Porcelanosa’s Moodboard Workshop for Students

Last year, Porcelanosa‘s Moodboard Contest saw a successful global inaugural. Earlier this month, the Spanish brand’s Middle East team brought it to Dubai Design Week 2023 for the first time. Students from the American University of Sharjah, Heriot Watt, and Istituto Marangoni readily took up the challenge and raced with fervour against time. While you had to be there to witness the palpable zeal among the young minds, here is a quick catch-up and a few glimpses of what the fun-filled day looked like…

Most students and professionals have a skip in their steps on Friday mornings. Only a few hours away from the weekend, they are ready to welcome unplanned, lazy days. But on Friday, 10th November, students from the University of Sharjah, Heriot-Watt, and Istituto Marangoni were pumped for different reasons. Their faculty was bringing them to Dubai Design District, the central hub of Dubai Design Week 2023 (which meant strolling the labyrinthine between the D3 buildings and skipping lessons).

Meanwhile, Porcelanosa’s Middle East team prepared their design centre for a one-of-a-kind Moodboard Contest. Inside the venue, an assortment of wall and floor tile samples with artificial plant strands was spread on a luxurious countertop. Courtesy of Porcelanosa’s diverse and detail-oriented repertoire, the arrangement boasted a variety of patterns (stripes, self-embossed, geometries and more), textures and shapes. 

The set-up was comparable to a candy store for interior design enthusiasts. And perhaps that’s why, when the students walked in, they were immediately enamoured—all their prejudice of ‘a dull and boring planned by a brand’ activity fleeing out of their minds. 

Once Angela Mallasen, Marketing & Manager Assistant, Porcelanosa Middle East, recited the rules and announced a prize for the best entry, the students formed groups to get cracking on their projects. Ayah Hayani, Showroom Manager of Porcelanosa’s Sheik Zayed Road Experience Center, was stationed at the materials counter and assisted students with their choices. 

It was a refreshing 20 minutes. Some groups scrambled initially and powered through by the end; others were nimble but began doubting their decisions with the extra time left on their hands. A few shone as leaders, while a handful of worrywarts had their necks bent till the last second. Porcelanosa’s team and the faculty looked over them, occasionally nudging them in a direction but mostly smiling at their unadulterated enthusiasm.

One particular instance that made rounds was the inclusion of an orange in one of the moodboards. Whether or not the student new Valencia (Porcelanosa’s base city in Spain) is known for its oranges is up to one’s discretion, but it certainly made for an individualistic concept.

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