Finding balance

At a roundtable held at Cosentino in Dubai, five prominent designers from the Middle East gathered to discuss finding the right balance between current trends in a transitioning world

- RAMY AHMED

In an effort to foster collaboration and material exploration, surfaces brand Cosentino recently announced the launch of its first capsule collection, a range of furniture and home accessories created with five regional design houses. Using the brand’s Dekton Slim material – a new 4mm ultracompact surface – the bespoke pieces are set to highlight the surface’s functionality and aesthetic value while reflecting the theme of ‘Breaking Boundaries’. The practices and individuals involved in the collection include Studio Nada Debs, Kart Group, Fadi Sarieddine Design Studio, Aljoud Lootah and The Line Concept.

While the collection will launch during Expo 2020 at the Spain Pavilion, and showcased during Downtown Design 2021, the collaboration has kickstarted with a roundtable discussion, during which the designers shared insights into the current state of the furniture design field in the Middle East, and the associated worldwide challenges.

Unsurprisingly, many of the pressing market demands at the moment have been initiated by global responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With work-from-home lifestyles becoming increasingly permanent, the need for designs to be shapeshifting in order to accommodate several uses, simultaneously and with ease, has placed practicality and functionality in the spotlight.

“When we’re stuck working at home, new needs start to emerge,” said Fadi Sarieddine, founder of his eponymous design studio. “Your dining table also has to be your desk because we’re not all working with large spaces.”

“It’s about making life simpler,” added Mustafa Khammash, founder of Kart Group. “Multiple areas have become concentrated into one minimal space, so the focus is on function – not [on] the way your surroundings appear.”