A reimagined Majlis where tradition and storytelling meet the digital age.

#MAJLIS reimagines the traditional Arab gathering space as a contemporary environment for storytelling, dialogue and cultural exchange. More than an architectural installation, it becomes a living platform where designers, artists and craftspeople share knowledge across disciplines, weaving personal experiences and cultural narratives into collective memory.

In collaboration with Spectra Arts, a glass design company and Maryam AlHomaid, an interdisciplinary Artist and an Assistant Professor in VCUArts Qatar, the structure takes the form of a hashtag (#) which is a symbol of digital connectivity and global conversation. This design choice bridges the past and present, recalling the spoken exchanges of traditional majlis gatherings while acknowledging how communication has expanded into instantaneous worldwide networks. Crafted from glass and metal, the installation is etched with Arabic script inspired by the phrase Asfarat wa Anwarat, meaning “arrived with radiance and light.” As sunlight or artificial illumination interacts with the surface, the calligraphy comes alive in shifting shadows, filling the space with an atmosphere of warmth, movement and invitation.

Whilst combining reverence for tradition with the forms and language of contemporary design, #MAJLIS embodies connection in the modern age where words become architecture and storytelling bridges past and present.

About Boo Design Studio, Maryam AlHomaid & Spectra Arts Co:

Boo Design Studio is a Doha-based practice led by Amanda and Jo Booabbood. Founded in 2021, the studio works across disciplines to explore how design can connect cultural heritage with contemporary form.

Maryam AlHomaid is a multidisciplinary artist and academic based in Qatar. Her work explores how digital media and traditional craft intersect within the context of cultural memory and rapid change.

Spectra Arts Co. W.L.L. is a Qatar-based company specialising in architectural and decorative glass. With over 35 years of experience, it combines technical precision with material expertise across public and private projects.