Athath Fellowship

Designing Tomorrow: MAKE’s Athath Fellowship Unveil Prototypes at Downtown Design 2025

Furniture Design within the UAE (and beyond).

November 2025, Abu Dhabi, UAE: MAKE launched its fifth cohort of Athath Fellowship 2025 in partnership with Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development providing an opportunity for next-gen furniture makers and entrepreneurs to reimagine the world of furniture design. The 15-week programme, led in this edition by Beirut and UAE based designer Thomas Trad, promotes the creation of commercially viable full-scale prototypes and provides foundational knowledge to develop preliminary commercial plans. Throughout the course, participants engaged in ‘Design and Prototyping’ and ‘Commercial Strategy’ modules, along with a series of seminars that redefined the regional conversation around aesthetics, functionality, and innovation in contemporary furniture design. For the first time, it will culminate with the presentation of the prototypes at Downtown Design 2025.

Marking its debut at the region’s leading design fair, Athath Fellowship’s participants will showcase their work to an audience of industry leaders, private clients, and the wider design community. Each piece encapsulates the programme’s journey – from concept to realisation –  blending creative exploration with technical precision. The collection envisions a future where design enhances everyday life, and every object reflects both purpose and innovation. 

“Downtown Design offers a vital platform to present the Athath Fellows’ work within a regional and international context,” says Talal AlAnsari, General Manager at MAKE. “By participating in one of the region’s most prominent design events, fellows gain exposure to industry professionals, media, and potential collaborators. 

The programme will return in 2026 with a new cohort, continuing to shape the next generation of designers and the future of contemporary furniture in the UAE. 

Athath Fellows and their Prototypes 

The showcase presents ten original furniture prototypes, each exploring the intersection of functionality, storytelling, and cultural identity. 

Hasaad, a cabinet designed as both a functional sideboard and a sculptural presence within a space, recalls the season of harvest in the UAE, where crops ripen in hues that shift from deep amber to pale gold. 

Rasma, a drafting table, revives a fundamental design tradition. Influenced by mid-century modern aesthetics, the piece balances sharp angles with customisable elements, combining nostalgia with modern usability. 

Makrama, a serving cart inspired by Najdi architectural geometry, features bold triangular cutouts and exaggerated proportions. Both expressive and practical, it merges narrative and utility through its distinctive form. 

Zelo, a low seating table, redefines linear geometry through material storytelling and emotional functionality. Drawing inspiration from the bold lines and timeless elegance of Art Deco architecture, it serves as a gathering point as well as a place for quiet reflection. 

ya/ra ي/ر introduces new possibilities in motion and comfort through a single-axis rocking chair that adapts to multiple seating postures, shaped by the user’s mood and imagination. 

Kaas, a perfume cabinet, merges Gulf architectural references with contemporary sensibilities. Designed to safeguard personal rituals of scent and memory, it reflects a vision of modern luxury grounded in cultural continuity. 

TIMBR (Timber + Timbre) is a cabinet that fuses aesthetic appeal with acoustic functionality. Designed as a statement piece for interiors, it enhances the spatial experience by improving sound quality while maintaining an elegant, minimal profile. 

Pixel, a bench, bridges traditional craftsmanship and material innovation. Defined by strength and precision, it embodies the resurgence of metal in contemporary furniture design. 

Silsila, a one-seater bench, draws inspiration from the Emirati craft of Talli, a traditional braidwork passed down through generations. The piece celebrates community, continuity, and the collective spirit embedded in the act of making. 

Sil, a modular furniture system, acts as a language of personal expression. Rooted in the idea that homes evolve with their inhabitants, it reimagines furniture as adaptable and dynamic, growing alongside the lives it accompanies. 

ACCESS THE COMPLETE PRESS KIT HERE

(Link will be updated with the latest details on the first day of Downtown Design 2025)