The 10 finalists for the second edition of the AlUla Design Award have been revealed. The annual prize highlights unique designs inspired by the heritage, landscapes, and the artistic heritage of the oasis town. The 10 finalists’ designs will be exhibited at Galerie MR21 during Paris Design Week, where the final five winners will be announced on Sept. 7, 2023.
20 emerging and established designers were originally shortlisted to conceptualize and propose several categories of retail items ranging from jewelry, footwear, clothing, home accessories, and leather goods. Prototypes of their designs were evaluated by a jury of recognized leaders from the design world.
“The designers have captivated the jury with their innovative concepts, artistic excellence, and imaginative interpretations of AlUla’s rich cultural heritage. The quality and innovation have proven exceptional,” jury member, Cyril Zammit, said in a statement,
“There were more international entries than the first edition and I was pleased to discover a stronger voice from the Middle-East with emerging new talents. All the finalists have managed to truly capture the essence of AlUla and transform it into tangible retail designs,” be added.
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Read on to discover the 10 designs that made it to the finals.
“Tawa” by Shaddah Studio (Saudi, based in Saudi Arabia)
“Naba Tea Tiffin” by Ikkis, Gunjan Gupta (Indian, based in India)
“AlUla Terrains: Dates Serving Set” by Teeb (Lebanese and Saudi, based in Saudi Arabia)
“Incense Heritage Collection” by Sarra Hafaiedh (Tunisian, based in Tunisia)
“Ohjea” by Thaqeb Studio (Saudi, based in Saudi Arabia)
“Oil Lantern” by Imane Mellah (French, based in Paris)
“Book Lithic” by Ahmed AlMannai, Rashed AlAraifi and Hamad AlMannai, and Abdulla Binhindi (Bahraini, based in Bahrain)
“Arabian Leopard Sculpture Set” by Abdulla Binhindi (Bahraini, based in Bahrain)
“Steps Clasp” by Sara Kanoo (Bahraini, based in Bahrain)
“Sand Garden” by Tajalla Studio (Saudi, based in Saudi Arabia)
The six winners of the first edition were Reem Bashawri, Nour Shourbagy, Tarek ElKassouf, Teeb, Rukun x Harry Dobbs, and Niko Kapa.