Zayn Malik is called one of the most influential Arab women. A modern Lebanese architect who boldly criticizes urban development in the region.
Zayna Malik nervously walks around her office. She began to write an article in the newspaper with the announcement of the next grandiose Dubai project, but ... she jumps from her place and walks around the table again. Coffee, a glass of water, cigarettes ... Anything that can distract from a hold on a given topic. Does not help.
"They do it again! Look at this! Is it architecture? No, and again no! For two years I scream to them about it, but no one hears! And then we build houses and cities in the Arab world that have no personality. It's not normal . And something needs to be done with it, "- says no, it just screams Zayn.
Fortunately, bankers, devlopers, urban planners and engineers began to heed the views of the 36-year-old female architect from Lebanon. For example, the company Arab Concept Development, in which she started working only two years ago, today is implementing some of the largest projects in the world, and not without the participation of Zayna. With her, contracts were signed for the design of two unique and major projects of the company - Lua and Hydra.
Today, her own concept - “conceptbyzenamalek” - is already a guarantee of high-class buildings and many analysts call her one of the most extraordinary women in the Arab world. Last year, Zayn took 45th place in the ranking of the most influential Arab women, conducted by Arabian Business magazine.
But what is especially important, that her loud statements about developers that they should think about the concept of cities, began to bear fruit. “People in the Arab world find it very expensive to develop a concept. But I think that these people just have lazy minds. Some try to call themselves leaders, although in reality it’s not,” sums up Zeyna, “when I'm sitting in the building in Dubai Marina, I feel exactly the same as from the building in the Deira area. There is no new experience. At least for me. So let's not pretend and say that these are new concepts. All our Arab cities are not have their own face. "
What is special about Zayn? She smashes the list of “impressive” buildings throughout the Middle East, claiming that inside they all look alike, like twin brothers. Taking into account that the Middle East region is today considered one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the time has come to create a truly new and unusual one. “But no one, absolutely no one wants to do this,” says Zeyna.
One step ahead of Arab Concept Development. She is already working on a number of new and unique concepts, not so long ago two of them were approved, thanks to the support of Dr. Suleiman Al Fahim, General Manager of Hydra Properties.
The Lua project, an office tower in the Jumeirah Village neighborhood, will include, along with everything else, a unique URCHEEF restaurant in its offices. “This will be a personal chef for each of the employees who will create a favorite restaurant for everyone. You can eat when you want, and everything will be presented at the highest level. We may even open a network of URCHEEF restaurants in all Arab countries, but only in offices ", comments Zayn.
Her second project - the Hydra tower - looks very unusual from the outside, since each side is different from the rest. And if Lua is an office high-rise building, then Hydra is a hotel apartment in the Business Bay neighborhood, where each guest will be offered secretarial services, and everything will be done in the room in a manner convenient for the guest, even before his arrival.
“I’m so glad that these projects will be implemented, because usually when I invite people to think differently, they don’t want it. And sometimes they just don’t give me a chance to speak. Many developers in Arab countries are interested in only one aspect - how quickly they can complete the construction. And if it can be done in a week - great! Of course, this is much more interesting than thinking about style and personality. But I believe that very soon everything will change. Young and daring designers will be able to stir up this sleepy world, and will appear marketing, nothing on similar concepts, which we will build in our cities ", - concluded emphasizes Zane Malik, a young, bold, impetuous. And for some reason, she wants to believe her. Such as Zayn, do not stop there.
