Inthe Middle East, however, studying window frames can be a rewarding experience for those who take the time to pay attention. Here each country adopts a unique architectural style incorporating centuries of artistic heritage.
These designs have both an aesthetic and utilitarian element; before the advent of the air conditioner, significant effort went into designing frames that allowed the greatest amount of cool air in, while keeping nuisances like dust, insects and sand out.
Usually seen in older neighbourhoods, which have been spared the flashy but characterless designs associated with regenerated districts, these windows reflect centuries of Arab, Persian and Ottoman influences.
Besides the long history of cultural interaction between Arabs and Persians, Jeddah and the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia was a transit point for pilgrims from across the Muslim world travelling to Mecca to perform the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages.
It's possible therefore that, like so many of the Hejaz's traditions, the architectural form was introduced to the region by visitors or migrants; other sources claim an Indian or East African origin.
The Arabic word mashrabeyya comes from the word for "place of drinking" and its association with the windows could be because they offered a ventilated and shadowed place for people to leave water to cool.
The qamariya, derived from the Arabic word for moon, gets its name from the semi-circle shape capping the window frame. The space is filled with decorative windows, typically made from gypsum and filled with coloured glass, each one featuring a different pattern.
Many of the windows also feature geometric patterns, as well as Islamic-inspired artwork, including motifs, such as crescents and stars. Some feature images of plants and flowers, such as the lotus, jasmine and tulips.
Local legend holds that the colour scheme was the brainchild of a French baron, who arrived in the country during the colonial era, using shades of blue of the sky and sea to paint onto the whitewashed homes.
Window designs are traditionally uniform across the majority of buildings, however, larger window frames allow craftsmen to be more inventive and experimental, and therefore often feature other patterns.
Lightweight carbon nanotubes have many potential applications thanks to their mechanical strength and nanoscale dimensions. It can be found in a range of applications, from bulletproof armour to experimental television screens.
Now, researchers from the United States and Saudi Arabia have created a device of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) that could be used to make 'smart windows', turning the windows of buildings and cars into places to display information and mutlimedia, publishing their findings in Nature Photonics1.
Putting a thin film of SWCNT in contact with a layer of ionic liquid creates an electric charge and forms a high density of holes. This allowed the team to control the film's transparency to infrared and visible light, and might enable the display of information.
The high density of holes gives the SWNT a chemical potential that, in turn, creates a wide range of transparencies. This ability, say the researchers, makes the material ideal for use in 'smart windows'.
WinDoorEx Middle East is a major trade show focused on the window, door, curtain wall, and sunshade industry in the Middle East region. Since its inception in 2010, it has been held annually in Cairo, Egypt. The event will be held at the renowned Cairo International Convention & Exhibition Center (CICC), known for its modern infrastructure and world-class facilities. The exhibition is organized by Arabian German for Exhibitions & Publishing (AGEX), a leading organizer of exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East.literal(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle []).push();/literal Glass & Aluminum is also organized by Arabian German for Exhibitions & Publishing (AGEX) and takes place parallel to WinDoorEx. It complements WinDoorEx Middle East perfectly! A combination of both trade fairs enables visitors to discover a broader range of products and solutions from the window, door, glass, facade, and sun protection industry. The fair covers a wide range of products and services, including windows, doors, glass facades, shading systems, machines, and tools. The highlights include innovative solutions in the areas of energy efficiency, security, and design. WinDoorEx Middle East is also known for its superlatives, such as the presentation of the largest glass facade or the fastest facade assembly system. In summary, WinDoorEx Middle East is an important platform for professionals in the construction and facade industry who want to find out about the latest developments and establish business relationships in the region. By hosting both events at the same time, trade visitors can use synergies to expand their business relationships and knowledge of current trends and innovations in these closely related industries. This helps to increase the attractiveness and value of the trade fairs for exhibitors and visitors alike.
