26/02/2026
FROMM.Lab announces finalists heading to Design Doha Biennale 2026
12 finalists from around the world have been selected for FROMM.Lab’s first international design competition.
Following its international debut at Milan Design Week 2025, FROMM.Lab has unveiled the 12 finalists of its first international design competition, with selected works set to be presented at the Design Doha Biennale in April 2026.
The inaugural competition invited designers to reinterpret Arab heritage through a contemporary lens, challenging participants to bridge tradition and innovation.
The selected finalists, drawn from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, represent a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds, design languages, and creative methodologies.
“These 12 finalists represent a new generation of designers capable of shaping the future of design across cultures,” said Alia Rachid, Founder and CEO of FROMM. and FROMM.Lab.
“Each brings a distinct story and perspective. Through this mentorship program, we are guiding ideas toward tangible outcomes while reaffirming our commitment to creative dialogue between tradition and innovation.”
The finalists were selected by an international jury chaired by Rachid and will now enter an intensive mentorship and development phase.
The 12 finalists are Abeer Borhan from Egypt, Areej AlGhonaim from Saudi Arabia. Assaad Feghali from Lebanon/USA, Catalina Martínez Rojo from Spain, Cecilia Rinaldi from Italy, Daniel Heilig from Hungary/Germany, Galyiah & Lolwa AlMohannadi from Qatar, Ismail Hutet & Blanca Scully from Lebanon & France/USA, Kuranoie from Japan, Marwane Soumer from France/Tunisia), Noor Alabdulmalik, Noof Alnaama & Amina Fakhroo from Qatar, and Xinyi Wang from Australia/China.
Their proposals explore the intersections of materiality, identity, and cultural memory, merging personal heritage with universal narratives.
Several finalists are already award-winning designers and studio founders, including recipients of the AD Design Award.
They will be guided by leading figures in global design, including Giulio Cappellini, designer and founder of Cappellini, Joseph Grima, co-founder of Space Caviar and Alcova, Aline Asmar d’Amman, founder of Culture in Architecture, and the FROMM.Lab team, led by Luca Fois, Professor at Politecnico di Milano.
The judging panel also included Fahad Al Obaidly, Acting Director of Design Doha, and Asma Al Darwish, Assistant Manager of Architecture at Katara Hospitality.
The competition and exhibition are curated and project-managed by Etienne Bastormagi as part of the FROMM.Lab team.
FROMM.Lab serves as the mentorship and research arm of FROMM., a luxury design house rooted between Msheireb and Milan.
Conceived as a launchpad for emerging talent, the platform provides mentorship, prototyping support and access to international markets, transforming early-stage concepts into globally visible, market-ready design pieces.
With initiatives spanning Msheireb, Doha, and Milan, FROMM.Lab is positioning itself as a dynamic bridge between the Middle East and Europe’s design ecosystems, demonstrating how contemporary design can transcend borders while remaining deeply rooted in cultural identity.