ABU DHABI | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
FAB | Khaleej Al Arabi
CLIENT
FIRST ABU DHABI BANK
DATE
MAY 2026
SERVICES
INTERIOR DESIGN
ABU DHABI | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
FAB | Khaleej Al Arabi
CLIENT
FIRST ABU DHABI BANK
DATE
MAY 2026
SERVICES
INTERIOR DESIGN
The Brief
First Abu Dhabi Bank came to Ten Eight with a challenge that went to the heart of how Islamic banking presents itself in the UAE. Their existing Islamic branches were virtually indistinguishable from their conventional ones — same materials, same spatial language, same feel. In a market where Islamic banking is increasingly competitive and discerning, that was no longer good enough. Our brief was to develop an entirely new concept for FAB’s Islamic banking branches — one that felt genuinely distinct, deeply considered, and unmistakably FAB. The commission also carried a physical complexity few projects do: a legacy building spanning four floors and over 25,000 square feet, requiring transformation from the facade inward. Inside and out, everything needed to change.
The Approach
Through a series of workshops with all key stakeholders, a clear concept emerged — one built on three interlocking ideas: digital ambience, material authenticity, and cultural depth. Digital ambience became the primary spatial experience. Large-scale LED screens on every floor carry bespoke digital artwork — fluid, atmospheric, and deeply blue — bringing FAB’s brand colour back as the defining emotional register of the space in a way no previous branch had achieved. On the facade, transparent LED screens flood the interior with natural daylight while projecting FAB content toward the main road. At the heart of the design stands the glass elevator — the defining architectural moment of the project.
The Approach
Rising through all four floors and visible from three sides, it turns a functional element into a journey, connecting ground floor, mezzanine, and upper levels both physically and experientially. Material authenticity came through iMesh — an innovative three-dimensional material carrying Islamic geometric patterning across wall panels and joinery, subtly illuminated to make the pattern emerge and recede as you move through the space. Inclusivity was designed in from the outset: height-adjustable teller counters and seating, tactile floor paths, and hearing loop systems in all consultation rooms ensure the branch meets the highest standards for People of Determination.
The Outcome
The Khaleej Al Arabi branch is a landmark — for FAB, for Islamic banking in the UAE, and for what a financial environment can be when it is designed with genuine cultural ambition. Four floors and 25,000 square feet reimagined from the facade inward, it introduces a new visual identity for FAB’s Islamic banking estate that is as strategically considered as it is visually striking.
