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Aspen 2020
Elevate 2018
Design Miami 2017
Jungle Protocol 2016
Naked 2014
Confessions 2012
Anastasia Nysten
Born in Ottawa, Canada to a Lebanese Mother and a Finnish father, Anastasia Nysten grew up in Finland, France and Lebanon. She received her Masters degree in Industrial Design from ALBA (Academie Libanese des Beaux-Arts) in Beirut during which time she was working at Karen Chekerdjian design studio. After Graduation she moved to London to be part of Lighting designer Michael Anastassiades’ team where she stayed over three years. As of 2015, Anastasia has been editor of Selections magazine in Dubai, UAE where she now lives and works.
Annabel Kassar
French-born architect Annabel Karim Kassar has developed an international expertise in Architecture and Interior Design since founding her architectural practice in Paris in 1994. She now has offices in Beirut, Dubai and London. Annabel Karim Kassar has been credited with breathing new life into the Middle East’s most creative capital, Beirut. In the mid 90's, she was declared winner in a competition for the reconstruction of the city’s souks. She is also responsible for creating some of Beirut’s hottest venues, Momo at the Souks with Mourad Mazouz, Strange Fruit and Balima. She is currently working on completing major architectural projects in Lebanon and UAE: the Souks Entertainment Center, a 13 movie-theater complex part of the new souks in Downtown Beirut and Al Zorah pavilion, a landmark overlooking the mangrove of Ajman and a Golf club in Ajman. The ongoing interior projects range from hospitality to residential with: Almaz by Momo, restaurant in JBR, UAE and different interiors in Paris and London. Alongside her architectural practice, Annabel Karim Kassar has created with lighting designer Christophe Hascoet and architect, Isabelle Rolland, Caï-light, a company dedicated to Lighting Design.
Bernard Khoury
Bernard Khoury studied architecture at the Rhode Island school of Design (B.F.A 1990 / B.Arch 1991). He received a Masters in Architectural studies from Harvard University (M.Arch 1993). In 2001, he was awarded by the municipality of Rome the honorable mention of the Borromini prize given to architects under 40 years of age. In 2004, he was awarded the Architecture + Award. In 2008, he was a visiting professor at the Ecole polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; he has lectured and exhibited his work in prestigious academic institutions in Europe and the U.S including a solo show of his work given by the International Forum for Contemporary Architecture at the Aedes gallery in Berlin (2003) and numerous group shows including YOUprison at the Fondazione Sandretto in Torino (2008) and SPACE at the opening show of the MAXXI museum in Rome (2010). His work has been extensively published by the professional press. Khoury started an independent practice in 1993. Over the past 15 years, his office has developed an international reputation and a significant diverse portfolio of projects both locally and abroad.
Bokja
Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri are the Beirut-based duo behind the Bokja concept. The pair is a natural union of talent and creativity. They both share a common love for antiques and vintage furniture, as well as a passion for ancient textiles and tapestries from the Levant and countries along the Silk Road. Established in 2000, Bokja is an expression of respect and love for an age-old culture and aesthetic with a human approach. The concept stands for a poetic use of color, an emphasis on craftsmanship, and the sustainable use of available materials to express an artistic idea with an ever-present spiritual content.
Carla Baz
Carla Baz is a French-Lebanese designer with an aspiration for creativity and a surge to explore new techniques and challenges. After studying interior architecture at ESAG Penninghen in Paris, she pursued a Masters in product design for the luxury industry at the University of Art and Design Lausanne (ECAL) where she had the opportunity to work on several projects under the supervision of international designers such as Ronan Bouroullec, BarberOsgerby, Marti Guixé, Pierre Charpin and Umberto and Fernando Campana. She then engaged in diverse professional experiences, working in London for Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Zaha Hadid until she felt it was time to explore her own lines.
Winner of the Brussel based Boghossian Foundation’s 2013 Design Prize, she is inspired by the unique heritage of Lebanese craftsmanship, and dedicated to foster synergies between her innovative approach to furniture/lighting and the very accomplished skills of Lebanese artisans, she began a very inspiring sequence of experiments which resulted in small editions of her sculptural yet functional furniture.
Carla Baz pieces are rooted in that elaborate relationship where innovative ideas meet noble materials that are worked by hand. Within that journey to their process, unique and elegant pieces are born that hold their place in our landscape.
Carlo & Mary-Lynn Massoud
Mary-Lynn Massoud is a ceramist born in 1981. After graduating from manufacture de sevres in France, she opened her studio in Beirut. She then participated in a number of international exhibitions in Dubai (Dubai design days), London, Paris , the armory show New York, Basel Miami, guild South Africa, Nomad Monaco and Saint Moritz...
Carlo Massoud is a Lebanese product designer and interior designer born in (YEAR OF BIRTH). Having graduated from ALBA, the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut, he went on to pursue a Master in Product Design at ECAL, the School of Art and Design in Lausanne. Massoud constantly questions the social aspects of his environment, channeling these constructs into objects that often push the viewer to investigate their knowledge of the subject. His work possesses a versatile quality, which gives rise to the open-ended function of his objects. Massoud participated in many international fairs: The Armory Show (New York), Southern Guild (Cape Town), Design Day Dubai (UAE), Maison et Objet (Paris) among many. The two siblings collaborated the first time in 2015.
Carlo & Mary-Lynn Massoud X The Haas Brothers
Mary-Lynn Massoud is a ceramist born in 1981. After graduating from manufacture de sevres in France, she opened her studio in Beirut. She then participated in a number of international exhibitions in Dubai (Dubai design days), London, Paris , the armory show New York, Basel Miami, guild South Africa, Nomad Monaco and Saint Moritz.
Carlo Massoud is a Lebanese product designer and interior designer. Having graduated from ALBA, the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut, he went on to pursue a Master in Product Design at ECAL, the School of Art and Design in Lausanne. Massoud constantly questions the social aspects of his environment, channeling these constructs into objects that often push the viewer to investigate their knowledge of the subject. His work possesses a versatile quality, which gives rise to the open-ended function of his objects. Massoud participated in many international fairs: The Armory Show (New York), Southern Guild (Cape Town), Design Day Dubai (UAE), Maison et Objet (Paris) among many.
The two siblings collaborated the first time in 2015.
Carlo Massoud
Carlo Massoud is a Lebanese product designer and interior designer. After graduating with a master in product design from Alba (Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts), he pursued a Master in product design for the luxury industry at the School of Art and Design Lausanne (ECAL) where he had the opportunity to work on several projects under the supervision of international designers such as Ronan Bouroullec, BarberOsgerby, Marti Guixé, Pierre Charpin, Umberto and Fernando Campana. His designs derive from a deeply engraved social critique humorously transformed into a useful and playful “object”. His projects range from tableware products, to function driven exhibition stands, packaging, and furniture, to ultimately embrace interior spaces in a magical atmosphere.
"As a junior designer I had a great experience working with House of Today's team. They gave me the freedom to work on my products and follow the production as I usually do. The exhibition was a great success and the initiative was amazing."
Celine & Tatiana Stephan
Céline earned her Bachelor degree in Architecture from the American University of Beirut in 2008. Her final year project was granted the Dean’s award for Creative Achievement. She took part in various internships in Beirut, Paris and New York City between 2005 and 2007. Following her studies, she worked at DW5 / Bernard Khoury Architects for five years (2008-2013) where she followed the different phases of projects ranging from architecture and interior missions to furniture installations. She has since been working independently on various architecture and design projects she has dubbed ”Mécanismes”.
Her sister Tatiana, joined “Architecture et Mécanismes” in September 2014 after earning her Master’s degree in Architecture from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts (ALBA), where she graduated with distinction.
They both freelance on architectural projects and design custom made furniture, lighting and installations for private clients, galleries and exhibitions. Their works were exhibited at the Beirut Art Fair (2014 & 2015 editions), House of Today (2nd design Expo), Design Days Dubai, smo Gallery, Beirut Design Week, Turkey Design Week etc.
Céline Stephan Eid
Céline earned her Bachelor degree in Architecture from the American University of Beirut in 2008. Her final year project was granted the Dean’s award for Creative Achievement. She took part in various internships in Beirut, Paris and New York City between 2005 and 2008. After achieving her studies, she worked at DW5- Bernard Khoury Architects for five years (2008 until 2013) where she followed the different phases of projects ranging from Architecture, interior installations to furniture. Since then she has been working independently on various architecture and design projects she calls "Mécanismes". Few of her furniture were on display during the “Creativity and Regeneration in Mar Mikhael’s" event that was held in the abandoned Grande Brasserie du Levant last July. She also exhibited an installation piece entitled “Throne of Social Destruction” at the Beirut Art Fair ME.NA.SA.ART last September.
Charles Kalpakian
Charles Kalpakian was born in Beirut in 1982. After collaborating with prestigious agencies including Christophe Pillet in 2011, he launched his design studio and has since then been developing his own projects and quickly collaborated with numerous French and Italian manufacturers.
The influences of his work take shape through the reinterpretation of motifs derived from the decorative arts. Charles’ line of work is always sharp yet flexible almost like the strokes created by a calligraphy brush. Ranging from product to interior design, his ventures always highlight the richness of his origins combined with the elements of Western modernity.
