Danube, the leading construction, building materials and home interiors company in partnership with the Association ofProfessional Interior Designers (APID), announced the winners of Danube Students Interior Design Awards 2012 at a gala ceremony held at Grand Hyatt, Dubai.
The event was graced by H.E. Humaid Mohammed Obeid Al Qattami, UAE Minister of Education, who presented the awards to the winners. He stated the importance of interior design as an industry, encouraging students to strive for excellence in their approach. The event also marked the esteemed presence of Ms. Zarine Khan, Bollywood’s favorite Interior Decorator.

The Danube-APID Student Interior Design Competition was developed as an adjunct to typical course work, where students could utilize skills learned through their current academic development, in the design of an interior environment with far reaching appeal.

The registration process started in March 2012 inviting post-secondary students from GCC to apply for the competition.

The distinguished panel of judges for the competition comprised of Ms.Faten Alsarraf, Managing Director at Final Fix Interiors, Ms.Indu Varanasi, Managing Director at IR Design and Mr.Erick Casidsid, Design Manager at Gemaco Interiors. The designs were evaluated on aspects such as functionality, presentation, innovation and usability.
The winners of the competition were chosen from over 280 entries submitted in the two categories. The grand winning entry was rewarded with a cash prize of AED 20,000 and the winners in the CEO’s category were awarded with a prize of AED 5,000. The inaugural competition awarded 12 winners with total prize money of AED 85,000.

Danube Building Materials, a leader in construction, building materials and shop fitting industries, opened a new showroom in Muscat, Oman, reflecting its continuing move to strengthen its market presence and help address the demands of the country’s emerging property market. The new showroom was inaugurated by Akbar Mustafa Abdul Reda Sultan, Managing Director, Mustafa Sultan Enterprises in the presence of Senior Danube officials. The leading company’s ongoing expansion initiative complements a recent report from Ventures, a leading international business research and intelligence firm, showing that Oman’s construction industry is expected to key in spends of over USD 27 billion by 2014.

The new showroom is located along Ruwi’s Honda Road inside the wholesale and retail section for building materials. The new retail facility measures 42, 957 square metres and showcases the latest in sanitary, hardware, chandeliers and ceramic tiles.

Not Just a New look. A New Outlook.

Over the last few months, we have changed almost everything at Danube & Danube Buildmart; the
brand, the products, the look of our Head Office and many of our premises, and most importantly, our
philosophy. Today, we have put together a youthful and stylish brand that believes in Change. We believe in constantly challenging ourselves, bringing in new products that are more stylish, of better quality and delivering more functional value, while being more ethical and more environment-friendly, all at once.

How we Evolved…

Danube Building Materials, the leader in construction, building materials and shop fitting industries, opened its BUILDMART’ showroom last December 15, 2011 in Bur Dubai. H.E. Sami Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director General, Dubai Economic Department (DED), led the inaugural ceremonies and was joined by Rizwan Sajan, Founder and Chairman, Danube and other senior officials of the company. The new B2C stand alone showroom is part of the leading company’s continuing efforts to consolidate its market presence in the UAE and the rest of the Middle East region.

The new ‘BUILDMART’ showroom is located in the activity laden Computer Street of Bur Dubai and spans 7500 square feet. The B2C retail facility is looking to target Dubai’s growing number of construction projects while also tapping into the local homeowners based in the many building
apartments and villas located in the Bur Dubai district. The new branch will offer an impressive collection of products that range from essential building materials to key household items. Products to be offered will include chandeliers, sanitary, ceramic tiles, wallpapers, curtains, blinds, carpets, plywood, timber, steel, hardware, flooring, gypsum and veneer.