The designer Karim Rashid’s highly sculpted Origami Island features sharp asymmetrical lines.
The designer Karim Rashid’s highly sculpted Origami Island features sharp asymmetrical lines.

Origami kitchen island gives the worktop a new angle



In his customary fashion, the eclectic, Egyptian-born designer Karim Rashid has taken the traditional kitchen and given it a futuristic shake-up.

Designed for the Egypt-based Amr Helmy Designs, the new Origami Island kitchen is inspired by the ancient Oriental art it is named after. The kitchen is made entirely out of Dupont Corian and is defined by its asymmetrical contours and sinuous, sculptural lines.

The island's narrow base expands into a wide worktop that is split into three distinct areas. There's a cooking area and hob; a cleaning area with an integrated sink, and a snack area. These are complemented by a large wall cabinet, drawers and kitchen appliances. The door panelling on the cabinetry is emblazoned with a three-dimensional, geometric, retro-pop pattern that is also quintessential Karim Rashid.

With more than 3,000 designs, 300 awards and countless books under his belt, Karim is recognised as one of the most prolific designers of his generation. His portfolio includes household products of every description, fashion items ranging from watches to Wellington boots, and restaurants, bars, hotels, residences and retail spaces.

For more information on the Origami Island kitchen, visit www.amrhelmydesigns.com

Company profile

Company: Verity

Date started: May 2021

Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech

Size: four team members

Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000

Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

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