In 2012 his first Soloshow at Galerie BSL with "Cinetisme" wall cabinet collection allow him to make him known. He is represented by Galerie BSL in Paris and Joy Mardini design gallery in Beirut. Since then, he has also been working with many international brands, galleries and private clients. He collaborates and designs with talented craftsmen, from watches, furniture and sculptures for projects across the world. Later this year he designed the Paris & Milan showroom of italian lighting company Nemo. During the Salone del Mobile 2018 he collaborated with Gebruder Thonet Vienna at Wallpaper Handmade with the « Infinite wallbars ». He will be giving a design workshop at Tumo Foundation in Armenia. Several pieces and collaborations are in progress, in particular a large sculpture for LeMeridien Hotel in Riyad.
Christian Haas
German-born designer Christian Haas began his career in Munich. In 2007 he opened his design studio in Paris and in 2011 launched his own label. His made-to-measure designs are represented by galleries worldwide.
In addition to his personal design projects, he designs for renowned companies such as Christofle, Rosenthal, Villeroy & Boch, Theresienthal, Karimoku New Standard and Volkswagen. His portfolio includes chinaware, glassware, lighting design, furniture and interior design.
Christian recently moved to Porto, Portugal where he installed his new studio.
His work has been published in international press including Form, Wallpaper, Vogue, Elle Decoration, AD.
Claude Missir
Claude Missir studied interior architecture at ALBA and started working independently in the field since 1992. In 1998, he founded his company, Claude Missir Agency which conceives and executes esthetic, comfortable and functional interior spaces. His projects are spread in Europe and the Middle East. The luxurious hotels and boutique hotels that carry his signature are functional, fun, and innovative. He was distinguished for his numerous interior architecture projects for boats and luxurious yachts. Having become a reference for the decoration of private residences in Europe and in the region, Claude Missir knows how to deliver a supplement of soul and ingenuity to each of his projects.
david/nicolas
David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem have established a global presence since they set uptheir studio, david/nicolas, in Beirut in 2011. Their innovative approach to contrasting materials, along with their unique way of blending retro, contemporary and futuristic elements, gives their work a timeless aesthetic that translates to a wide range of projects, from furniture design to high-end bespoke interiors.
David and Nicolas met at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, where they both studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, going on to undertake Masters Degrees at the Scuola Politecnica Di Design in Milan. After graduating, both undertook internships with international design studios, Nicolas going on to freelance for a year in Beirut while David worked as a designer at Fabrica, in Treviso, Italy.
Since 2011, david/nicolas has staged several exhibitions and collaborated with established international brands. The duo’s “retro-futuristic” aesthetic is rooted in a wide range of influences, from Oriental geometry, to antique furniture, to robots, space travel and the music of Daft Punk. The partnership is built on mutual criticism, as much as encouragement.
David creates detailed sketches while Nicolas prefers to write down his ideas, and no design is ever completed without both partners’ input. While one is working on a design, the other will often “hack” it, vetoing a particular aspect or suggesting an addition that necessitates a fresh approach.
The duo’s breakout year came in 2014 at the Milan Design Week during which the New York Times selected them as one of the design week’s three breakout stars. Later the same year, they held their first solo show in Beirut, “Loulou/Hoda” at JM Design Gallery, exhibiting pieces inspired by their grandmothers that combined Oriental and Western as well as antique and contemporary influences. Subsequently, the studio introduced its first industrial project at Maison & Objet, the “Orquestra” tableware collection for Vista Alegre, which was awarded the Red Dot Design Award and the Wallpaper* Award.
From local Lebanese newspapers to international magazines, david/nicolas have not come short of making an appearance in their most prominent articles. The duo was selected by Wallpaper* Magazine for their POWER 200 as part of their pick of “20 designers under 40”, they were also highlighted among the 86 designers of the year 2015 by AD magazine in France.
david/nicolas work on multiple types of projects, from collaborations with considerable international brands, to the design of their own pieces, like the “Paume” collection, exhibited at Nilufar Gallery in 2015. Since 2016 they are represented by Carpenters Workshop Gallery, which exhibits their limited edition pieces such as the “Monocle” cabinet. They also work with individual clients on projects that capture their imaginations, whether that means refurbishing a classic car or designing a custom interior for a high-end restaurant. Their near obsessive attention to detail means that they leave nothing to chance – every last aspect of the interior is designed and produced by the studio.
david/nicolas
David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem are Beirut-based designers. Their unique way of blending retro, contemporary and futuristic elements gives their work a timeless aesthetic that translates to a wide range of projects, from furniture design, to high-end bespoke interiors.
The duo studied together at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and the Scuola Politecnica Di Design in Milan, going on to found their own studio, david/nicolas, in Beirut in 2011.
Since then, david/nicolas has staged several exhibitions and collaborated with established international brands. In 2014, The New York Times selected david/nicolas as one of the three breakout stars of Milan Design Week, where they launched the bespoke “Artichoke” safe with Agresti for Wallpaper* Handmade, as well as their collection “Dualita” for Nina Yashar’s Nilufar Gallery. Later that year, their first industrial project, the “Orquestra” tableware collection for Vista Alegre, was awarded the Red Dot Design Award and the Wallpaper* Award.
david/nicolas work on multiple types of project, from collaborations with prominent international brands, to the design of their own pieces. They also help to realise the visions of select private clients, whether that means refurbishing a classic car or designing a custom interior for a high-end restaurant.
david/nicolas
David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem are Beirut-based designers. Their unique way of blending retro, contemporary and futuristic elements gives their work a timeless aesthetic that translates to a wide range of projects, from furniture design, to high-end bespoke interiors.
The duo studied together at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and the Scuola Politecnica Di Design in Milan, going on to found their own studio, david/nicolas, in Beirut in 2011.
Since then, david/nicolas has staged several exhibitions and collaborated with established international brands. In 2014, The New York Times selected david/nicolas as one of the three breakout stars of Milan Design Week, where they launched the bespoke “Artichoke” safe with Agresti for Wallpaper* Handmade, as well as their collection “Dualita” for Nina Yashar’s Nilufar Gallery. Later that year, their first industrial project, the “Orquestra” tableware collection for Vista Alegre, was awarded the Red Dot Design Award and the Wallpaper* Award.
david/nicolas work on multiple types of project, from collaborations with prominent international brands, to the design of their own pieces. They also help to realise the visions of select private clients, whether that means refurbishing a classic car or designing a custom interior for a high-end restaurant.
Dina Kamal
Dina Kamal launched her Beirut-based design practice, DINAKAMAL DK01, in summer 2010, focusing on unique ideas for precious objects and architectural projects. She trained and practiced as an architect in Washington DC and moved to Beirut in 1998, where she continued to practice architecture along with creating the jewelry brand in 2010. Passionate about her work, Dina Kamal is inspired by the details that make design timeless, and by simple refined forms. Her first jewelry collection: The PNKYRNG Collection, re-defines the shape of the signet ring through a contemporary and architecturally informed aesthetic; and sets its revival inspired by an elaborate history.
Elie Saab
Born in Beirut in 1964, Elie Saab is a self-taught fashion talent who started dressmaking at the age of 9. In 1982, when he was only 18, he opened his couture atelier in Beirut and started presenting his collections to an audience of young women before conquering the elite women throughout the Middle East. In 1997, he was the only non-Italian designer invited to the Camera Nazionale della Moda to present his couture collections in Rome. One year later, he launched his ready-to-wear collection during the Milan Fashion Week. In 2000, Elie Saab paved his way to Paris and showed his collection, then became in 2006 a corresponding member at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. In 2007, he set a flagship boutique in the heart of Le Triangle D’or and exhibited all of the brand’s collections, from the ready-to-wear and accessory lines to haute couture collections in the adjacent salons. Since Beirut remains his main source of inspiration, he established in 2005 his headquarters in downtown Beirut. Elie Saab continued to broaden his business internationally by opening boutiques in main cities around the world such as London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Mexico , Geneva and established a secondary headquarters in Paris located in Avenue Raymond Poincare. Today, the brand is available in more than 200 points of sale worldwide. Elie Saab’s unique designs are mainly inspired by women. He magnifies femininity working with the finest and most noble materials, applying delicate embroideries and creating characteristic aerial effects with light and fluid fabrics. Since 1999, Elie Saab has dressed Hollywood cinema, music, theatre and television A-list stars as well as royalties in the world. In order to share the Elie Saab brand’s femininity with more women around the world, he launched in 2011 his first fragrance, Le Parfum and recently introduced La Collection des Essences. Throughout his career, Elie Saab has been publicly recognized and honored for his success and contributions to the world of fashion.
Fadi Mansour
Fadi Mansour is an architect. He graduated from the AA School of Architecture in London in 2009. He currently lives in Beirut where he runs his own practice since 2011.
Flavie Audi
Flavie Audi (French/Lebanese) (b.1986) graduated from the Architectural Association in 2011 and completed an MA at the Royal College of Arts in 2014, where she specialized in glass. Her practice has expanded into various media and collaborative projects with fashion, jewellery and furniture designers. Her works has been widely exhibited in Europe and US (Venus Over Manhattan New York, David Gill London, Stedelijk Museum Breda, Galerie Tanit Munich, Karma International Zurich, Elisabetta Cipriani London).
