DOHA: Qatar Museums announced the inaugural winners of the Design Doha Prize, established to provide recognition and support for exceptional designers in the categories of product design, interior design, furniture design, and craft.
The winners were Fabraca Studios from Lebanon for Product Design, Fadaa from Jordan for Interior Design, Sayar & Garibeh Lebanon for furniture design, Abeer Seikaly from Jordan for Craft.
Commenting on the announcement, Chairperson of Qatar Museums and founder of Design Doha HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said, "I offer my warmest congratulations to the winners of this first Design Doha Prize. Through their remarkable artistry and rising careers, the recipients exemplify the success of Design Doha in offering a new platform to practitioners across the Arab world helping them to build professional pathways and to engage with the acclaimed international design professionals who have convened at this landmark inaugural event."
Design Doha Prize recipients receive QR100,000 to sustain their practices, as well as mentorship support from international designers and industry experts, access to new platforms to show their work and generate additional market exposure, a year of logistical and insurance support, and more.
For his part, Design Doha Deputy Director of Programming and Partnerships Fahad Al Obaidly said, "Design excellence in the MENA region is nothing new, but being able to celebrate the accomplished and inventive designers who are based here through Design Doha further elevates and supports designers and our creative industries. We congratulate this year's Design Doha Prize recipients and are excited to see how the award helps them in their creative and commercial practices."
Design Doha Prize winners were selected by a jury of renowned design professionals and curators representing local, regional, and international design communities.
Competitors for the Prize were required to have an established design business in the MENA region with an active commercial history of between two and ten years. Submissions were judged on criteria including innovation, practicality (including potential market demand), sustainability, and social responsibility.
