Design for a Changing World: Bridging Cultures,” FROMM.Lab first international design competition
DESIGN FOR A CHIANGING WORLD.
BRIDGING CULTURES
Apply now to FROMM.Lab’s inaugural design competition seeking under-35 talent worldwide– a career-defining opportunity to bridge cultures and reshape contemporary design.
FROMM.Lab Launches Its First International Design Competition Inviting Designers Worldwide to Reimagine Arab Heritage for a Changing World
Milan / Doha, May 1, 2025 — FROMM.Lab – the educational and talent sourcing platform, providing designers with an opportunity to collaborate and contribute to FROMM.’s collections and projects through workshops, mentorship programs, and our co-design process – officially opened its First International Design Competition during Milan Design Week 2025.
This initiative invites designers under 35 from around the world to imagine prototypes that reveal the depth and diversity of Arab heritage while speaking to contemporary global audiences.
With the theme “Design for a Changing World: Bridging Cultures,” the competition aims to foster a new generation of creatives capable of transforming cultural narratives into functional and meaningful pieces. At its core lies a bold vision: to open a dialogue between tradition and innovation, and to explore how heritage can inspire the design language of the future.
Participants are encouraged to submit original concepts in one of four product categories—seating, tables, storage, and lighting. Upon online registration, applicants will receive the complete competition brief with all technical specifications and detailed requirements. Each piece should weave stories, materials, and symbols from Arab heritage into designs that reflect today’s global design language. FROMM.Lab is looking for work that is at once poetic and practical, local and universal.
“Design has the power to connect cultures and ideas,” says Alia Rachid, Founder & CEO of FROMM. “This competition is an opportunity for creatives to explore heritage in a contemporary context. Through mentorship and international exposure, we aim to support the next generation in shaping a design language that’s rooted, relevant, and forward-looking.”
To this end, FROMM.Lab has assembled a remarkable team of international mentors who will guide the selected finalists: Giulio Cappellini, visionary Italian designer and founder of Cappellini; Joseph Grima, architect, creative director of the Design Academy Eindhoven and co-founder of Space Caviar and Alcova; Aline Asmar d’Amman, architect and founder of Culture in Architecture Paris; Fahad Al Obaidly, Acting Director of Design Doha and FROMM.Lab team led by Luca Fois, professor of Product Design at the Politecnico di Milano.
Finalist projects will be prototyped and produced under the FROMM., with full technical and material support. They will also benefit from international media visibility with the opportunity to exhibit at the Design Doha Biennale in April 2026, within the FROMM.Collections—bringing their vision to an audience of curators, collectors, and cultural leaders.
Full Brief Provided Upon Registration
https://from-m.com/pages/competitions
Let’s shape the future of design — together.