Audi’s practice finds its point of departure within the manipulation of glass. Glass plays a crucial part, for the artist, in contemplating a speculative utopian future world where humans create cosmic fragments and new types of landscape formations. Using the physical properties of glass, Flavie highlights the duality between the real and virtual worlds. Through its omnipresence in nearly all contemporary forms of digital devices, glass becomes a signifier of the tension between the realms of the tangible and the digital, as well as a facilitator of the disappearance of physical objects.
The digital atmosphere that surrounds us threatens the definition and perception of reality. In an era of technological innovation that has seen the creation of flawless, synthetic diamonds, undetectable by man or machine, Audi’s questions how we experience the real. Audi creates fragments emanating from a mass production landscape where gemmology aligns with geology in this synthetic new nature.
Flavie pursues ways of expressing sensuality and luminosity creating dazzled encounters with wonder and the sublime. Her works translate the mechanism of life and light and resemble fragments of an ethereal landscape or geology. The forms and gestures found in it capture a fleeting, living energy and suggest a certain mystery, expressing the energy and essence of existence, a sense of life, hovering between digital screen and celestial body. In a dematerialised world where all is virtual and generic, her work seeks to define a new type of aesthetic and physical materiality and invites the mind to expand in the cosmological infinite.
Flavie Audi
Flavie Audi is a French-born, Lebanese artist working in London.
Born in Paris in 1986, Audi moved to London in 2004, and graduated from the Architectural Association in 2010. She went on to complete her Masters Degree at the Royal College of Arts in 2014, where she specialised in ceramics and glass.
Audi combines digital technology and both traditional and new glass-making techniques, working with highly skilled craftsmen to carry out her distinctive designs. During the making process, Audi embraces accidents and new discoveries, which then become an integral part of her work. Audi melts glass and precious metals together to create colour through the resulting chemical reactions. The shapes are not formed by blowing air into the glass, but rather by vacuuming the air out, thereby reversing the traditional, age-old technique of glass-blowing that can be traced back to the Phoenicians in 1st century BC and the Roman Empire. Adding metal oxides to create unusual coloured glass, as Audi often does, is an even more ancient custom; during the late Bronze age in Egypt– around 1500 BC – there was rapid growth in glass making technology. Craftsman would wind thin threads of glass with admixtures of oxides which could then be drawn into the glass using metal raking tools.
Flavie has quickly become known for her ethereal, hand-blown glass creations. Her works have been widely exhibited in the UK and US, most recently in 2016 at David Gill Gallery, London, and alongside Ai Weiwei’s sculptures at
Venus Over Manhattan
, New York, in 2014.
Georges Mohasseb
Georges has been working as an architect and designer for eighteen years. Through his professional experience and intensive workshops he mastered wood furniture making techniques prominent in each of his designs. His passion for design has brought him to teach in many renowned academic institutions in Europe and in the U.S. He recently set up his company “Wood&” in Paris- France working on projects for Europe and the Middle-East.
The presence of wood is always prominent in many of Georges’ designs due to its connectivity its liveliness and texture; Georges Mohasseb, through his experimentation of materials and textures tries to look for the best possible combinations. His constant search for materiality and immateriality characterizes his design approach and gives an identity for every project he develops, be it, architectural, custom, furniture and lighting design projects. Georges’ main concerns is to create a limited number of timeless designs maintaining a high level of craftsmanship and a complex expression of materials through their colors, shape, texture and smell.
Hala Matta
Hala Matta was born in Beirut in 1970. After 20 fruitful years in the corporate world, she decides to pursue a career as a ceramicist.
Trained in the studio of master ceramicists Nathalie Khayat and Nevil Salha, Hala opens her own studio in 2015.
She attended several advanced workshops in Europe. Currently, Hala is an assistant to ceramicist Samar Mogharbel at LAU. She is a firm believer in developing local craftsmanship and vernacular artistic productions. She lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon.
Jana Aridi
Jana Aridi is a Lebanese architect and designer. She received her architecture degree from the American University of Beirut in 2013, and in 2017, she completed her Masters in Product Design from Domus Academy in Milan.
Jana has always been fascinated with the handmade, the customized and the personal. Her designs, much like her architecture, are thoughtful, straightforward and raw, always true to the material used and the story they want to tell.
She uses different forms of expression to give life to her projects from simple watercolors, to paintings in powerful acrylic. Most recently she immersed herself in the art of hand-carving wooden spoons. Her most recent work is a collaboration with architect Karim Nader at the Art of Dining, an event by AD Middle East, where she showcased a limited edition set of unique hand-carved wooden spoons that each represents a different shape and function.
Jana believes that design should enhance the human experience. Design has the power to change people’s lives, both functionally and emotionally. Her aim is to make people interact with her designs, to make them happy, and to even to make them dream.
That is the role that she tries to accomplish as a human being and designer.
Kamal Aoun
Kamal Aoun is a product designer, product design teacher and product design enthusiast. He grew up in a family where toys, furniture and clothes were created and not bought. The carpentry and sewing workshops he was surrounded by became playgrounds with plenty of amazing things to learn and simple things to create. After getting a master’s degree in Product Design he started teaching cool students and working with cool people which are opportunities to continuously learn.
Karen Chekerdjian
Karen Chekerdjian is an object and product designer of Lebanese-Armenian origin. Her route to industrial design has not been direct. Film, advertising and graphic design have each helped shape her vision. She graduated from Domus Academy, Milan, in 1997 with a Masters in Product Design and Design Direction, under the supervision of Massimo Morozzi, a founding member of Archizoom and Art Director at EDRA. After graduation, Karen worked in Milan for a number of years. During this period, one of her first designs – a suspended hanger system entitled Mobil was produced by EDRA. In 2001, she returned to Beirut and opened Karen Chekerdjian Studio. Beginning as more of a conceptual think-tank, dedicated to exploring new ideas in design, the Studio has gradually become more focused on production; furniture and everyday objects in small series, limited editions and made-to-order commissions. Karen regularly participates in some of the biggest annual design fairs, including New York’s ICFF, Milan’s Salone del Mobile, Cologne’s Mobelmesse, Paris’ Furniture Fair and Design Days Dubai. Her work has also been displayed at a number of international exhibitions, amongst them Utopi (Copenhagen), Beyond the Myth (a pan-European show), Promosedia 2007 (Milan), Northern Lights (Tokyo) and ECHO (Beirut), Haus der Kunst (Munich) and Foundation Boghossian, Villa Empain (Brussel), and at galleries ranging from Spazio Orlandi Gallery, Gallery Nilufar (Milan), Sfeir-Semler Gallery (Beirut) and Carwan Gallery.
Karen Chekerdjian
Karen Chekerdjian’s trajectory into designing was unsystematic, comprised of a combination of practical experience in various creative fields and endeavours. Her practical beginnings were in advertising, working in both film and graphic design at Leo Burnett Beirut (1991), and as a co-founder of one of the first branding companies in the Middle East.
Karen moved to Milan in 1997 to pursue a master’s degree in industrial design at DOMUS academy, under the guidance of Massimo Morozzi, a founder of Archizoom. She continued to work with Morozzi at EDRA, where he was Art Director, in what effectively became a seminal and formative four-year mentorship (1997-2000). Mobil, a suspended hangar system and her first actualised work, was produced and distributed by the furniture company (1999).
Less interested in making products, Chekerdjian used her time in Italy to experiment and explore the extensions and limitations of her art. She began to question what have become somewhat rigid assumptions regarding function, form, and meaning.
Unknown to her then, Karen began developing potentials for dialogue and narrative – a language of designing – rather than focusing on creating a particular style. The ambiguity of her pieces, their ability to take on new functions in varied context and through different interpretations, in retrospect, became a continuous thread in her work.
“I always believed that a piece of furniture can be something more than furniture. Why not push the ambiguity to the point where you cannot really decide if you want to use the piece or just look at it?
It can be what you want it to be. It depends on how you want to see it, on your own story.”
Karim Chaya
After graduating in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, Beirut born Karim Chaya co-founded Abillama Chaya Industrial Design in 1997. ACID, which specializes in design, manufacturing and installation of architectural detailing, currently employs 170 craftsmen, architects, and administrators, and handles projects across the globe. In 2001, Chaya started spockdesign, a company devoted to furniture, product and as we like to call it, stuff design. He also actively contributes to Blatt Chaya, a family owned, traditional, colored-cement tile producer that was originally founded in the 19th Century. In addition, Chaya teaches fifth year industrial design at the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts. He has been invited to showcase in many exhibitions such as: 100% Design (London) and Maison et Objet (Paris) where his furniture as well as art installations have been presented. His work has been published in the local and international press including Le Figaro, Officiel Design, Monocle, Interior Design, and Interni.
Khaled El Mays
Khaled el mays was born in Lebanon, earned a degree in architecture from the American university of Beirut and an MFA in digital arts from Pratt institute in new york.
His work tackles multiplicity and repetition, it is always process based mutations, and the outcome is always an instance of purity and balance extracted from pools of visual data.
