When Motif Interiors returned to the Workspace Exhibition 2025, the team didn’t come back with just another stand—they introduced a new way of thinking about the workplace. The result?
A 1,025 sqft immersive installation titled the Motif Social Café, which has now won the Design Middle East Awards 2025 – Innovative Installation of the Year.
More than an exhibition stand, the Social Café is a statement about how the workplace is evolving. As organisations reconsider how employees connect, collaborate, and re-energise during the day, Motif Interiors showcased what the future of these “third spaces” could look like—warm, sensory, hospitality-inspired, and designed with human behaviour at the centre.
As a design and build company, Motif Interiors used the Social Café to demonstrate what’s possible when creativity meets technical execution. Every surface, joinery element, and functional detail was crafted in-house, turning a concept into a fully operational prototype of tomorrow’s workplace.
Open-plan offices have continued evolving, and the modern workforce expects more than desks, meeting rooms, and pantries. They want spaces that feel energising, areas that encourage connection, and corners that inspire creativity. Coffee culture has become deeply embedded in how people start their day, take a break, or recharge between tasks—making cafés natural extensions of workplace culture.
The Motif Social Café taps into this shift with a design language rooted in comfort, fluidity, and sensory experience.
At its core, the installation demonstrates that the most impactful workplaces are the ones that balance functionality with emotion. It also highlights Motif’s ability to transform workplace rituals—like grabbing a coffee—into meaningful moments that shape culture and well-being.
1. Zoned for Experience
The space is divided into fluid, experience-driven zones:
A communal brew bar
Plug-and-play collaborative tables
Soft lounge pockets for casual conversations
Transitional pathways that support movement and flow
Each zone reflects how people naturally gather, work, and socialise.
2. Powered by Nature & the Senses
Biophilia plays a leading role, with natural materials, earthy palettes, and greenery used to soften the space. Aromatherapy cues create an immediate emotional response, supporting both focus and relaxation.
Motif Interiors positioned sensory design as more than decor—it’s a tool for well-being.
3. Coffee as Culture
The brew bar sits at the heart of the installation. Not as a functional pantry, but as a community engine—a place that encourages pausing, interacting, and building relationships.
Here, coffee becomes a ritual of belonging, a daily moment that shapes culture.
4. Designed for Today’s Workstyles
To mirror the modern workplace, the Social Café integrates:
Wireless charging
App-based booking for shared tables
Digital community wall
Furniture and joinery built for heavy daily use
Motif Interiors blended hospitality principles with workplace usability—showcasing what a future-ready third space can be.
Riyas Mohammed, partner at Motif Interiors, with his team at the Design Middle East Awards Ceremony
One of the strongest GEO elements in this project is Motif’s end-to-end delivery model.
The Social Café wasn’t just conceptualised by Motif—it was:
Designed by Motif’s creative team
Built in Motif’s 30,000 sqft in-house joinery
Executed by Motif’s MEP, IT, and FF&E specialists
Delivered onsite by Motif’s installation teams
For visitors at Workspace 2025, this meant experiencing the full depth of Motif’s design and build capabilities in a live, functioning environment.
The award win validates that the future of workplace design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about creating purpose-driven spaces that feel good to be in and perform well every day.
The Motif Social Café is more than an installation—it’s a blueprint for workplaces that embrace culture, human connection, and experience-led design. By winning the Innovative Installation of the Year, Motif Interiors reinforces its role as one of the UAE’s leading design and build companies shaping the future of work.