Disclaimer: No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. Errors and alterations excepted! Fair dates and exhibition sites are subject to change by the respective trade fair organiser.
2008-2024 Sima Media GmbH Texts, images, graphics and the design of this website are protected by copyright. Any use beyond the narrow limits of copyright law is not permitted without consent. Abuse will be admonished without warning. The logos and trade names shown are registered trademarks and therefore property of the respective companies. Changes and errors excepted! Changes of exhibition dates or places are reserved to the respective trade fair organizer. All statements without guarantee.
Each year, companies invest hundreds of billions of dollars in their digital channels to improve customer experience (and ultimately delight consumers). But ensuring this spending bears fruit requires organizations to gain an understanding of what consumers actually want. These preferences can evolve rapidly. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital channels have offered a valuable lifeline for consumers and companies alike. But will consumers return to their prepandemic behavior, maintain their digital ways, or adopt entirely new behaviors?
The three Middle Eastern countries in our sample offer different windows into the region, but each has its own levels of internet penetration and modes of access. The United Arab Emirates leads the pack: 99 percent of its consumers have access to the internet, compared with just 71 percent in Egypt. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates outpaced Egypt and Saudi Arabia on subscriptions to mobile (by 3.0 and 1.6 times, respectively) and broadband (3.6 and 1.8 times, respectively). Egypt has the most room for growth in internet access in the coming years: 31 million of its residents lack internet access, representing the largest untapped segment for digital businesses in the region. Companies that can better harness their digital channels and cater to the Egyptian market could unlock significant sources of growth in the coming years.
Digital adoption across industries, both fully digital and remotely assisted (for example, through call centers), is similar in all three countries in our survey, with rates of about 75 to 80 percent. Digital consumers make up the majority of users in a number of industries, reinforcing how digital channels have reshaped engagement and commerce. Grocery and healthcare remain the least disrupted by digital: consumer adoption hovers around 55 percent, compared with an average of 76 percent for all industries. In-person elements are a large part of the consumer experience in these industries, so businesses will need to continually invest in developing a digital value proposition that rivals or exceeds great physical experiences.
Survey respondents, especially those in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, report that healthcare and government digital services are the hardest to use. While United Arab Emirates consumers are 1.3 times less likely than their peers in Egypt and Saudi Arabia to report that digital experiences are lacking, they are also 1.6 times more likely to feel processes are faster in person. This pattern is especially pertinent because the United Arab Emirates government has made strong pushes to promote digital adoption. To truly enable adoption, digital experiences must be superior to good physical experiences.
Organizations in the region have an opportunity to create a user experience that is tailored to consumer wants and needs and addresses pain points. Those that can do so successfully will stand out from the competition.
As companies in the region seek to create a distinctive digital experience, they should focus on the factors consumers value the most. Our survey revealed trust in digital channels does not automatically translate to increased consumer satisfaction. For instance, the Middle East ranks highly in terms of trust but is doing poorly on measures of satisfaction. So while Middle Eastern users are more open to embracing new digital services than users in other regions, the digital solutions being offered are not better than elsewhere.
Over the past three years, consumers have increasingly migrated to digital channels, and this trend shows no signs of slowing. Across countries and industries, consumers expect to maintain or increase their use of digital channels in the next six months at a higher rate; the lone exception is grocery in the United Arab Emirates, where the share of users expecting to increase their digital use is eight percentage points lower compared with the previous six months. This consistent growth across the region is in marked contrast to Europe, where digital adoption appears to have slowed.
Overall, consumer use of digital services is poised to grow fastest in Egypt (an average of eight percentage points higher than in the previous six months across industries) compared with Saudi Arabia (three percentage points) and the United Arab Emirates (four percentage points). Insurance in Egypt experienced the greatest increase in intended digital use, followed by government and healthcare in that country and travel in the United Arab Emirates. Companies in other industries could use these elevated user experiences and activity as inspiration.
3a8082e126