Inside STUDIOI: Interior Design

Meet Magdalena Strag – Momen, Head of Interior Design

With over a decade of international experience in interior design, Magdalena Strag – Momen has built her career around creating spaces that balance creativity with technical precision. As Head of Interior Design at STUDIOI, she leads a multidisciplinary team working across Dubai, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, and India, delivering projects through collaboration, trust, and a structured design approach. In this conversation, she shares the department’s journey, her leadership philosophy, and the principles that shape every project.

Building the Interior Design Department

Our Interior Design team was established around eight years ago. It was initially built by Delvene Lee, who carefully assembled a strong team of individuals capable of delivering medium- and large-scale projects. A positive and collaborative working atmosphere has always been one of the key strengths of the department. Around three years ago, the Interior Design department underwent a leadership change and has continued to evolve its strategy to successfully deliver large-scale projects through a well-defined and structured workflow. Today, the team is well organized into dedicated sub-departments, including Concept Design, Technical Documentation, Detailing, and FF&E, allowing each discipline to focus on its expertise while ensuring efficient coordination and high-quality project delivery.

A Defining Milestone

Over the past two years, there have been two key projects that required exceptional attention to detail and, more importantly, strong internal Interior Design management to ensure that all changes, client requirements, and coordination were effectively controlled. The first was the PJA Villas project, which demanded extensive multidisciplinary coordination. The second was Ghaf Woods, a project that evolved almost daily, requiring rapid responses to continuous design and documentation changes within very short timeframes. In many cases, the complexity of a project is not determined by how technically difficult it is, but by how quickly and efficiently the team can adapt to constant changes while maintaining quality and consistency. Only a well-organized and structured team can successfully respond to such challenges. Another major strength of our department is our Interior Design team in Sarajevo, Bosnia, which has become a fundamental part of Studio I’s Interior Design department. Led by Jelena Kadrić, the Sarajevo team consistently delivers complex projects to the highest standard. Our collaboration is built on mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement, making the integration between both teams highly effective and enjoyable.

A Global Team

Our Interior Design team is an international group of professionals with members based in Dubai, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, and India. Our primary offices are located in Dubai and Sarajevo, enabling us to effectively support projects across multiple regions while maintaining close collaboration between teams. This international structure allows us to combine diverse expertise, provide continuous project support across different time zones, and allocate resources efficiently according to project requirements. Despite being geographically distributed, we operate as one integrated team, united by common standards, shared knowledge, and a collaborative approach.

Strength Through Specialization

As mentioned previously, our work is distributed across different areas of responsibility. Some team members focus on project and team management, while others are responsible for concept design and reports. Part of the team ensures the delivery and coordination of Revit documentation, while others focus on detailed design development in CAD. Each of these subdisciplines plays an equally important role in the successful delivery of a project. Our strength comes from the close collaboration between all parts of the team, with every member contributing their specific expertise toward the same goal.

A Diverse Team

Friendship, trust, and diversity are at the core of our team culture. We value the acceptance of different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and ways of working, with a clear understanding that we are not all the same—and that this is one of our greatest strengths. Our collaboration is built on mutual respect, openness, and trust. By learning from one another and appreciating our differences, we create a stronger, more supportive, and more inclusive working environment.

Listening Before Designing

Our philosophy is to stay present enough to “read the room”—to understand what is happening in the Dubai market and recognize how people’s needs, lifestyles, and expectations are evolving. As interior designers, we should also be psychologists. When designing for developers, we must understand and respond to the needs of the wider market. When designing for private clients, we must carefully listen to the individual and translate their personality, aspirations, and lifestyle into the design. In both scenarios, the most important skill is the ability to listen before we create.

Designing as One Team

Collaboration between larger departments is often the most challenging aspect of delivering complex projects. In large organizations, responsibilities can sometimes become blurred, making strong leadership and clear communication essential. This is where department leaders must remain focused on the final product, ensuring that coordination is maintained and decisions are made with the project’s overall quality in mind. We continuously strive to improve our processes and collaboration, recognizing that there is always room for growth and refinement.

Leading with Trust

I don’t believe in micromanagement, which is why I don’t manage my team that way. I trust my key people and believe that strong relationships are built on mutual trust, accountability, and respect. This approach gives each team member the space to take ownership of their work, define their own goals within their area of responsibility, and continue growing professionally. I believe this creates a stronger team spirit, where people feel empowered rather than controlled. I genuinely enjoy working with my team and truly appreciate every single member. Each person brings unique strengths and contributes to our collective success, and I believe that recognition and trust are just as important as guidance and direction.

A Project We’re Proud Of

The project was developed for a high-profile individual in the country whose identity must remain confidential. Although we are unable to disclose further details, I truly believe it was an outstanding project, and I am incredibly proud of what our team achieved.

Leading with Trust

I don’t believe in micromanagement, which is why I don’t manage my team that way. I trust my key people and believe that strong relationships are built on mutual trust, accountability, and respect. This approach gives each team member the space to take ownership of their work, define their own goals within their area of responsibility, and continue growing professionally. I believe this creates a stronger team spirit, where people feel empowered rather than controlled. I genuinely enjoy working with my team and truly appreciate every single member. Each person brings unique strengths and contributes to our collective success, and I believe that recognition and trust are just as important as guidance and direction.

A Project We’re Proud Of

The project was developed for a high-profile individual in the country whose identity must remain confidential. Although we are unable to disclose further details, I truly believe it was an outstanding project, and I am incredibly proud of what our team achieved.

Navigating Complexity

There was no single defining challenge. Instead, the project involved overcoming numerous day-to-day issues and adapting to changing circumstances throughout the process. Our approach was to remain calm, think objectively, and respond to every challenge with a clear and composed mindset. I believe this consistency and resilience played a significant role in the successful delivery of the project.

Innovation & Digital Workflows

The most significant changes have been in the way we prepare concept reports and present the visual aspects of our projects. We continue to adapt as new requirements and technologies emerge, always looking for ways to improve the quality and efficiency of our work. As a company, we are committed to continuously improving our operations. We understand that our industry is constantly evolving, and we strive to evolve with it, embracing new ideas and better ways of working every day.

Looking Ahead

I believe the company has taken a clear direction toward becoming a technically strong, delivery-focused organization capable of handling large and complex projects. As the company continues to evolve, we also need to adapt, refine our skills, and align the way we work with this vision. Continuous learning and flexibility are essential to supporting the company’s growth and maintaining a high standard of project delivery.