BABYLON The Agency is thrilled to reveal our latest commission — a series of bold sleeve vases by visual artist Hamza Mekadad @hammerspace.world , created exclusively for QASTI, the stunning restaurant designed by @galalmahmoudarchitects for Michelin-starred chef @alan_geaam .
These one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces are part of a trio of exclusive collaborations now live at QASTI Restaurant inside Le Gray Hotel, Beirut.
Hop in for a ride with @thehamza , the creative mind behind our WDB Edition Two merch, in conversation with @marianawehbepr . Together they explore design, creativity, and the limitless mediums of expression, while giving us a first glimpse of our new merch.
From tote bags to stickers, t-shirts and so much more, our merch will be available in several spots across the city.
Stay tuned for the full carpool conversation, the complete merch reveal, and all the details on how to get yours.
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We Design Beirut Edition two is in proud partnership with Swiss Development Cooperation @swissdevcoop
Our Patrons:
@adel.kanso1@claudiaskaff@whats_hipp@liliasabbagh
Mahmoud Dandashly
@hayek.mira
Philippe & Zaza Jabre
@ramy.boutros
Our Main Sponsors:
@stonesbyraniamalli@menacasa.lb@uniluxgroup@allo_taxi_1213
The Corinthian capital takes on an unexpected form in Essence of Home at Harewood House, where designer Hamza Mekdad renders it in quilted fabric.
Once a pinnacle of classical architecture, the capital is softened, its acanthus leaves and spirals traced in stitched lines that evoke both ornament and the intimacy of a duvet.
By translating this monumental form into textile, the work shifts a symbol of grandeur into one of warmth and protection. Transformed into textile, the capital moves away from associations of empire and permanence, becoming instead a gesture of softness, comfort, and home.
Part of a larger installation created with BEIT Collective, these quilted pieces reflect on how the Corinthian capital, long present in Lebanese homes, can be re-examined through craft and material memory.
Essence of home was commissioned by @ligayasalazar Ligaya and @darrenpih at the @harewoodhouse
Quilted Corinthian capital was produced by @madeinstitch.lb@thehamza@fromthehammerspace
Hamza Mekdad reimagines the Corinthian capital in bamboo, transforming a form traditionally carved in stone into something light and supple.
The familiar acanthus leaves lose their rigidity and instead dissolve into spirals and arcs that recall organic growth.
The weight and permanence of architecture give way to a sense of movement, fluidity, and play.
The curves and coils echo vines and tendrils, evoking a form that is at once architectural and vegetal. Rendered in bamboo, the capital becomes intimate rather than monumental, suggesting a gesture of domesticity rather than grandeur.
In this transformation, Mekdad reflects on how ornament travels through time and across materials. The Corinthian capital, once a symbol of permanence and classical power, is here reinterpreted as part of The Essence of Home. It speaks to how fragments of heritage are reshaped into new forms that belong not only to the past but to the everyday present.
Essence of home was commissioned by @ligayasalazar and @darrenpih for the @harewoodhouse
Bamboo Corinthian pillar was produced by @maherbarbour7@thehamza@fromthehammerspace
In the Essence of Home, @thehamza honours Palestinian tatreez, the embroidery tradition carried for generations.
Presented at Harewood House, the installation honours this craft as both cultural memory and act of resilience.
Once stitched onto dresses to signify region and identity, tatreez has become a powerful language of memory and resilience for Palestinians.
Within the installation, the Star, Cypress Tree, and Olive Branch carry layered meaning. They are enduring symbols of guidance, resilience, and rootedness. In their repetition, they embody a collective story stitched into fabric, holding both the memory of homeland and the continuity of identity.
These pieces would have not been possible without the help of the embroiderers of the @inaashassociation in Lebanon and the @tirazain.initiative digital archive, whose work ensures that Palestinian craft continues to resist erasure and to speak across borders.
The Essence of Home was commissioned by @ligayasalazar and @darrenpih for the @harewoodhouse biennial
@fromthehammerspace@thehamza
In light of the Arab World Design award by @institutdumondearabe this post marks the beginning of a series introducing the different parts of The Essence of Home, a collaborative installation with Hamza Mekdad commissioned for the Harewood Biennial.
@thehamza reinterprets the Corinthian capitals that have been woven into a childhood memory, appearing as meat mincer, kitchen sink or side tables.
“I reimagined these vessels not as an interpretation of their form, but as a vessel that holds the memory of both their form and function.”
Harewood Biennial was curated by @ligayasalazar and @darrenpih
Leather vases were produced by @lyliad.leather and @mardini.leather@harewoodhouse
