Nicola Trivett
General Manager & Sustainability Leader
Some projects stay with you. Not because of their scale alone, or the complexity of delivery, but because of what they represent. The transformation we completed for Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) at Al Bahr Tower is one of those. A full-scale office fit-out in Abu Dhabi spanning 2,748 sqm across five carefully designed floors. This project serves around 250 employees and brings together executive sophistication, genuine workplace flexibility, and a deep commitment to sustainability. It is a project I am proud of. And one that reflects exactly what this team is capable of when everyone is pulling in the same direction.
When a Brief Calls for Something Bigger
ADIC had outgrown its previous office. That is a common starting point for a refurbishment. What was less common was the ambition behind this brief.
This was not about updating finishes or rearranging desks. The organisation wanted a complete transformation. A workplace that could hold executive presence on one floor and open collaboration on the next. A space that serves 250 people well every single day. And an environment that reflects the values of one of Abu Dhabi’s most respected financial institutions.
The scope made that ambition tangible from day one.
- Five floors.
- 2,748 sqm.
- A complete FF&E package.
- High-end stone and timber-effect surfaces, custom joinery, curated artwork, luxury loose furniture, and integrated architectural lighting throughout every level.
- Seamless AV and IT systems.
- Specialist gym installations.
- And underpinning all of it, a clear sustainability commitment, with the project targeting LEED Gold Certification.
That is the kind of brief that energises a team. It is also the kind that demands careful planning, the right partnerships, and an unwavering attention to detail from the first day to the last.
The Right Partners for a Complex Commercial Fit-Out
A commercial fit-out of this scale needs the right people around the table. We delivered this transformation alongside two strong partners. Munazuri Design Studio joined as Lead Design Consultants. They brought a clear creative vision and a genuine understanding of ADIC’s culture and aspirations. PMK Consultant managed the project and cost framework, keeping everything structured and on programme throughout.
When a design consultant, project manager, and fit-out contractor are truly aligned, the client benefits in practical ways. Decisions happen faster. Problems get solved before they become delays. And the finished result feels unified, not pieced together.
This is how we always prefer to work at Summertown. Over 25 years of delivering commercial fit-outs across the UAE have taught us that real collaboration is a delivery mechanism. When everyone is invested in the same outcome, the work is better.
Five Floors, Each With a Clear Purpose
What I love most about this project is the variety it holds. Each floor has a specific function and feel. Yet walk through the building and it all connects. That coherence does not happen by accident. It comes from putting people first at every stage of the design process.
- The Executive Floor sets the tone immediately. It features premium finishes, private offices, formal meeting spaces, and executive lounges. Privacy, comfort, and presence are the priorities here. This is a space designed for high-level decision-making. It communicates authority without feeling cold.
- The Business Floors work differently. Rather than fixed layouts, they offer a mix of open workstations, meeting rooms, breakout areas, and informal collaboration zones. Employees can move between focused work, team sessions, and client interactions throughout the day. That genuine flexibility is designed in from the start, not added as an afterthought and if you want to understand how layout decisions affect the way teams work, read our guide: Office layout and workplace flexibility.
- The Training Floor is purpose-built for learning and development. It accommodates different group sizes and a range of formats, from structured presentations to informal workshops. Importantly, it maintains the same premium aesthetic found throughout the rest of the project. When a learning space feels as considered as the boardroom, it sends a clear message about how the organisation values its people.
- Then there is the Mezzanine Fitness Centre. It is a dedicated wellness space with specialist gym installations and supporting facilities. It brings physical wellbeing directly into the working day. When a well-equipped gym is part of the building, people use it. And when people feel physically well, they simply perform better. We have written in depth about the return on investment of workplace wellbeing, if you want to explore the numbers behind this.
- Finally, the Podium Recreational Floor provides a vibrant contrast to the floors above. It is social, relaxed, and designed for the kind of informal connection that formal meeting rooms cannot create. This is where culture lives. Where conversations happen between people who might not otherwise cross paths. It is easy to underestimate this kind of space. The organisations that get it right notice the difference quickly.
