Khuan chew biography books

This article is being re-published to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Burj, the hotel that raised Dubai to the position of a global competitor destination. It was originally published on HotelDesigns in May

It takes a strange mix of qualities to lead a successful interior design practice. Designers are different to architects. Architects have the political skills and are trained team leaders, designers are the artists. Few architects major on creative flair as the other demands of their profession weigh them down – those few that do become recognised rightly as ‘greats’ in their professions – whilst designers have creativity as their ‘raison d’être’. Thinking laterally is not an attribute that sits well with running a practice. Being an artist is also a more solitary activity whilst driving a business needs the more linear thought patterns of accountancy and banking – even more so in this age of complex Biography books for 4th graders!