The creative collaboration between Caurini and Yemaya
At Caurini, creativity, emotion, and craftsmanship are at the heart of everything we do. This ethos comes to life in our recent collaboration with Yemaya, a leading interior architecture studio founded by Alexandra Kassimaly, specializing in hospitality and corporate renovations across West Africa.
Together, Caurini and Yemaya have joined forces to transform the landscape of office design in Côte d’Ivoire, bringing a fresh, human-centered perspective to professional spaces. Our combined strengths — Caurini’s bespoke design and sensory approach, paired with Yemaya’s structural precision and project expertise — have led to remarkable achievements, such as the new offices for iMoney, an ambitious fintech start-up, and the new headquarters for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Abidjan.
Designing for Innovation: The iMoney Project
For iMoney, our shared goal was to fuse the dynamic spirit of a tech start-up with contemporary African aesthetics. It was essential to create an environment that was both deeply rooted in local culture and aligned with the fast-paced demands of the digital world.
We integrated traditional patterns, raw natural materials like wood, and curated African artworks into a clean, modern layout — telling a story of identity and innovation without falling into cliché. Each design element was carefully selected to reflect iMoney’s mission and inspire its teams daily. Alongside the storytelling aspect, we designed highly functional workspaces, with special attention to acoustics, modularity, and confidential meeting areas essential for a fintech environment.
Supporting humanitarian excellence: The MSF Headquarters
In contrast, our work for Médecins Sans Frontières demanded an entirely different approach: one that prioritized simplicity, compliance with international standards, and durability. Working closely together, we designed a minimalist, neutral environment, dominated by light woods, whites, and soft grays — creating a calm, efficient backdrop for MSF’s humanitarian mission.
Functionality was non-negotiable. We incorporated double-glazed partitions for soundproofing and natural light, easy-maintenance materials, and fully accessible spaces for individuals with reduced mobility. Despite tight timelines and the need for absolute precision, our collaboration allowed us to deliver a space perfectly suited to MSF’s operational and ethical standards.
The power of collaboration
At the core of this partnership between Caurini and Yemaya is a profound mutual respect. Alexandra brings rigor, structure, and strategic oversight to each project. Roos, infuses every space with emotion, creativity, and narrative depth. Together, we believe that interior design is not just about aesthetics — it’s about enhancing life at work, telling meaningful stories through space, and fostering environments where people thrive.
Each project we undertake together is a testament to a shared vision: that African companies and organizations deserve workspaces that are not only functional and modern but deeply connected to their identity and aspirations.