In 2013, khaled launched his debut collection, RHIZOMES, which was published by major design publications in the MENA, since then his work has been exhibited in influential cities around the world.
He is the founder of Atelier Khaled El Mays, which is a Mutli-‐disciplinary design studio that focuses on Furniture Design, Interior Architecture and Graphics in Space.
The studio splits effort between two worlds of manufacturing, One, is community conscious, khaled’s designs get produced with an array of local craftsman in the bekaa valley, the process is very organic and the pieces moves between local artisans ;owners of their workshops; in order to get the job done. This allows these businesses to grow or maintain their structures, also learn new tricks within the process.
The second one is luxury conscious process, where the designs are manufactured with the best suppliers available in the market; the pieces go through a formal production process using the noblest materials.
Khaled is also a lecturer and design instructor in the Lebanese university as of 2014.
Khaled El Mays
Khaled el mays was born in Lebanon, earned a degree in architecture from the American university of Beirut and an MFA in digital arts from Pratt institute in new york.
His work tackles multiplicity and repetition, it is always process based mutations, and the outcome is always an instance of purity and balance extracted from pools of visual data.
In 2013, khaled launched his debut collection, RHIZOMES, which was published by major design publications in the MENA, since then his work has been exhibited in influential cities around the world.
He is the founder of Atelier Khaled El Mays, which is a Mutli-‐disciplinary design studio that focuses on Furniture Design, Interior Architecture and Graphics in Space.
The studio splits effort between two worlds of manufacturing, One, is community conscious, khaled’s designs get produced with an array of local craftsman in the bekaa valley, the process is very organic and the pieces moves between local artisans ;owners of their workshops; in order to get the job done. This allows these businesses to grow or maintain their structures, also learn new tricks within the process.
The second one is luxury conscious process, where the designs are manufactured with the best suppliers available in the market; the pieces go through a formal production process using the noblest materials.
Khaled is also a lecturer and design instructor in the Lebanese university as of 2014
Lea Rosa Kirdikian
Lea Kirdikian hates writing about herself in the third person. She does so only time to time to get strangers to momentarily glimpse into her existence on earth in a standardized way… which is quite ironic, seeing as she tries her best to stay away from standard rules. What she does in life is product design. Getting inspired from the anything and everything of life’s blundered designs and ready-mades, she thrives to break rules and fix the many errors of our daily system through simple ideas and natural materials. After completing her Master’s degree at ALBA, and after having failed at adapting herself to 9 to 5 jobs and their atmospheres, Lea decided it was best to start something small of her own. She then launched a very humble collaboration alongside her partner called Junk Munkez, aimed at teaching children the basic elements of design through reutilized and scrapped materials. She freelances with interior design projects now and again, all whilst continuing to integrate recycled materials as to reduce her carbon footprint as well as others. She partook in several local and international exhibitions of which Fiera di Milano at the Salone Satellite. Her products have been featured and published in a number of magazines in languages she understands and some that she doesn’t. One day she wishes not have to write bio’s of herself and have to have designed something grand enough to have people wiki her instead.
Lina Shamma
For Lina Shamma pottery is a passion: a hobby that consumes her emotional and artistic pursuits, a creative process that fulfills her Wabi-sabi imperfect aesthetic.
An Architect with a MBA degree in finance and accounting from Columbia University. Lina has run and created several businesses, her latest Madame Reve; a vintage costume Jewelry Brand. Always pursuing her imperfect creative goals.
MAD
Marie-Lyne and Anthony Daher founded their architecture and design firm in 2012. Its focus is creating sustainable and ecological designs, while maintaining key elements of Lebanese heritage. Since its establishment in Amchit, the studio has carried out various construction, landscape and interior design projects, aimed at promoting the integration of classic Lebanese character and contemporary concepts.
Their latest work ‘Stouff’; a new take on the traditional Lebanese stove, won “Best Object Design” at Beirut design fair 2017.
Stouff’s modern design presents an energy efficient performance, engineered to maximize heating power output while minimizing wood consumption. Its versatility allows it to be connected to your home’s central heating system, while maintaining tribute to its traditional roots by featuring a special cooking compartment.
Makram El Kadi
Makram el Kadi received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the American University of Beirut in 1997 and his master’s degree in architecture from Parsons School of Design in 1999. After working at the offices of Fumihiko Maki in Japan, he joined Steven Holl Architects where he was project designer on numerous international projects for 5 years, among others the world trade center proposal with Richard Meier, Peter Eisenman and Charles Gwathmey, the Natural Museum of Los Angeles County and the Beirut Marina project. El Kadi taught architecture with Steven Holl at the Columbia University Graduate school of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. He co-taught studio and seminar at Cornell University, and is currently teaching graduate studio at Yale University.
Marc Baroud
Marc Baroud is a Beirut-based designer, with work spanning over various fields.
In his method the process is designed first, thus turning it into a stand-alone outcome as it takes a form of its own.
Since 2012, he also serves as the director of the design school at Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) where he used his same design approach to shift the vision of the department with new curricula, envisioning design as broader discipline than how it is generally perceived; one for creating aesthetics.
As a product designer, his curiosity led him to experiment and challenge various materials, techniques, objects, and scales, working on a large scope of industrial and artisanal products. His works has been shown in Beirut, Milan, Dubai, Paris, London, including solo shows in Design/Miami and Design/Miami Basel.
Marc Dibeh
Marc Dibeh is a Beirut based designer who opened his studio in 2009. He studied Architecture at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Paris Val De Seine before returning to Beirut in 2006 where he received a Masters in Product Design from the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts.
After completing his Master’s degree, he worked for designer Marc Baroud before opening his own space following Baroud’s advice. They later collaborated together on several projects. The philosophy of his studio is mainly based on collaborations, which by definition implies working with other fellow designers or non-designers.
His work revolves around the storytelling: to try and create a story behind each and every product or interior while keeping it timeless and simple. He has been selected along with Marc Baroud as part of the 5 breakout stars of the design Miami, Miami edition in 2013 by the Wall Street Journal after exhibiting the Wires series with Art Factum Gallery, and part of the 5 up and coming designers of the design Miami, Basel edition in 2015 by Artsy.
He exhibited in Milan, Miami, Basel, Dubai, Lausanne, London, Paris and Beirut where he also teaches at Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts.
Marc Dibeh
Marc Dibeh is a Beirut based designer who opened his studio in 2009. He studied Architecture at the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Paris Val De Seine before returning to Beirut in 2006 where he received a Masters in Product Design from the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts.
After completing his Master’s degree, he worked for designer Marc Baroud before opening his own space following Baroud’s advice. They later collaborated together on several projects. The philosophy of his studio is mainly based on collaborations, which by definition implies working with other fellow designers or non-designers.
His work revolves around the storytelling: to try and create a story behind each and every product or interior while keeping it timeless and simple. He has been selected along with Marc Baroud as part of the 5 breakout stars of the design Miami, Miami edition in 2013 by the Wall Street Journal after exhibiting the Wires series with Art Factum Gallery, and part of the 5 up and coming designers of the design Miami, Basel edition in 2015 by Artsy.
He exhibited in Milan, Miami, Basel, Dubai, Lausanne, London, Paris and Beirut where he also teaches at Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts.
Massimiliano Locatelli
Massimiliano Locatelli, architect and PhD at the Columbia University in New York, works since 1993 between Milan and New York.
Ever since the beginning of his career has developed design projects in different contexts: private homes, showrooms, stores and exhibitions, along with the architectural design of new buildings. On a smaller scale he also designs furniture, including both fitted furniture for individual projects and solutions for companies. His collaboration with Tecno produces the limited-edition collection of a series of cabinets and tables and for the brand Skitsch he designs accessories for the home. His collaboration with Nina Yashar of Nilufar Gallery has given birth to very sofisticated projects.
He has won a number of competitions, including the tender issued by the Municipality of Milan for the restoration and functional redevelopment project of the monumental complex in Piazza XXV Aprile, Milan. He also took part in the Metamorph exhibition of the 9thEdition of the Venice Biennale, in the section ‘Notizie dall’interno’ (‘News from Inside’), and he was also invited to participate in the exhibition entitled ‘Il paesaggio mobile del nuovo design italiano’ (‘The Moving Landscape of the New Italian Design’) at the Triennale of Milan.
The activity of designing for customers of the fashion sector is organised as a co-ordinated image management activity: from the offices to the showrooms, from the shops to the fashion shows.
These include the Missoni showroom in Milan and the project for enlarging the headquarters, showrooms in Milan and Dusseldorf of the Vestebene Miroglio Group in Alba. For Gibo, a company of the Onward Luxury Group (manufacturers of brands such as John Galliano, Michael Kors and Hussein Chalayan), the practice designed the showrooms in Milan, Paris and New York, as well as the store Via Bus Stop in New York and the store concept of the footwear brand IRIS with stores in Milan, Paris, London, Moscow and New York. For Jil Sander he has designed stores and for Globallink, a luxury brand in Saigon, the practice designed the multibrand store Runway. He also designed the concept for MSGM, Pinko and Marella stores.
He develops store concepts and stores for the brands Philip Plein,Paul and Shark, Energie Group, Billionaire, Alcantara, Lancaster, David Yurman, La Rinascente, Missoni Sport, I Pinco Pallino, Malo, Valentino, Les Copains and Mazzini, creating outlets in Europe, the Far East and the United States.
