It is my source of inspiration to contemplate on how life was and how culture, traditions, lifestyle and therefor artifacts could have been developed if given a slower pace through time. Designing furniture for the Townhouse Project at Msheireb downtown was the most appropriate platform to project my imagination in installations, furniture, and objects to experience a modern feel inspired by the old. This townhouse is inspired from old behaviors, modern systems, and traditional techniques.

These rounds seats were designed to follow and compliment the patterns on the floor. The seats that are specially designed for the National Museum of Qatar, are meant to blend with the space, in color and shape but also reflecting a unique pattern of itself.

The seats are made with soft alpaca wool and walnut wood. The softness of the wool is also complimented with a memory foam underneath it to extend the visual softness of the fabric, to a tactile experience when sat down on.

Adapting with the idea of home systems, the Central Midkhan is designed to distribute the scent into more than one direction and place. This industrial looking installation when left not used also creates a strong aesthetic statement which celebrates design in various industries. This installation takes the idea of a traditional and local ritual into a global concept of home systems.

مستوحاة من فكرة الأنظمة المنزلية، تم تصميم مدخن سنترال لتوزيع الرائحة في أكثر من اتجاه واحد ومكان. هذا العمل التفاعلي عند تركه غير مستخدم أيضاً يخلق منظرا جمالياً قوياً يشيد الضوء علي اهميه التصميم في مختلف المجالات والصناعات. يأخذ هذا العمل التراث التقليدي والمحلي إلى مفهوم عالمي في تبنيه لفكرة الأنظمة المنزلية بطراز صناعي

The installation creates 7 worlds for the individual to experience. Each unit of the installation releases scented smoke once a person is standing underneath it to create an augmented isolated moment that with the use of smell takes a person to another state, a state of his own. 

The units are made out of concrete, the dominant material used in the massive construction Doha is undergoing. The concrete comes as an isolator, while the released smoke is inspired from the Midkhan, a traditional way in using perfume through burning aud on charcoal, a very cultural and rooted ritual. 

In this project, I attempt to shift dynamics in traditional used objects and furniture. Focusing on the the majlisby redesigning core elements in its main function. “Takaya”, the cushion that we lean towards when sitting down on a traditional floor seating is redesigned to have the base mattress continuously convert into “Takaya” by passing through a wooden structure and then to its original purpose of being a floor mattress. Also, elements of the wall that was used more often in the pass as ornaments is redesigned to take a shape of a teddy bear, an icon of childhood play that’s transformed to be a screen panel.            

There’s a necessity to be, instinctually. We dream to wander, and seek to dwell. Being at home is a state of mind, it’s where you feel most comfortable. Homes are built to shelter, they then take a part from us, they become us. Homes are the centre of our existence, it’s where we began our day, and where we end it. Building homes in the garden of my childhood house was my play. I had one in the corner of the garden, on a tree, and on the roof of an abandon room. I used all sorts of materials, but mainly concert blocks. I had a home where my family’s at, but I built my own. I wanted to be, selfishly, instinctually.  

Outside, where life happens, where we go, where we return from. Outside our homes, we search for what we’re looking for, we find what we’re looking for. Perhaps, inside our homes we seek the outside, and while we’re outside we look forward to returning home. Objects surrounding us at homes has an impact on our memory. Memory is not only the things we remember and then have a visual image of, but memory comes in many forms. Our hands for instance has a memory of its own, it remembers how things work, it recalls how to work on a long left craft, it recalls a rhythm of working, and it recalls many things we don't remember unless our hands are in contact with the object. When we decide to leave our homes to the outside world, we walk towards the door, the portal escape, we raise our hands and grab the door handle, push it down, pull the door, and walk away.
The joy of an open door runs in every vain, we are outside now. As a child, I remember the first breathe as I leave the house and walk outside. I remember the sun shine hitting my face, the sun, from the outer space. I remember the sound of birds traveling in different distances creating different depths of sound in the air and into my ears. The land stand strong, my feet are assured. I’m out, but in this world.

