ArtDayME: Under the direction of India Mahdavi, the winners of the first Design Prize of the Institute of the Arab World (IMA) were awarded on September 6, 2023. Discover the winners.

Winner in the “Emerging Talent” category :Abdalla Almulla
Afternoon at the Souk (November 2022, United Arab Emirates)

His project consists of the scenography of a “Petit h” (Hermès) in a mall in Dubai. Inspired by the world of the souk, its creation is based, in line with the brand’s values, on the local context and its exceptional crafts.

Winners in the “Entrepreneurial Talent” category: Don Tanami
The Rebirth of Egyptian Design (June 2023, Egypt)

Rebirth of Egyptian Design@Don Tanami

Co-founded by Alia El Tanani, alongside Tamara El Tanani and Lina Anorabi, Don Tanani is a high-end furniture brand and design house dedicated to promoting Egyptian craftsmanship and design.

With the ambition of representing the excellence of Egyptian design at the highest level on an international scale, the collections developed by Don Tanani are inspired by the history of Egyptian art. Deepening the Egyptian identity, absorbing all aspects of an age-old culture, the brand intends to develop a lively, contemporary approach, exploring new ranges of materials to create pieces, some of which are true works of art.

Winner in the “Grand Prix” category: Studio KO

@Studio KO

Since their meeting at the Beaux-Arts architecture school in Paris and the subsequent creation of Studio KO in 2000, Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, based in Paris and Marrakech, have created contemporary, public or residential, inspired by the intelligence of the place.

Far from being locked into a grammar of styles or any formal systematism, Studio KO is defined by an attitude. A deference to nature and existing cultures, the audacity of the great aesthetic gap, an attention to local craftsmanship and know-how, a permanent search for roughness.

Winner in the “Grand Prix d’Honneur” category: Nada Debs

@Nada Kebs

Nada Debs is a Lebanese designer who lives and works in Beirut. Her work spans scale and discipline: from product and furniture design to one-off commissions in crafts, art, fashion and interiors. What connects his work is his ability to distill culture and craft to create pieces of emotional resonance.

Nada grew up in Japan, studied design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the United States, and spent extended periods living and traveling around the world, finding connections between different cultures. There is something of each of his experiences in all of his work. In essence, she captures the power of the human hand to tell stories that touch the heart. She calls her approach: handmade and made from the heart.