How to Prevent Surface Failure in High-Traffic GCC Hospitality Zones

By Farzaneh Art Studio Team

2/24/26

In hospitality projects across the GCC, tile selection is often approached as a visual choice driven by pattern, colour, and brand identity. In reality, surface specification is one of the most critical risk decisions in the lifecycle of a project.

High-use zones such as wet areas, entrances, and F&B back-of-house rarely fail because the design intent is wrong. They fail because surfaces are treated as decorative finishes rather than operational material systems.

In Dubai and Saudi Arabia, daily operations expose surfaces to humidity, aggressive cleaning, chemicals, trolley movement, and repeated micro impacts at edges and junctions. These forces are invisible in renderings, yet they quietly shape how a space ages in real use.

When ceramics are selected primarily for aesthetic alignment, failure begins visually: glaze dulls, grout discolours, edges chip, and once-elegant surfaces start to communicate neglect directly affecting guest perception and brand experience.

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From Finish to System

In high-performance hospitality environments, ceramic surfaces must be specified as part of a material system. Surfaces interact daily with cleaning protocols, chemicals, foot traffic, and service circulation. Designing ceramics as systems means embedding operational logic into material decisions from the earliest stages.

This is particularly important for handcrafted or material driven surfaces. While handcrafted tiles bring depth and narrative into space, they also demand greater technical precision in detailing and specification to perform well over time.

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The 10-Point Surface Risk Check

Before locking tile specifications, review surfaces through this operational lens:

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Cleaning protocol & frequency

• Chemical exposure

• Slip behaviour in wet conditions

• Grout strategy

• Edge detailing

• Junction logic

• Drainage & slope coordination

• Service circulation paths

• Replaceability

• Visual aging over time

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Why It Matters

Surface decisions shape maintenance costs, operational reliability, and long-term brand perception. Treating ceramics as operational systems not decorative finishes helps hospitality projects age with integrity.

Surface design is not an aesthetic afterthought. It is part of the architectural infrastructure of hospitality spaces.

If you’d like a one page version of the Surface Risk Checklist for your project team, feel free to get in touch.

How to Prevent Surface Failure in High-Traffic GCC Hospitality Zones

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