Projects for new architectural designs include the construction of the newly-completed modern art gallery Lia Rumma in Milan, a residential building in Milan, and the new manufacturing unit of the company Onward Luxury Group, which has been presented at the 13th Venice Biennale at the Italian Pavillon.
Another important activity of the studio is the designing of private homes, which involves very different types of interior architecture – large villas, apartments and historical homes, combining renovation, restoration and new construction, including the recently finished duplex penthouse in Vietnam, town house in New York, hotel particulier in Paris and residential building in Munbai
During the last Salone del Mobile 2016 in Milan Massimiliano Locatelli presented a series of custom made table “Lake Tables” which are now exhibited at Nilufar Gallery and his new homeware project Untitled.
May Daouk
Michel Abboud
Michel Abboud is renowned in the United States and the Middle East for his avant-garde portfolio. in 2010, his vision for the Park 51 Islamic Cultural Center a few blocks from Ground Zero in New York City further catapulted Michel into prominence. Such notoriety has led to a subsequent influx of invites as speaker and guest of honor at prestigious universities across the United States and Europe.
Having earned a Masters in Architecture from New York's University of Columbia subsequent to graduating from the American University of Beirut, Michel Abboud has a reputation for provocative projects which deliver both forward thinking and user-friendly functionality. Michel's defiant no compromise stance in terms of design, continuously raises the bar in the design world and has gained him respect among a loyal client bas.
Michèle & Georges Maria
Michèle Maria and Georges Maria are the dynamic duo behind MARIAGROUP.
Michèle Maria graduated from the American University of Beirut in 1999 with a Bachelor in Architecture. After having worked with Bernard Khoury for 3 years, she founded with her family the MARIAGROUP architecture studio, where she is currently a principal architect. Her approach to architecture focuses on the search for poetry in design and the element of surprise.
Georges Maria graduated with a Masters degree in Architecture from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts (ALBA) in 2003, and co-runs the office as principal architect. He is particularly interested in the relationship between architecture and socio-economic dynamics and continuously pushes the practice into multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Based in Beirut, their studio now undertakes projects of various scales and programs, with the same passion and attention to detail, from retail and restaurants to mixed use buildings and master planning, with commissions throughout Lebanon, the Middle East and Europe.
N. Gholam & G. Crédoz
Nabil Gholam studied Architecture at the UP-Paris Villemin, ex-Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris before moving to New York six years later to complete his studies in Urban Planning at Columbia University in the City of New York. Moving from Manhattan to Barcelona, via southern China, where he briefly taught urban planning at the Yunnan Institute of Technology through the Kinney Fellowship, Nabil Gholam first began to practice architecture professionally at Ricardo Bofill’s Taller de Arquitectura, where as an Associate, he rose to handle the practice’s international projects. In 1994, he set up his own office in Beirut. Later, in parallel with the firm’s growing reach, a European office was established to better direct its international ventures, first in Barcelona in 2006 before relocating to Seville in 2010. Used to living in flux, Gholam has led a nomadic existence since the outbreak of civil war in Lebanon in 1975, his work and travels taking him on a circuit between Beirut and Paris, New York, Chicago, Yunnan, Barcelona, Istanbul and Seville and this constant crisscrossing of the globe has had a profound impact on his work. Today, nabil gholam architects has grown into an international multidisciplinary team of architects, planners, designers and consultants with a portfolio spanning an extensive list of projects in architecture and urbanism. ngª has attracted attention, winning several competitions and major international awards Guillaume Crédoz is an architect and a sculptor. To give a continuity to his collaboration to research labs in the universities where he was teaching, in Canada, he created the BAKERY in Beirut, a creation and manufacturing lab in the heart of Mar-Mikhael, the new creative industries district. Combining 3D printing with various crafts (like ceramic), he produces designs, from toys to chairs, machines and robots, like theObsessiveDrafter (a large autonomous drawing robot) and BigVoxel (a room-sized FDM 3D printer), along with his architecture practice.
Nabil Nahas
Nabil Nahas was born in Beirut in 1949 and went to the United States in 1968 to pursue his studies in art.
He completed a BFA from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge in 1971 and after completing an MFA from Yale University in 1973 he moved to New York where he established himself before the current heightened interest in contemporary art of the Middle East, as a master of color, texture and atmosphere.
Nahas has exhibited regularly at important New York galleries, including Robert Miller, Holly Solomon and SperoneWestwater. He has exhibited at Galerie Tanit in Munich, Ben Brown Gallery in London, Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai and is represented by Agial Gallery in Beirut.
He represented Lebanon at the 25th Biennial of Sao Paulo, had a retrospective held at the Beirut exhibition center in 2010, Beirut, Lebanon and his work was included in “Glasstress 2011,” a Collateral Event of the 54th Venice Biennial, and in “Glasstress: New York” at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York His most recent one man show was held this year at the Ben Brown Gallery in London on October 15th, 2014.
Nada Debs
Nada Debs, of Lebanese origin, was brought up in Japan. She studied Interior Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States and started her own design company in the UK designing and producing custom furniture. Returning to her roots in Lebanon after an absence of 40 years, Nada Debs found designs for modern Middle Eastern furniture almost non-existent. This made her determined to use her multi-cultural background to create furniture which would appeal to a global market. Nada created her company ‘East and East’ in the year 2000, which concentrates on designing, manufacturing and selling her own furniture and home accessory lines. The company now has retail outlets throughout Beirut: the Nada Debs Gallery, which displays the ‘East & East’ and ‘Contemporary’ collections and two Nada Debs Boutiques, which carry her home accessory collections.
"House of Today is just the beginning of the awareness of the importance of design in our everyday life; a much needed mission in Lebanon/today's world."
Nada Zeineh
An architect by training, Nada Zeineh has lived and worked in Paris where she specialized in museography.
Back to Lebanon she works on several architectural projects like the Soap Museum in
Saida and the rehabilitation of the Archaeological Museum of the American University
of Beirut (AUB).
In parallel, since 1987, she has designed and created jewelry in various materials such as terracotta gilded with gold leaf or brass wires and sheets woven, twisted, hammered and dipped in gold.
In 2004 she opened her showroom and launched her label Nounzein, dedicating herself exclusively to jewelry and to small objects such as mobiles, stabiles, lighting elements and tables.
In 2012, she presents "Pathways" a retrospective of her work at the Beirut Art Center.
Her work is inspired by the abstract geometric forms inherent to her training as an architect, and by the nature and the old civilizations of the Middle East.
For her, every piece is a project in itself, a project born from a dream, a souvenir, a “collective memory” that she reinterprets in order to create simple, light, playful and timeless pieces.
Nadim Karam
Nadim Karam received a Bachelor of Architecture from the American University of Beirut, and a PhD in architecture from Tokyo University in 1989. His use of many different mediums (painting, sculpture, urban art installation and architecture) has given rise to a consistent conceptual line that fuses oriental and Japanese theories of spaces. In 1994, he founded Atelier Hapsitus, a pluri-disciplinary group, focused on the creation of an original urban vocabulary. Based in Beirut, they have created large-scale temporary urban art projects for various cities in the world, and permanent projects in Melbourne, Tokyo and London. Four books on his works have been published by Booth-Clibborn Editions, London, ‘VOYAGE’ (2000) and ‘Urban Toys’ (2006), ‘The Cloud, the Desert and the Arabian Breeze’ (2007) and ‘Stretching Thoughts’ (2014).
"It is fantastic that House of Today is investing in design education of young Lebanese and creating a platform for local creativity to thrive. It is about time to start institutional support for designers."
Nadine Hajjar
Nadine Hajjar is a Lebanese designer and wood artist based in Montreal, Canada. Trained in Beirut as an interior architect at the Lebanese American University, she decided to specialize in furniture and industrial design by enrolling in, and obtaining, a Master degree at the Domus Academy in Milan, Italy. To satisfy even more her thirst for creation and more crucially for production, she decided she wanted to be closer to the material itself. Wood. She studied cabinetmaking for 3 years in Montreal at the École d’Ébénisterie d’Art de Montréal.
Nadine founded Nadine Hajjar Studio in 2014, and since then, she has been developing her own collection of furniture, lighting and objects. It is only through carving wood and witnessing as objects take shape within her own hands that she felt complete as a designer and a sculptor.
Every object she brings to life tells a story. She infuses her work with lyricism and her definition of humor, making them bold and useful story books one can read in any direction through organic, clean and mostly, gentle lines and curves. While being experimental with a retro influence, her work imagines certain poetry.
Nagib Tabbah
A graduate gemologist of GIA in New York in 1991, Nagib represents the fifth generation of the House of Tabbah. A resolute perfectionist, his creations can be best described as wearable storytelling objects that won him faithful devotees around the world. A prolific designer, his laser-focused attention to details and inventiveness earned him multiple international patents and design registrations. Renowned for the sublime quality of his one-off privately commissioned pieces, Nagib more recently collaborated with Princess Charlene of Monaco to craft a necklace which she wore during the ceremony of her wedding to Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011.
