Doha: Design Doha announced the four winners
of the 2026 Design Doha Prize during an awards ceremony at the Museum of
Islamic Art (MIA), concluding the three-day opening programme for the second
edition of the design biennial. The Prize is chaired by Chairperson of Qatar
Museums HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, with the winners
selected by a 24-member international jury headed by India Mahdavi.
The winners were selected across four
categories: Craft (Bahrain-Denmark): Mesh! by Bahraini–Danish, comprising
Batool Alshaikh, Maitham AlMubarak and Christian Vennerstrøm, crafted from
reclaimed Cape teak wood reinterpreting traditional Bahraini woodworking and
weaving techniques. Product Design (Lebanon): PSI-01 (Power Supply Indicator
01) by Post Design Studio, represented by Dia Mrad, which shows the live power
source in light. Furniture Design (Lebanon): Low Tide by Shaha Raphael, an ode
to the Mediterranean and Lebanese artisanship. Emerging Talent (Iran): Yasamin
Shaikhi for The Spoils: Lights From Waste, a sculptural lighting piece made from
cooked rice waste and date pits addressing food waste in Qatar.
Selected from more than 550 applications from
across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia and its diasporas, the four
winners were recognised for their outstanding contributions to contemporary
design and innovative approaches to craftsmanship, materials and creative
production. The Prize provides winners with opportunities to develop their work
and build connections with international design institutions and commercial
partners.
The four winners will receive a combined financial award of QR800,000 (approximately $220,000), alongside a two-week mentorship programme at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, and one year of studio space at Liwan Design Studios and Labs in Doha. Additional support includes retail opportunities through Liberty London at Liberty Home Msheireb in Doha, as well as logistical assistance and business mentorship from DHL. Speaking at the ceremony, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa said: "Design Doha is an investment: connecting talent with industry, designers with architects and developers, and regional creativity with public and private capital projects."
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