296 Days: Delivering Without Compromise
The timeline was the hardest part of this project. I will be honest about that.
From the first day on site on 10 March 2025 to handover on 30 December 2025, we had 296 days. Five floors of high-specification work, inside one of Abu Dhabi’s most prominent commercial towers. Multiple workstreams ran at the same time throughout. Design decisions were being finalised while procurement was already underway. Materials were in production while site work had begun on other floors. Every part of the operation needed careful coordination so that nothing created a bottleneck.
Long lead items added pressure throughout. Custom joinery, specialist gym equipment, and premium stone and timber finishes all carry manufacturing timelines that cannot be rushed. Approval windows were tight. And all of this happened inside a live building, with other floors fully operational throughout.
That last point matters more than it might seem. Delivering in a live environment is a responsibility, not just a logistics challenge. Noise management, dust control, access coordination, and safe working around an active workplace: All of this requires discipline from every member of the site team, every single day.
We delivered on time. Not by cutting corners, but through proactive planning, honest communication, and a team that solved problems rather than escalated them. I am proud of what they achieved under those conditions.
Sustainable Office Design and the Road to LEED Gold
Sustainability was not a nice-to-have on this project. It was part of the brief from the very beginning, and it shaped decisions at every level of the design and build process.
The project is currently progressing towards LEED Gold Certification. Achieving LEED Gold means demonstrating documented, measurable performance across multiple categories: Energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, responsible materials selection, water reduction, and more. It is a rigorous process that requires evidence at every stage and a genuine commitment from every party involved, not just the contractor.
The material palette chosen for this project reflects that commitment throughout. High-end stone and timber-effect surfaces, carefully selected for both their aesthetic quality and their performance credentials. Custom joinery and luxury furniture specified to stand the test of time rather than be replaced within a few years. Integrated architectural lighting designed to support both user comfort and energy performance. Every decision was made with both quality and responsibility in mind.
For an organisation of ADIC’s standing, the case for sustainable office design in the UAE is compelling on every level. LEED-certified buildings consistently deliver lower operating costs over the long term. They support the kind of ESG reporting and governance commitments that major institutions are increasingly required to demonstrate. And they create genuinely better places to work: Healthier indoor environments, better air quality, and spaces designed to support human health as well as operational performance.
As a LEED certified contractor in Dubai with WELL and LEED accredited professionals across our leadership and project teams, we guide clients through this process from the earliest design stage. The LEED Gold certification for this project is currently in progress, and we look forward to confirming that milestone in due course.
What This Project Tells Us About Office Fit-Out in Abu Dhabi
Al Bahr Tower is one of the most distinctive commercial addresses in Abu Dhabi. The transformation we delivered for ADIC is, in every sense, a statement about what a well-designed workplace can be. Not just aesthetically, but in what it does for the people inside it and for the organisation that operates within it.
ADIC has been a valued client and partner for Summertown for a number of years, and this project deepened that relationship in a meaningful way. It has been a genuine pleasure to work alongside their team to deliver spaces that reflect their vision. I am proud of the relationship we have built and look forward to continuing to support their workplace ambitions as they evolve.
What I see across the UAE market right now is a significant shift in how decision-makers are approaching commercial fit-out. The question is no longer simply “how do we modernise this space?” It has become something more considered: “How do we design a workplace that attracts the right people, supports their wellbeing, meets our sustainability commitments, and performs over the long term?” That is a more complex question. It is also the right one.
This project is evidence that those ambitions can all be achieved in the same space, at the same time, without compromise. Five floors. 2,748 sqm. 250 employees. 296 days. A live building. A brief that asked for luxury, functionality, sustainability, and human connection. The result speaks for itself.
If you are planning a commercial office fit-out in Abu Dhabi or anywhere across the UAE and you want a team that can handle complexity at this level, we would love to talk.
Get in touch with the Summertown team to start the conversation.
Nicola Trivett
General Manager & Sustainability Leader