Najla El Zein
Najla El Zein, graduate of the Ecole Camondo, integrated to Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris, is a designer based in Beirut since 2010. Her objects and spatial installations illustrate tactility, sensations, sincerity and complexity. Najla engages in an almost holistic approach to design by embracing long process thinking, vast experimentation and refined production. Each of her creations are locally and carefully handmade with passionate craftsmen and technologists.
Her work is in search of simple and raw beauties, derived from narratives, materials or simply the experiences it seeks to generate. Najla El Zein was exhibited and published internationally in museums, galleries, publications and fairs such as The Victoria and Albert Museum, Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Beirut Exhibition Center, Singapore Art Fair and the Boghossian Foundation.
Najla El Zein
Najla El Zein, graduate of the Ecole Camondo, integrated to Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris, is a designer based in Beirut since 2010. Her objects and spatial installations illustrate tactility, sensations, sincerity and complexity. Najla engages in an almost holistic approach to design by embracing long process thinking, vast experimentation and refined production. Each of her creations are locally and carefully handmade with passionate craftsmen and technologists.
Her work is in search of simple and raw beauties, derived from narratives, materials or simply the experiences it seeks to generate. Najla El Zein was exhibited and published internationally in museums, galleries, publications and fairs such as The Victoria and Albert Museum, Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Beirut Exhibition Center, Singapore Art Fair and the Boghossian Foundation.
Nathalie Khayat
Nathalie Khayat studied ceramics in Montréal. In 1999 she opened her studio in Beirut where she currently works and teaches. Since 1995, she has been exhibiting in Montreal, Beirut, South Korea, London and Paris. Her work, whether functional or sculptural is always based on a vessel form, celebrating daily rituals.
Noor Fares
The face of fine jewelry today is evolving and one its brightest young stars is London based Lebanese designer, Noor Fares. A History of Art degree from Tufts University was a natural extension of her creative upbringing where she expanded her knowledge and appreciation of Fine Art, enriching her taste and informing her inspiration. She began to focus more on jewelry and started to commission her own pieces, leading to her taking courses at the GIA where she expanded her technical knowledge of crafting jewelry and precious stones. Noor’s passion for travel, fascination with the arts and different cultures are at the core of her jewelry designs which reflect both her aesthetic and philosophy. Since launching her eponymous label in 2009, the collection has been selected by renowned global stockiest including Dover Street Market, Browns and Matches in the London, WhiteBird in Paris, Net-a-¬Porter online and as from February of 2014, Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. After receiving much international buzz for her fine jewelry line, luxury leather brand, Tod’s named Noor Fares as its brand ambassador in 2012. Noor also continues to work on exciting collaborations – in June 2013, Fares worked with internationally renowned architect and designer, Zaha Hadid for a conceptual summer pop-up. Whilst continuing to grow her business, Noor has been able to balance her studies as a post‐graduate at the prestigious Central Saint Martin's School of Art and Design in London, where she will graduate in 2014 with a Master’s in Fine Jewelry Design.
Nour Al Nimer
Born in Beirut to a Palestinian father and Turkish mother, Nour al Nimer brings a unique medley of cultural references to Nimerology, a chinaware label that translates Nour’s personal experiences into elegant tableware. Each exquisitely crafted piece places art at the center of everyday life, melding aesthetic sensibilities with straightforward functionality. Nimerology was founded in 2012 after Nour completed training at the Chelsea School of Art & Design (London) with an MA in Fine Arts. Nimerology was selected by The Independent (UK) as top 10 best plates.
Rabih Geha
Rabih Geha is the principal at Rabih Geha Architects, a Beirut-based multidisciplinary architecture and design studio founded in 2006. Rich with multiple expertise, the studio is fueled by a team of talented architects and designers collaborating to create spaces that inspire. Led by Rabih Geha, the team works on a portfolio of projects that include architecture, interiors, product design and experimental installations. From residential and retail to commercial and recreational spaces, each design, prompted by the environment it lives in, absorbs the surrounding physical, social and aesthetic elements to result in spaces that are never dictated by trend or style, but rather built with meaning, relevance and most importantly passion.
Defying categorization, Rabih Geha’s vision is regularly intersected with the demands of his clients and the modern world. In each project, Geha aims to capture the mood, ambiance and blend the spirit of the space by merging design, architecture and the client’s need – this is the key thread that runs through his work. Geha follows his intuition, for it takes him where he wants to go: a premised shaped by internal critique, creative dialogue and an exemplar level of architectural and design aesthetics.
Geha’s portfolio includes some of Lebanon’s most diverse – and popular – drinking and dining destinations. Following the success of glamorous speakeasy ‘Off & On’, Geha designed the back-to-basics mega-club ‘Uberhaus’, ‘the Roof’ lounge bar and restaurant atop the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut, as well as the ‘Pre’ rooftop lounge and Club in downtown Beirut. Geha has established a nightlife circuit that begins with rooftop cocktails and ends with bottle service at an after-hours speakeasy, singlehandedly transforming Beirut’s nightlife scene.
Geha holds a B.A. in architecture from The American University of Beirut (AUB) and a master’s degree in design in new technologies from l'École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (ENSCI). Since 2006, he has been teaching an experiment-driven and research-oriented workshop at l'Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA).
Rabih Kayrouz
Rabih Kayrouz is praised for his architectural cuts and exacting construction, but the designer’s approach is far from rational. Emotion is the crux of his ready-to-wear label, which launched in 2009 with the opening of Maison Rabih Kayrouz in Paris. He works instinctively to design garments that embody comfort, confidence and, most importantly, joy. Beyond pragmatism and pleasure, Kayrouz’s work reflects exceptional craftsmanship. It was this delicate balance that won over the international press and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, who invited him to participate in the official calendar of couture fashion shows in 2009. Kayrouz had been designing dresses for private clients since 1998, but the decision to include his premier collection marked a first in couture. He later joined the ready-to-wear calendar, debuting in Paris in March 2012. Showing four collections per year, Kayrouz continues to apply rigorous haute-couture style codes to his ready-to-wear collection, and his distinctive ease to couture. While Maison Rabih Kayrouz label is exclusive to the world’s most prestigious boutiques and department stores, the designer’s collaboration with La Redoute in 2012 confirmed his widespread appeal.
Raed Abillama
Raëd Abillama received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1992 and Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design in 1993. He later received his Master of Architectural Design Degree from Columbia University, New York in 1994. He worked at Raphael Viñoly Architects PC, New York, from 1994 to 1996. There he was involved in and exposed to various large-scale projects. He established Raëd Abillama Architects in Lebanon in the year 1997. His vision was to create a setup which would include a wide array of professionals in both the design and production fields working side by side. In this spirit, he formed a parallel setup called A.C.I.D. (Abillama Chaya Industrial Design) specialized in the production of architectural detailing and product design field. This step would give better quality products as well as better design quality. This makes the transition from drafting board to product truer and promotes design as an asset.
Ranya Sarakbi & Niko Koronis
Niko Koronis is an architect with master degrees in both architecture and product design. In addition, he is also a recipient of a PhD in Architecture from the Architectural Association in London.
He has been a Fellow at Central Saint Martin’s in London and a researcher at the Alvar Aalto Foundation in Helsinki. He has taught, lectured, and undertaken research in architecture, product, and urban design in several universities throughout the world. In addition to his academic career, he has exhibited his work in several group and solo shows, amongst which the Venice Biennale and the Triennale di Milano.
Ranya Sarakbi is a self-taught painter and sculptor.
Her work, over the years, has resulted in the build-up of different collections of paintings, objects, wearable ornaments, and sculptures.
Ranya currently lives and works in Milan.
Riad Kamel
Roula Salamoun
Roula Salamoun is an architect and designer, founder of EXTRAGROUND a Beirut based studio developing multidisciplinary projects. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture with distinction (American University of Beirut, 2007) and continued her graduate research in New York City (Columbia University, 2011), where she was awarded the William Kinne fellowship.
She has collaborated with Columbia University on a number of regional projects and has worked with Bernard Khoury / DW5 for over six years as a Project Manager and Architecture Manager before establishing her practice in 2017.
Her interest in multi-scalar design, experiential design and sustainable material experimentations is explored through projects ranging from architecture to experimental installations and products. Her work has been published and exhibited in Lebanon, Finland, Italy, Jordan, China and the United States.
Rumi Dalle
Rumi Dalle, winner of the 2016 Boghossian Foundation Prize, is difficult to categorize – a collector, a designer, an artist – her installations show a craftsman’s skill and a fascination with material. Graduating with a Ba in Graphic design at the Lebanese American University, Dalle’s earliest experimentations began at home, creating fantasy worlds staged in her mother’s closet. An obsessive collector of old Photographs, she became a regular at antique shops and flea markets. Her collection of eccentric objects can be found around her workshop, including crafts from the 18
th
and the 19
th
centuries.
Rumi Dalle has travelled to different countries to learn first-hand about disappearing crafts from the people still practicing them. In Ireland, she did workshops with a felt-maker; her experiments with the material formed the basis for this first commercial installation in 2012, a window display for an Eyewear Boutique, The Counter.
As an installation artist, with a number of projects in the works, Dalle is currently revisiting materials in new ways, though he’s planning research trips to discover more folk crafts to integrate into his work.
