Seminar Session 9
Establishing Local Design Studios, Panel Discussion
DATE & TIMING:
Tuesday, 01.02.2022 from 18:00 – 19:30
SESSION LOCATION: Online Lecture
Link to Teams Call* available in calendar
SESSION BRIEF:
Over the last couple of years there have been a number of locally grown design studios that are role models for a whole generation of young designers looking to make a name for themselves in the region. The panelists joining us for this conversation all have extensive experience working on projects of various scales and types in the UAE, and have established themselves as significant brands with distinct outputs. From their unique perspectives, the panelist will offer insights on how they got started, what their project workflows are, and advise for young designers looking to start their own studios.
Topics of discussion:
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Tell us briefly about your journey from establishing your design brand to where you are today?
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How have you pivoted or changed your business since its inception?
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Do you produce your products yourself, locally, or internationally?
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How do you typically produce your products, and what are some of the challenges faced when sourcing fabricators?
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What’s your process for initiating projects, taking orders, submitting concepts, etc.?
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What would you advise designers who are planning to open their own design studios in the UAE?
SESSION MODERATOR: Ammar Kalo
Bio: The Director of Studies is Award Winning international Furniture Designer and Architect Ammar Kalo. A designer, researcher, and educator based in the UAE. His work interrogates the relationship between digital technology and traditional craft and has received multiple international and local awards, including the ‘Emerging Designer’ award from Harper's Bazaar Interiors.
Ammar is an Associate Professor and the Director of Labs at the College of Architecture Art and Design, American University of Sharjah. His research and teaching focuses on robotic fabrication, furniture design, and design-build courses.
INVITED GUEST: Aya Al Bitar
Bio: Coming soon...
