Students from the School of Design and Architecture, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Dubai have been shortlisted for the Commercial Interior Design Awards 2026: MENA for a range of projects across workplace, healthcare, wellness, community and retail design.
| No. | Project | Student(s) | Year / Studio | Project Overview | Faculty Guide(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Studio for Nendo | Mohammad Nisar | Year 3 – Interior Design, Corporate Studio | A creative workplace concept for Oki Sato’s nendo practice, inspired by MA, Wabi-Sabi, Ziran and The Twist. The design translates these ideas into spatial zones such as the Shadow Room, Void Room and Still Point to support focus, ambiguity and quiet collaboration. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari, Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 2 | Lysmor, