The eight designers who will be present at the event. (Credit: Bit Kanz/ Collage Nima Salha/ L'Orient-Le Jour)
In a context marked by the gradual disappearance of certain skills, the exodus of talent, and the weakening of production sectors, the collaboration between Beit Kanz and eight Lebanese designers, initiated by Babylon The Agency, aims to demonstrate that design can play a concrete role in supporting the local economy.
Through the creation of new collections developed with artisans and producers based in Lebanon, the initiative seeks to generate orders, encourage local manufacturing, and help preserve trades that are essential to the country’s cultural heritage.
The participating designers are: Georges Mohasseb, Etienne Bastormagi, Éditions Levantine, Elie Riachi, Paola Sakr, Ahmed Amer, Emma Dya Jabr, and Maria Yared.
This approach is part of the mission of Beit Kanz, the social enterprise of Beit al-Baraka, which works to preserve Lebanon’s tangible and intangible heritage by supporting creative industries and local agro-food production.
Today, Beit Kanz collaborates with more than 1,200 women producers as well as dozens of agricultural cooperatives across the country. With this new design initiative, the goal remains the same: to create value locally while supporting those who produce, craft, and pass on their knowledge.
This third edition of the collaboration between Beit Kanz and Lebanese designers pursues a clear objective: to encourage exchanges between creators, artisans, and local producers in order to sustainably support know-how and production in Lebanon.
Located in a more than 200-year-old heritage house in the heart of Sursock Street in Achrafieh, Beit Kanz is the social enterprise of Beit al-Baraka. A restaurant, gourmet grocery, and boutique, Beit Kanz dedicates 100% of its profits to funding Beit al-Baraka’s social programs while supporting artisans, producers, and local creators throughout Lebanon.
Eight designers will share their inspiration and dedication to the cause:
Georges Mohasseb: an architect and designer, he is the founder of Studio Manda, based in Beirut. His work explores the links between craftsmanship, innovation, and natural materials through furniture pieces and collectible objects. Combining research, experimentation, and manufacturing, he develops an approach where traditional skills interact with a contemporary aesthetic.
Etienne Bastormagi: an architect and designer based in Beirut, he founded his studio in 2016 after training in architecture and urban planning. His practice covers architecture, interior design, product design, and scenography. His work is distinguished by particular attention to materials, light, and the creation of sensitive and contextualized experiences.
Éditions Levantine: this Beirut-based design studio develops limited edition furniture and objects inspired by the landscapes, cultures, and stories of the Levant. Through a contemporary and colorful language, the studio revisits regional references while working closely with local artisans and manufacturers.
Elie Riachi: an architect and designer working between Beirut and London, he develops a narrative approach to design where architecture, furniture, and objects contribute to creating coherent and deeply personal worlds. His work combines contemporary elegance, attention to detail, and enhancement of materials.
Paola Sakr: a product designer based between Beirut and Dubai, she develops a committed practice centered on innovation, sustainability, and social impact. Her work explores new applications of recycled materials and local resources, while offering solutions that place the user at the heart of the design process.
Ahmed Amer: a multidisciplinary creator and designer based in Beirut, he crafts a unique world nurtured by illustration, fashion, and contemporary visual culture. His work blends storytelling, craftsmanship, and regional identity through creations where drawing and material play a central role.
Emma Dya Jabr: trained as an architect, she develops a practice at the crossroads of design, art, and research on materials. Her work is characterized by a sensitive approach to objects and furniture, exploring notions of memory, transmission, and emotion through refined shapes and a close dialogue with traditional skills.
Maria Yared: a designer and artist based in Paris, she develops a multidisciplinary practice that unites product design, furniture, interior architecture, and artistic creation. Her work is interested in the links between material, emotion, and memory, giving rise to objects that favor sensory experience and the human dimension of design.
The event will take place at Beit Kanz on Thursday, June 18, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the presence of the artists.
Beit Kanz, 61 Sursock, Achrafieh, Beirut.
For more information: 81 777 098
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
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