The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood (SCMC)

The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood (SCMC), an organisation that aims to promote welfare and development for all mothers and children in the region.
The brief was to create a comfortable, harmonious, and functional workspace to
compliment the existing headquarters of the General Women’s Union built on the
adjacent plot. Spanning across three levels, the environment needed to be welcoming and purposeful for both adults and children, and accommodate SCMC’s current team and future expansion. The ground floor includes a reception area, an exhibition space, an auditorium with mezzanine level, a children’s nursery and gym as well as training rooms. The first floor encompasses individually-designed meeting rooms, a library and a large majlis event space while the second floor houses senior management offices and the boardroom.

We wanted the design narrative to subtly allude to different cultural elements from the region while drawing attention to the SCMC’s core mission: to foster innovation and creativity in the fields of motherhood and childhood.

When designing a space, we always have the users front-of mind.
Here, the interiors remind the decision makers how their work impacts little people.
This was done by infusing a playful energy across the three floors of the building, with each level offering a unique experience. A number of patterns and morphologies have been used throughout to create distinct pockets of functionality and pivotal moments within the space. The outcome is a workplace for education professionals to do their job – from deep, solo work to collaboration – but with a dynamic vibe.

The ground floor reception area has been designed to mimic a traditional Emirati outdoor courtyard, with the incorporation of arches and seating alcoves combined with lush greenery – not only through the use of biophilia but also through the application of a soft ombre envelope – that completely alters the atmosphere of the space, creating a memorable moment immediately upon visitor greeting. With a playful mindset, users are organically led into a working environment, which has been equipped to fulfil the needs and activities of both adults and children.

The nursery space takes cues from time-honoured Emirati craftsmanship, which are
manifested in a range of design components: the handmade sadu composition – a
traditional weaving technique using palm leaves – is applied on the ceiling, and structures that nod to the local desert landscape are placed within the design. Roar has imagined several design moments to allow for vertical and horizontal play including the Lego wall, the sadu teddy bear, and climbing walls with many pockets for exploration and play.

The first floor is the main office space featuring a series of seamless open offices, enclosed and translucent meeting rooms as well as a flowing library for research, reflection and relaxation.

For Her Excellency’s Office situated on the second floor, Roar has introduced an elegance to the overall theme of playfulness by incorporating bespoke design elements and a more formal tone in this space.