explore new concepts and ways of living – calling us to leave behind mediocrity and embrace forward thinking concepts.  The pause had many people re-evaluating their health and wellness rituals as well as identifying underlying sources of stress.  Armed with a renewed sense of purpose and focus, the general public is now ready to embrace a reset and entertain mixed use spaces that address multiple issues and combine unique solutions. With the UAE’s own vision of encouraging disruptive thinking, “on the pulse” local thinkers should feel empowered to birth the most creative solutions.

What is the importance of an architect in design?

Khaled believes the concept design is a meticulous stage to ensure a picture perfect progress to the design at hand. He states “We as Architects focus on problem solving that delivers outcomes, we engage in space poetics— creation of forms, generating light and shadows, study of positive and negative space, incorporation of textures, integrating nature. Nonetheless, we are narrating a story for the new experiences we are destined to design for you.”