Loneliness allow contemplation. Loneliness doesn't necessarily mean being alone. A child is alone when surrounded by adults only. Being alone is an emotional state; a mental state. At home, we choose our comfort space, we long to be there, to share it a while, and to not share it another while.
There’s a sense of belonging in remembrance, belonging to a space that no longer exist. The time has passed, leaving behind an emotional residue. The space that I spent time at after coming back from school as a child was the Majlis, the outside Majlis - a living room built as an extension to the main house. I wasn’t by myself, but I was alone, rolling on the floor over the Misnad, a traditional floor seating cushion. I created a universe, where the surroundings lost gravity, they fled a space they once exist at, they now belong to my memories.

Analyzing old behaviors and traditions that have been changed or have faded through time. Creating a sense of nostalgia through the targeted sense of smell to trigger old memories.

A peice of wet wool fabric was placed in a plastic bag to create the smell of old carpet, or the smell of old houses. Then the piece of wool that has been soaking in a plastic bag wass attached to the tabletop along with the carpet fringe. After placing the table wooden top the smell evaporates through the cutouts creating an eating experience that feels like home.

Investigating childhood memories through materials surrounding us in our daily lives. Through experimentation with cement and toys a series of ConcreToys were created to introduce construction materials and methods to users at home in attempts to narrow the gap between the city and the people.

This is a recreation of the old “misnad” or cushion used for sitting. The hidden drawer is a “midkhan” and it is a place for charcoal and aud to be placed and infused through the hidden lips covered with fabric.

This represent the “Majlis” where people gather and welcomed by the “midkhan”.

The cassette was the journey. Was the memory of the car. Was the excitement of the meant destination.

This cassette is made from wax and scented with tobacco oil that reflect the smell of the car then.

Experimentation with time and layers of history through the traces people and their environment leave behind.

Through this experimentation with the projector and traces on a glass an understanding was clear on how traces of time allow projections of memories on surfaces. When traces of time are wiped out and cleaned, the vision is clear, but empty.

This chair represent comfort and peace. The high end of the chair is for the person to lean on and the buttons of the chair are filled with “habba Sodda” a sort of seed that when rubbed gives a comforting smell. This bundle of seeds was always carried by my grandmother, and the high corner represent her presence beside me.

These teddy bears are filled with soft concrete mixture. They are meant to be shaped, and then sprayed with water to take the desired shape forever when dried.

As I was growing up, I was surrounded by building tools and materials as we were renovating our house for a while. I used to play with the tools and enjoyed mixing concrete. But children now are even more surrounded by concrete and construction in their everyday life. These bears are a way to incorporate the outside materials with the indoors toys for children.

The Qatari lands are filled with rocks. These rocks have certain qualities and colors that are special to this country. The soaps are molded from these local rocks to bring the outside environment into the house, therefore narrowing the gap between the people and the outside on going changing city.

Pills of saffron & cardamom. As Qataris, we use these ingredients a lot in food. The smell of them is remarkable and has an effect on how we smell. I emptied some pills and filled them with these two ingredients, perhaps someday we will have the need to smell like we’re home, starting from within.

Local people use the Midkhan on daily basis for the house, clothes, hair or body. However, all Midkhans have almost the same form regardless the usage. I designed a series of three different forms of Midkhans focusing on personal usage for clothes and hair in particular. These Midkhans are small in size and have a protective head to protect hair/clothes from the hot charcoal and to also direct the smoke. These Midkhans serve as a personal domestic tool to complete a personal daily chore.

In 2012 Ikea opened its doors in Qatar and immediately created a sort of friction or misalignment between the Swedish brand and the Doha environment. Supercars parked outside of the corporate blue and yellow building, a local disinclination for DIY, and the colorful, sparkling North European catalogue, all stand in contrast to the country’s efforts in preserving a sense of heritage and Middle Eastern aesthetic. What is the role of design indeed? In which way could global and local converge to a common recognizable hybrid? Deglobalizer is an IKEAHACKING project where globally purchased standard objects have been subjected to a cultural mutation process and contaminated with local handcrafting.

The project was a collaboration between Paolo Cardini, Professor in RISD and myself.