A New Chapter in Surfaces

Design has always been an act of convergence: ideas travel, influences overlap and the most compelling spaces come into being when cultures and practices intersect. Few companies embody this principle as directly as APE Grupo. With more than three decades of experience and operations in over 120 countries, the Spanish surfaces company has built its reputation on connecting technical precision with design ambition.

The decision to open its first international flagship store in Dubai is a natural extension of that philosophy. Unlike a traditional retail outlet, the showroom is conceived as a collaborative environment for the design community, featuring the largest tile portfolio in Spain. Bath and pool environments are staged at full scale, XL panels are displayed like canvases, and dedicated areas invite designers, architects and clients to explore ideas in real time. The act of touching, testing and imagining becomes a form of learning, one that informs both aesthetic and practical choices. 

Fayenza by the pool: Handcrafted by APE Grupo for an elegant Dubai project. Design: Astrid Peacock | Execution: Pools by Design | Photograph: Casa Mia Visuals

This shift matters. In an industry where surfaces have often been considered background elements, APE Grupo positions them as central to how design is both imagined and realised. By combining Spanish craftsmanship with the aspirations of the Middle East, the showroom becomes a bridge, linking expertise and innovation with a growing demand for design that is at once functional, expressive and enduring.

Behind every surface is a team shaping the vision. APE Grupo Dubai brings together a multicultural, multilingual group of professionals – each member united by expertise, passion and a shared dedication to making design tangible. From those guiding clients through creative choices to those shaping marketing or driving collaborations, every APE Grupo member contributes their knowledge and perspective, making the showroom a space where ideas converge and cultures intersect. It’s this combination of skill, diversity and shared dedication that turns a showroom into a destination where creativity thrives, collaborations spark and design comes to life.

For Firas Atallah, Middle East Delegation Manager, this store is also a statement of intent: “Dubai felt like the right place to start. It is a city where ideas are exchanged constantly and where design ambition runs high. Opening here shows our commitment not just to the market, but to being part of that larger conversation.”

The opening of the Al Quoz flagship reflects a broader maturity within the region’s design ecosystem and points toward a future where dialogue between designers, clients and materials becomes richer and more collaborative. In that future, spaces like the new showroom will be as important as the projects they ultimately help bring to life.