Surge is back for its 10th year, and this time with a Retro theme. From designs inspired by the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s and 1990s to designers adorning vintage ensembles, this year’s Gala was indeed a night to remember – especially for the winners. Have a look…
Yet another year unfolds a fresh installment of the lively Surge Gala at The Address Dubai Marina. One could say nostalgia was the guest of honour at The Design, Dine, Make a Difference Gala this time around. For the past ten years, the Surge team has orchestrated a competition within Dubai’s design community, to raise funds aimed at providing safe water to parts of the world facing urgent needs. This edition’s splendid assembly marked designers, manufacturers, and well-wishers of the organization coming together to celebrate the yesteryears of design.
Designers were briefed to create pieces inspired by the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s and 1990s. The final outputs were to derive muse from fine and decorative arts, fashion, film, photography and product design of the relevant eras. As interesting as the premise sounds, once the theme was unpacked it was tricky to create a piece that was unique and justly encapsulated an iconic time in history. Out of the 13 design firms that participated, here is the list of teams who aced the challenging feat….
Acing the design brief for the second time in a row with a simple yet effective solution, one might think team Bluehaus has decoded the secret to winning. This year, the Bauhaus inspired Locale revisited the flexibility of modular furniture with playfulness in tow. Ranging from shelves to seating, there was close to nothing that the simple geometric boxes of Locale couldn’t possibly achieve. What was more: it also catered to activities the mariginal communities Surge serves, seamlessly blending context and bringing a thoughtful solution to life.
Designers: Meera Tank, Sandra Abdelshehid and Amber Peters from Bluehaus Group
Build Partner/s: DesertBoard, Bahr Al Ibdaa Decor Cont.
Giving upcycling a refreshing spin, the Totem Seat by DZ Design represents three polarizing styles (Art Deco, Minimalism, Mid-Century) through each side. The idea was to concoct an eclectic result with materials such as glass bottles, tiles and reclaimed wood.
Designers: Dina Murali, Gayathri Menon and Anngela Aratan from DZ Design
Build Partner/s: CARVE
Building on the one-of-a-kind bond between a mother and her child, Designsmith’s Bembea drew on how culturally seeped patterns can translate into evergreen design. In this case particularly, a traditional child carrier was seen morphing into chic hammock quite seamlessly.
Designers: Justyna Siębor and Chakshika Sharma from Designsmith
Build Partner/s:
Summer of Love by Waru stood out with its towering height and the hand-painted umbrellas perching upon it. Under them were multifunctional poufs with matching patterns. The exhibit was inspired by the 1960s Flower Power movement that advocated love as a catalyst for peace. The strategy was to marry the dated muse with contemporary features.
Designers: Rasha Al-Tekreeti and Samar Ghaffoori from Waru
Build Partner/s: Traceline
One look at MEMFIT by Keane, and 90s nostalgia speeds through. Right from the colours and patterns to the astute use of geometric shapes, the piece cleverly fuses the domains of work-from-home and home workout. Inculcating recycled materials and eco-friendly finishes in the design further strengthened its appeal.
Designers: Marco Maximus and Jill Hiendl from Keane
Build Partner/s: Zoluti
SAY Studio’s Hourglass highlighted the fundamental reason for Surge’s existence, the unequal and unfair distribution of resources between communities. At the same time, the design also catered to 1920s Art Deco aesthetic, and employed materials like Polygood and acrylic.
Designers: Pritika Raja from SAY Studio
Winner: Seekers Furnishing
For almost three decades, Seekers Furnishings has crafted top-tier joinery in the UAE. Ranging from sleek, minimalist styles to innovative designs that stretch conventional boundaries, the Seekers team consistently delivers excellence. Throughout Surge’s journey, Seekers has earned its names as one of most relentless supporters of a designers’ vision.
Winner: Peter Mishreky, Design Department Manager, Al Tayer Stocks
With a robust background as a Senior Architect boasting two decades of expertise, Peter Mishreky has adeptly overseen construction and interior design ventures in both the UAE and Egypt. His portfolio showcases involvement in an array of esteemed fit-out projects, including the Museum of the Future, the Department of Finance (DOF) Abu Dhabi HO and the offices of Google in Dubai. Over the years, Peter has shown an unparalleled gusto towards participating in Surge, sometimes even coaxing his peers to join the initiative.
Photographs Courtesy: Chandan Sojitra
Article:
Date added:
8 December, 2023