Where of many of these traditional crafts are on the edge of dying out, Dalle’s path of curiosity is also one of preservation. She’s an archivist of sorts, drawing attention to distant crafts traditions and translating them to new cultures and generations.
In the peculiar space of Rumi Dalle, we discover a deep-rooted infatuation in soft arts and crafts from the 1800s.
Fine intricate articles – toys and memory jugs for the young, memorial wreaths for those long gone – are part of her personal collection.
Passed on from one generation to another, these objects were made in prisons, schools, convents, homes. Each tells the story of people who immersed themselves everyday in making, pouring their souls into what has become a relic, and what will inspire new works.
The outcome speaks to the senses: a certain feel, a certain light, a certain emotion.
This is a whirlwind journey of curiosity, one that has led Rumi to artisans to learn and preserve crafts that are being abandoned and disappearing.
Here, take a look into Rumi’s world: a parallel dimension that revolves around a worktable where everything is laid bare and finessed into living, breathing works.
Rumi Dalle
Today, Rumi Dalle has interest in compiling, gleaning, and collecting found objects. In her work, reference to the old is sometimes signaled through subject, medium and technique. She runs a workshop where her daily research on Victorian crafts and folk practices mirrors her skills and curiosities in often-intricate handworks. Usually experimental, her work connects with the audience as a stimulant to relocate forgotten objects and resuscitate numb senses.
Salim Al Kadi
Salim Al-Kadi is an architect based in Beirut. He is a graduate of the American University of Beirut (B.Eng/Arch. 2004) and Columbia University (M.Sc. 2006). Since 2011, Salim has been a senior lecturer at the American University of Beirut’s Department of Architecture and Graphic Design.
Since 2014 Salim has also been involved in SIGIL, a collective involving Khaled Malas, Alfred Tarazi and Jana Traboulsi. Together they have completed multiple projects including ‘excavating the sky: a project on Syria’ commissioned by and exhibited at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, ‘current power in Syria’ exhibited at the 2016 Marrakech Art Biennale, ‘Monuments of the Everyday’ #therevolutionisamirror at the 2016 Oslo Architecture Triennale and “electric resistance - monument to a destroyed windmill” exhibited at the 2017 Sharjah Biennale in the Sursock Museum in Beirut.
In 2016, he founded the Beirut Architecture Office. A practicing architect, Salim believes that the responsibility of the architect is not to build confidence in the built environment but rather disrupt the apparent stasis by introducing necessary hesitation. This motivation was recently explored in his K29 Keffiyeh 001 project, where he designed the first Keffiyeh manufactured from bullet-resistant material. In 2017, Keffiyeh 001 was followed by a Keffiyeh 002 which was exhibited in New York at the Museum of Modern Art as part of “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” exhibit.
Sam Baron
Sam Baron currently works as a designer for brands such as Vista Alegre, Hennessy or Dinh Van along the creative direction of the design area of Fabrica.
Sam Baron’s perennial re-readings and reinterpretations of traditional know-hows, handcraft or industrial, shrewdly interrogate on the utility of today’s material productions and the very existence of new objects. By anchoring his creations in an artistic and functional inquiry, without omitting cultural and historical narrations, Sam Baron places his outlook in our everyday life and its contemporaneity.
His work has been presented in several international recognized museum and galleries such as Cristina Grajales, NYC and Nilufar, Milano.
Sarah & Malak Beydoun
Sisters Sarah and Malak Beydoun were born and raised in Beirut. After mastering in Sociology in USJ, Sarah launched her brand Sarah’s Bag in 2000, bringing together her love of design and fashion with her desire to empower and work with underprivileged women. Her line of handcrafted handbags and accessories are designed around the skills of the 200 female prisoners and ex-prisoners she has personally trained and worked with over the past 14 years. In 2014, Sarah joined forces with her sister Malak, who, after 16 years of experience with the region’s most prominent names in the advertising and fashion industry (Leo Burnett, Aishti, L’Officiel), took over the role of development manager and designer at Sarah’s Bag. Today, the brand is carried by global online retailers and concept stores like Net-a-Porter, Colette and Matches London and has over 50 points of sale in 22 countries.
Sayar & Garibeh
Stephanie Sayar and Charbel Gharibeh are Lebanese based designers.
Living between Beirut and Germany, they both had the chance to assist in several workshops and to work and experiment with local and German craftsmen.
Selected to be Part of Starch team 2016.
They work together as a team where each one has his/her own touch and thoughts combined together to create nostalgic and dreamy pieces.
Their approach to design encompasses their personal vision of experimental designs with a dash of humor using new materials and forms.
They recently opened their studio Sayar & Garibeh, in Beirut, after developing their product design skills and exhibiting their work at a number of international fairs such as Milan, Paris, Beirut and Dubai.
Their work had been selected in 2015 and 2016 as best of Milan design week and highlighted as best of Maison et Objet Paris 2015.
After having met over 12 years ago in college, the two later went on to complete Master’s degrees in Interior Architecture from the Lebanese University. It was only three years after graduation that they realized the necessity of designing together to produce the best work.
"Working together is always fun, and while communication is one of the main elements in our method, we can't hide the fact that it sometimes gets messy, but it's all part of the ride... We tried to work separately a few times [in the beginning] but we always ended up realizing that there was something missing."
Sayar & Garibeh
Stephanie Sayar & Charbel Garibeh are Lebanese-based designers that work together as a team to complete projects where each have individual opinions and personal touches combined together to create nostalgic and dreamy pieces.
Their approach to design encompasses their combined vision of naïve and experimental design with a dash of humor using new materials and forms.
The duo opened their studio Sayar & Garibeh, in Beirut, after developing their product design skills and exhibiting their work at a number of international fairs such as Miami, NYC, Milan, Paris, London, Beirut and Dubai.
Their work has been selected in 2015 and 2016 as Best of Milan Design Week and highlighted as Best of Maison et Objet Paris in 2015.
It was only three years after graduating with a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture that they realized the necessity of designing together to produce the best work.
"Working together is always fun, and while communication is one of the main elements in our method, we can't hide the fact that it sometimes gets messy, but it's all part of the ride... We tried to work separately a few times [in the beginning] but we always ended up realizing that there was something missing. »
Sayar & Garibeh
Stephanie Sayar and Charbel Gharibeh are Lebanese based designers.
Living between Beirut and Germany, they both had the chance to assist in several workshops and to work and experiment with local and German craftsmen.
Selected to be Part of Starch team 2016.
They work together as a team where each one has his/her own touch and thoughts combined together to create nostalgic and dreamy pieces.
Their approach to design encompasses their personal vision of experimental designs with a dash of humor using new materials and forms.
They recently opened their studio Sayar & Garibeh, in Beirut, after developing their product design skills and exhibiting their work at a number of international fairs such as Milan, Paris, Beirut and Dubai.
Their work had been selected in 2015 and 2016 as best of Milan design week and highlighted as best of Maison et Objet Paris 2015.
Going down the academic Route they both Graduated in 2010 with first and 2nd class honors, with a Master degree in Interior Architecture from the Lebanese University.
Sayar & Garibeh X Katie Stout
Stephanie Sayar & Charbel Garibeh are Lebanese-based designers that work together as a team to complete projects where each have individual opinions and personal touches combined together to create nostalgic and dreamy pieces. Their approach to design encompasses their combined vision of naïve and experimental design with a dash of humor using new materials and forms. The duo opened their studio Sayar & Garibeh, in Beirut, after developing their product design skills and exhibiting their work at a number of international fairs such as Miami, Milan, Paris, Beirut and Dubai. Their work has been selected in 2015 and 2016 as Best of Milan Design Week and highlighted as Best of Maison et Objet Paris in 2015. After having met over 12 years ago in college, the two later went on to complete Master’s degrees in Interior Architecture from the Lebanese University. It was only three years after graduation that they realized the necessity of designing together to produce the best work.
"Working together is always fun, and while communication is one of the main elements in our method, we can't hide the fact that it sometimes gets messy, but it's all part of the ride... We tried to work separately a few times [in the beginning] but we always ended up realizing that there was something missing."
Sibylle Tarazi
Sibylle Tarazi is a designer and aesthete based in Beirut, Lebanon.
Raised in Beirut, Paris and Rome, she graduated in Graphic design and Fine arts from the American University of Beirut in 2002 and with a Master’s degree in Accessories design specializing in jewellery from Milan’s Domus Academy in 2007.
Born to a family of archaeologists, designers and craftsmen specializing in Middle Eastern art, Sibylle was inevitably immersed in a stimulating historical and contemporary art milieu which clearly stands out in her art.
Conscious that fulfilling a role in tune with her background could play for or against her own artistic aspirations, she spent much of her life working towards distinguishing herself and developing her own unique style.
During her frequent travels to Europe, visiting ateliers, museums and galleries in search of inspiration she resolved to achieve a collection of pieces that would be dreamed of and coveted: “I knew I wanted to do something very special, very different, very exclusive, something that would create links between the past, present and future.”
Snøhetta
Snøhetta is an internationally operating architecture and design firm consisting of architects, landscape and interior architects, graphic designers, researchers and artists.
