Name: DAOUSSER CHENNOUFI
Company: DRAW LINK GROUP
Position within company: CEO and Key Architect
Website: www.drawlinkgroup.com

Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)

Education – Master’s degree in architecture, National School of Architecture and Urbanism (ENAU) in Tunis, Tunisia

Professional experience started as architect, designer and supervision and site management in Tunisia.
Opened company in Dubai as key architect and CEO. First made experience in furniture and showroom creating concept of new showroom, this was during years 2003 – 2006. Now creating new concepts, designing and executing. Leading DLG. Creating new concept of hotel showroom.

How would you describe your personal design style?

Design philosophy: make less to get more- creating intelligent and original concepts to increase value of property and to make good revenue for owners. Quality over quantity. As simple as possible.

Where does your design inspiration come from?

Whatever happens over the World. As new projects, changes of lifestyle, whatever we can feel as space, new solutions

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
It is progressing, but not in all GCC. In Dubai we follow new trends, other Middle East countries not that much. In region this industry have future and the only country that is following it is UAE, it is close to international trends but there is still a lot of progress to be done.
To make our lifes easier.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2014 and beyond.

Technology experience, eco, soul appeasement, comfort, interactivity

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design, what would it be?

Less is more

How important are The International Hotel and Property Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?

Good marketing tool. Not really that well known to me.

What projects are you currently working on?

5 star Hotel in Sharja, G+18, Intercontinental Hotel and Hotel apartment, Continental Hotel in Belarus as well as villas in Ajman, Qatar and Hatta.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

To deliver new quality and propose new lifestyle solutions for middle eastern hotels

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself

Your favourite food and drink? Chivas
Your favourite way to spend an afternoon? smoking shisha with friends
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? An artist