Winner of TheItalianWay Product Design Award 2019 is Farah Kayyal for his design, Roof Strata. The winner was presented with the $5,000 cash prize, alongside the opportunity to collaborate with WOOD-SKIN, the Italian-based design pioneers, to create a prototype and bring the award-winning design to life. Kayyal attended the American University of Beirut, where he graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor degree in Architecture. He worked at Architecture firms in Beirut, Germany and his hometown Amman while gradually gaining interest in furniture and product design. His furniture pieces have been exhibited at several design fairs in Amman and Dubai.

Due to the strength of this year’s entries, the famed judging panel decided to also award a highly-commended accolade to Rose Arwani. She has been offered an internship with acclaimed interior designer Paul Bishop of Bishop Design LLC to continue to nurture her evident emerging talent. This year’s award initiative challenged designers to create an original and functional piece of furniture, inspired by Italian traditions and effortless style. The brief was specifically focused on conceptualising a product that could be used in a luxury rooftop hospitality setting and is running in partnership with renowned architect Andrea Morgante and WOOD-SKIN.

After an impressive number of submissions from across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Lebanon, the judges shortlisted just five entries. These shortlisted finalists were Farah Kayyal, Rose Arwani, Sarah Chatta, Tarek Hreish and duo Yasmine Saad and Lama Salame.  Italian architectural supremo Andrea Morgante and one of the judges, stated: “It was a tremendous privilege being part of the judging panel for the third edition of Italian Way Product Design Award. What we really tried to do was pick a winner that we felt could share the real values of Italian design and what this brand (Peroni) represents, such as innovation, creativity and blending the past and future together. In the end we felt the winner brought this together in the way we really hoped for.”