Al Ain, united arab emirates
SIB | Al Ain Mall Branch
client
Sharjah Islamic Bank
Date
May 2026
Services
Interior Design
Al Ain, united arab emirates
SIB | Al Ain Mall Branch
Client
Sharjah Islamic Bank
Date
May 2026
Services
Interior Design
The Brief
When Sharjah Islamic Bank returned to Ten Eight following the success of their Dubai Mall branch, the brief went far beyond a single new location. They were asking us to reimagine what an SIB branch could be — entirely. Across the UAE, a new generation of financial environments was raising the standard — brighter, more human, more experiential. SIB needed to meet that standard and exceed it. Our brief was to design a flagship branch concept for Al Ain that would define the bank’s physical identity from 2026 onward — a template for modernisation anchoring SIB’s broader network expansion strategy. It was, in the truest sense, a strategic design commission.
The Approach
We found our answer in hospitality. The conventional branch model — arrive, queue, wait, transact, leave — has had its day. In its place, we designed an environment built around comfort and flow, anchored by a generous central lounge with sculptural modular seating in grey, navy, and orange, softened by tall ornamental grasses that bring a rare natural quality to a banking environment.
The Approach
The palette is calm and confident — blue and white as the foundation, orange as the accent. Brushed stainless steel, blue fluted glass partitions, and a magnetic LED lighting system deliver a premium finish without visual clutter. Digital content — LED walls, queue management, dual-language signage — was conceived and designed by Ten Eight as an integrated visual language, not an afterthought. Tactile floor paths and full provisions for People of Determination ensure the space is as inclusive as it is striking.
The Outcome
The Al Ain branch is not simply a new SIB location. It is a benchmark — a fully resolved concept that sets the standard for how Sharjah Islamic Bank will present itself to customers across its expanding physical network. Brighter, more considered, and markedly more sophisticated than what came before, it positions SIB confidently alongside the most progressive retail banking environments in the UAE.