Founded in 1989, Snøhetta’s first commission in the same year was a cultural building garnered from an international competition. The reimagining of the great Alexandria Library in Egypt was the office’s seminal work and was followed a decade later by the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, another international competition whose completion also received numerous prestigious international awards.
Since 1989, Snøhetta has established itself as a world famous practice of urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture and brand design. Operating in 7 cities in 6 countries, the practice currently employs over 180 staff members of 30 different nationalities.
Daniel Berlin is born in Copenhagen and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture in Copenhagen.
Daniel Berlin completed his architectural education at Southern California Institute of Architecture in 2012. Daniel graduated with distinction and was awarded the Merit award for best Thesis in Architecture.
After practicing in Los Angeles with Ball-Nogues he moved to Oslo to join Snøhetta in 2013. His independent work has been published widely and he frequently lectures around the world.
In Snøhetta Daniel has been working on several award-winning competitions as well as having key roles at design development stages in a variety of large-scale cultural, infrastructural and commercial projects.
Currently he is a project manager for the
Banque Libano
-
Française New Headquarter in Beirut
.
Educated in the UK, Robert Greenwood joined Snøhetta in 1993 to play a central role in the detail design and construction of the Alexandra Library in Egypt. Since returning from Egypt in 1995 Robert has been deeply involved in all design projects and competitions at Snøhetta. In 2006 he became a Partner and Design Director responsible for International work.
From 2010 he has been Managing Director for Snøhetta Overseas with overall responsibility for all International projects.
Robert has been active in Architectural Education in Norway, teaching at the schools in Norway, and holding numerous lectures and courses around the world.
Souheil Hanna
After three diplomas in Marketing/Advertising, Modern French Literature at la Sorbonne Paris and Film directing at Esra School Souheil Hanna comes back to Lebanon his native country and works as a T.V producer in his father’s company Intermarkets for three years then decides to open his own gallery XXeSiecle in 2002 that specializes in decorative arts of the Twentieth Century. XXeSiècle was the first to promote design of the twentieth Century in the Middle East .The gallery meets great success in Lebanon and worldwide where his Royère pieces brake world records and were bought by international collectors. After ten years of experience and successful achievements Souheil starts drawing custom made furniture to meet his clients’ needs helped by his knowledge in furniture design.
Stephanie Moussallem
Stéphanie Moussallem is a Beirut based product designer. Being always driven by joining artistic form, usability and ergonomics, she undertook her studies in interior architecture and graduated in July 2011 with a Master’s degree in product design from ALBA (Académie Libanaise des beaux Arts). Upon graduation, Stéphanie started collaborating with Spockdesign - a very well-known design firm based in Beirut. This collaboration has led to many design shows: BRC Beirut Rock center at Beirut Art Center, PAD London, PAD Paris and Design days Dubai to name a few. Focusing also on a solo career, she has participated in many exhibitions such as La Fiera di Milano – Salone Satellite – in which her product was listed in the top ten of the Salone by L'express.fr, Confessions by House of Today, and was selected by Designboom to be part of the Stockholm design week. Stephanie’s touch expands beyond product to interiors with the design of the Starch boutique 2012/2013, the Jimy Beyrouth boutiques, Pamela Milano stores and many residences across Lebanon. “Design is a tool to facilitate everyday life, by making the objects around us as practical and pleasant as possible.”
Stephanie Moussallem
The Beirut born and based Lebanese designer Stéphanie Moussallem undertook her studies in interior architecture and graduated in July 2011 with a Master’s degree in product design, she was quickly noticed by the owner of one of the most prestigious design and production company in the middle-east. During the 4 years spent there, she built a great experience and knowledge in production, execution and luxurious detailing.
In 2015 she launches, Stéphanie Moussallem Design Studio bringing distinct high-end collectible furniture and product designs from Beirut to the World.
Stéphanie Moussallem, the creative behind the eponymous multidisciplinary interior, product and furniture design studio, believes her final products must be functional and enjoyable in addition to aesthetical.
When designing, she thinks like a user, working intimately with noble materials, testing new and sometimes forgotten Mediterranean artisanal techniques to evolve and even disrupt design archetypes. The end products are distinct, mostly handmade pieces with luxurious finishing and details.
Luxury for Moussallem, however, is not about decadence, but about practicality, quality and timelessness: “
Luxury in design is when a work is simple, elegant and ageless.
”
Stéphanie Moussallem Design Studio is testament to her design range, the Studio’s work has been exhibited at various design shows in Paris, Milan and Beirut, including: La Fiera di Milano, Salone Satellite, Varenna - Poliform Milano, Starch, SMO Gallery, House of Today, OTC Editions, Joy Mardini Design Gallery, Le BON MARCHE Rive Gauche - Paris, WallpaperSTORE* and many more.
Stephanie Moussallem
Based in Beirut, Stéphanie Moussallem Design Studio is a multidisciplinary practice with a diverse portfolio of interior projects and furniture. Launched in 2015 by interior architect and product designer Stéphanie Moussallem to explore the evolving vision of contemporary culture, the studio is dedicated to improving the relationship between usability, ergonomics and style.
“Design is a tool to facilitate everyday life, by making the objects around us as practical and pleasant as possible.”
The studio creates one-of-a-kind as well as commissioned works of furniture design, interior concepts and architectural installations.
Stéphanie Moussallem’s works have been exhibited at various design shows including La Fiera di Milano, House of Today, Smo Gallery,
Products available at Le Bon March
é - Rive Gauche Paris, WallpaperSTORE*, Over the Counter.
Tamara Barrage
Tamara Barrage is a Lebanese artist/designer based in Beirut. After earning a master’s degree in Product Design from ALBA (Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts) in 2011, she pursued a second master’s degree from Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands specializing in Contextual Design.
Upon her return to her hometown, in 2014, Tamara engaged in exploring the tactile and sensorial characteristics of various materials. Using an array of experimental techniques, Tamara aspires to better articulate how forms and textures provoke senses, manipulate emotions and articulate memories.
Her interest in materiality takes the form of multiple explorations into shapes that become materials or materials that turn into shapes. Often threatening while revealing an overwhelming sense of fragility her creations are creatures of another realm, somehow unfamiliar, somehow, if one looks closely enough, all too familiar.
Tamara participated in several renowned local international exhibitions including, Sharjah Biennale (Beirut), Maison et Objet (Paris), House of Today (Beirut), Athr gallery (Jeddah), Design Days Dubai (Dubai), Biennale Internationale de Design (St Etienne), Salone el Mobile (Milan)…
Tamara Barrage
Tamara barrage is a product designer based in Beirut, graduated from Design Academy Eindhoven with a Masters in Contextual Design. Interested in the way objects provoke our senses through their skins, forms and functionality. Constantly looking for ways to define a design process by manipulating, exploring and experimenting with a wide range of materials and textures.
Tessa & Tara Sakhi
Lebanese-Polish sisters, architects, creators & wanderers, Tessa & Tara Sakhi, were immersed into a multi-cultural environment and the world of architecture & art through their parents at an early age.
Having garnered experience in various architecture offices and through freelance projects in Beirut, New York and Paris, it is mostly through their constant travel journeys and shared enthusiasm for exploring eclectic environments that Tessa found her passion for philanthropy, social & civic collaborations, while Tara developed hers for photography, scenography and set design.
In 2016, they combined their strong duality of versatile talents & individual affinities to co-found T SAKHI under one harmonious and complementary vision: an architecture & design platform that promotes innovation through multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Tessa & Tara both started their initial architecture studies at L’académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts in Beirut.
Tessa graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Architecture at the American University of Beirut, winning first prize of honors & excellence in the Areen Awards for her diploma project.
Tara graduated in 2016 with a Master’s Degree from École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris, earning high honors & distinction for her thesis project.
Valentina Carretta
Born in Treviso in 1981, Valentina graduated from the Politecnico di Milano in 2006, after an experience of studying abroad at the Bauhaus Universität in Weimar. As early as 2005, she began collaborating with Fabrica (the Benetton Group's communication research center) as a designer and project manager working alongside an international, multidisciplinary team of young creatives.
Her experience in the design department of Fabrica has continued for more than eight years. Since 2008 she has also been working as a freelance designer, mainly focusing on product design, displays and art direction. Her projects include collaborations with companies such as the Benetton Group, Seletti, Roche Bobois, Bosa, Miniforms and Fabrica Features, as well as limited edition pieces for Zanotta, Galleria Secondome and Granville Gallery.
Empathy, memory, and the search for new languages in the use of traditional materials are some of the features that characterise her creations, designed to add a story, an unusual meaning or a little surprise to each shape.
Her designs have been exhibited internationally at the Triennale di Milano, Gardiner Museum (Toronto), MAD Museum (New York) , MUDAC (Lausanne) and at the Paris and Milano Furniture Fairs.
Vrouyr Joubanian
Vrouyr is a Lebanese-Armenian multi-disciplinary designer with experience in products, services, and systems. He holds a Master in product design from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts (ALBA) and a Master in design for social impact from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He is currently a faculty member in ALBA’s Design department, where he co-leads the first year graduate design studio in the Global Design Program. His name being historically difficult to pronounce, he often goes by simply “V”.
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