Qatar Museums Chairperson Honours Winners of Design Doha Prize 2026

Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, honoured the four winners of the Design Doha Prize 2026 at the Museum of Islamic Art.

The prize ceremony was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani; Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi, CEO of Qatar Museums; His Excellency Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al-Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar; and a number of prominent figures, intellectuals and artists.

The winners were selected across four categories. In the Craft category, Mesh! was created by the Bahrain-based Bahraini–Danish team comprising Batool Alshaikh, Maitham AlMubarak and Christian Vennerstrøm. Crafted from reclaimed Cape teak wood, the project reinterprets traditional Bahraini woodworking and weaving techniques through interlocking wooden modules, creating a versatile piece that can function as a decorative screen, room divider or freestanding design element.

The Product Design winner was Lebanon’s PSI-01 (Power Supply Indicator 01) by Post Design Studio, represented by Dia Mrad. The device connects to a household electrical panel and uses illuminated colours to show the current power source: green for solar power, yellow for a generator and red for the electricity grid, while a red panel bearing the word “OFF” lights up when the city loses power.

The Furniture Design winner was Low Tide by Lebanon’s Shaha Raphael. Inspired by the Mediterranean and Lebanese craftsmanship, its tables, stools, mirrors and tableware appear to have been shaped by the sea, embracing snail fossils within stone and bending metal as if moved by an invisible wave.

In the Emerging Talent category, Iran’s Yasamin Shaikhi won for The Spoils: Lights From Waste, a sculptural lighting piece made from cooked-rice waste and date pits that addresses food waste. The materials were turned into a pulp and pressed into translucent surfaces that emit a soft glow, transforming discarded matter into a functional sculpture.

The four winners were selected from more than 550 applications submitted from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia and their diasporas. They were honoured for their outstanding contributions to contemporary design and innovative approaches to craftsmanship, materials and creative production.

The Prize is chaired by Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums. The winners were selected by a 24-member international jury headed by India Mahdavi.

The Prize gives its winners opportunities to develop their work and build relationships with international design institutions and commercial partners. Together, the four winners will receive QAR 800,000, approximately USD 220,000, alongside a two-week mentorship programme at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, and a full year of studio space at Liwan Design Studios and Labs in Doha.

Additional support includes opportunities to display and sell products with assistance from Liberty London at Liberty Home Msheireb in Doha, as well as logistical support and business mentorship from DHL.

Speaking at the Design Doha Prize ceremony, Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani praised the winning designers and creative talent from across the region and emphasised the biennial’s ambition to connect designers with professional opportunities in industry and with investors. She said: “Design Doha is an investment: connecting talent with industry, designers with architects and developers, and regional creativity with public and private capital projects.” She also praised the determination of the region’s designers and the growing international recognition of their work.

Speaking at the Design Doha Prize ceremony, Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani praised the winning designers and creative talent from across the region and emphasised the biennial’s ambition to connect designers with professional opportunities in industry and with investors. She said: “Design Doha is an investment: connecting talent with industry, designers with architects and developers, and regional creativity with public and private capital projects.” She also praised the determination of the region’s designers and the growing international recognition of their work.

She added: “When few believed in the creative power of our region, our creators persevered. Today, no one doubts it. There is now a movement, driven by beauty, proud of its origins and rooted in our ancestry, and it is unstoppable.”

Addressing the wider challenges facing the region, Her Excellency highlighted the power of culture to bring people and communities together, adding: “This is culture as resilience and resistance. This is Qatar as a platform that unites.”

Fahad Al Obaidly, Director of Design Doha, said the Design Doha Prize places these talented designers at the threshold of a new stage. He said the organisers want to see their work progress from prototypes to production, enter new markets and create unprecedented opportunities for their professional development.

He added: “With the support of our partners, we seek to make it easier for designers to benefit from the expertise, resources and networks that can take their ideas further.” He expressed his eagerness to see how this year’s winners build on the recognition they have received and where their work takes them.

India Mahdavi, Head of the Design Doha Prize 2026 Jury, said what impressed her most about this year’s winners was the individuality of their work. She noted that each approaches design from a different perspective and applies a personal understanding of materials, craftsmanship and cultural identity.

She added: “These designers have their own creative languages, and it is inspiring to see their contribution to shaping the future of contemporary design. I hope the Prize gives them the freedom and confidence they need to take their ideas further.”

Design Doha Biennial 2026 remains open to the public until 31 January 2027. Centred in Fereej Al Asmakh, the biennial includes its headline exhibition, Arab Design Now 2026, curated by Noura Al Sayeh, alongside exhibitions, Public Design Commissions and cultural programmes across Doha.

Source: QNA

--

About Qatar Living:

Since 2005, Qatar Living has been the trusted destination for everything Qatar. As the country's largest online community and marketplace, Qatar Living connects people with opportunities through jobs, property, vehicles, services, classifieds, events, local insights, and breaking news. Trusted by residents, newcomers, visitors, and businesses alike, Qatar Living brings Qatar together in one place.

Instagram - @qatarliving

X - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living

YouTube - qatarlivingofficial