DELIVERED BY
SUPPORTED BY
MAKE invites aspiring furniture designers from the UAE and the region to participate in this professional programme based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Athath Fellowship is a six-month intensive furniture design and prototyping programme for aspiring entrepreneurs. The programme combines studio-based design education, hands-on furniture making, and applied commercial strategy to support the development of commercially viable products intended for production in multiples.
Delivered across four phases, the programme consists of two core modules: Furniture Design & Prototyping and Commercial Strategy. A series of seminars is integrated throughout the programme, featuring guest speakers from academia, industry, and professional support services, including legal and commercial frameworks.
Fellows are introduced to a range of topics, including design thinking, detailing, material selection and fabrication techniques, as well as target audience analysis, positioning, material sourcing strategies, cost analysis, pricing, and go-to-market considerations.
The programme includes 16 teaching weeks, concluding with a full-scale, commercially viable furniture prototype designed and built by each fellow, alongside the foundational knowledge required to develop preliminary commercial plans. This is followed by 8 weeks dedicated to producing a single minimum viable product (MVP), which may be fabricated by the fellow or outsourced to a manufacturer.
The call is open to individuals with a creative portfolio and is not limited to furniture or construction-based practices.
DATES
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Teaching Period: 28 March 2026 – 25 July 2026
Teaching sessions are primarily delivered on Saturdays, with selected Sundays scheduled as required.
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Production Period: 1 August 2026 – 1 October 2026
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End-of-Programme Showcase: October 2026
DURATION
​A six-month programme comprising two main programme periods:
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16 teaching weeks, focused on furniture design development, prototyping, and commercial strategy
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8 weeks of guided production, dedicated to producing a single minimum viable product
Fellows receive full access to MAKE facility throughout both programme periods.
Programme Fee
AED 4,995 (inclusive of VAT)
LANGUAGE
English
LOCATION
MAKE’s facility in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Each cohort consists of ten fellows.
For further details on eligibility and selection, please review the selection criteria here.
PROGRAMME COMPLETION
Fellows who successfully complete the programme requirements will receive written confirmation of programme completion.
MAKE​
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MAKE is part workshop, lab, studio, and garage, with a diverse range of offerings focused on building creative skills and process learning in making, design, engineering, and art, supported by a wide range of professional-grade machinery, tools and setup.
We are a community of entrepreneurs and experimenters, designers and artists, DIY enthusiasts, hobbyists, learners, and doers. MAKE's mission is to create and support a new culture of making in Abu Dhabi and provide a growing community of makers with the resources and knowledge required to turn their ideas into reality. At MAKE, our mission is driven by two core components, the Makerspace, which serves as our enabling arm, and the Academy, which focuses on building capabilities within the community.
We welcome makers of all ages and capabilities, from absolute beginners to professional designers. It’s a place for young minds and old hands, where people with different levels of creative ability and knowledge come together to make their ideas real. Learn more
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Design Lead
Thomas Trad​
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Lebanese designer and founder of Thomas Trad L.L.C, a multidisciplinary design practice based in Dubai working across interior architecture, furniture, and product design.
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With a background in product design from Central Saint Martins and experience working between London, Beirut, and Dubai, Thomas’s approach bridges craftsmanship and contemporary design. His work is characterized by a refined attention to materiality, proportion, and emotion, often exploring the dialogue between handmade tradition and modern form.
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Over the past years, the practice has grown to encompass residential interiors, bespoke furniture commissions, and collectible design pieces, collaborating closely with regional artisans and craftspeople. Each project, whether a private home, a piece of furniture, or an exhibition, reflects the studio’s belief that design should be both timeless and tactile, quietly sophisticated yet deeply personal.
Supported By
Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation
The Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation’s mission is “to invest in the future of the United Arab Emirates by investing in its people.” To that end, it develops and supports strategic initiatives in the areas of Art, Culture and Heritage; Early Childhood Development; and Health. Established in 2010, the SHF is the family foundation of Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan.
The programme will take place in MAKE, Port Zayed, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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