A few years after both graduating with degrees in architecture, close friends Mohamed Ali and Ahmed Saber decided to explore working together, and launched their design firm, MAG Interiors, in 2020. MAG is already making its mark with services in architecture, interior design and construction. eniGma’s Nour Torky sat down with the duo to get to know more about MAG, their creative design process and the inspiration that drives them.
Friends since childhood, Mohamed Ali and Ahmed Saber studied architecture at university and graduated together in 2015. They both worked as freelance architects and interior designers until 2020 when they got together to launch MAG Interiors, which has already shown great potential in its first year. Beyond their strong bond of friendship, Ali and Saber share a client-oriented design philosophy, even as they each have their own unique design style. “We share the same thought process, while we also complete each other, business wise. We have a very good balance, working together,” says Ali.
“When it comes to style, we are totally different,” says Saber. “Ali leans more towards contemporary design, while my style is more about creating minimalistic and simple designs,” he explains. While each has his own distinctive artistic perspective on projects, their differences complement each other, rather than clash. They enjoy bouncing ideas off of each other, expanding their horizons to the benefit of their clients.
MAG is fully equipped to do any job from start to finish. “We both have degrees in architecture, so we basically do it all,” says Ali, explaining that MAG often takes on projects from scratch, transforming an empty plot to a fully furnished space tailored to meet each client’s needs. While Ali works more on design, customer relations and client sit-downs, Saber handles construction and finance.
Both partners emphasise the importance of sitting down with clients and connecting with them personally. Understanding their clients’ lifestyle helps them create detailed, customised designs that fit their clients’ needs and way of life. Saber goes on to explain that the meetings with clients go on until the client and the designer are on the same page. “We meet with clients a lot of times before we start designing. We mainly meet at the construction site so the client gets a good feel of the dynamics of the project,” says Saber.
While MAG works on commercial projects, as well as residential, the residential projects are a lot more frequent than the commercial. Each type of project comes with its own set of perks, especially residential ones. ”Residential projects create more room for creativity. Each client is distinctive and unique in his own way and each has his own preferred style. Residential clients also care deeply about every aspect, which gives us room to be more thoughtful and inventive in our projects,” Saber explains.
While MAG has been in business for just a little over a year, the young dynamic duo is currently working on several residential projects that include duplex villas and apartments as well as the renovation of buildings. Looking forward, they are hoping to expand MAG, as they continue to produce some of the most innovative designs and high-quality construction services in the market.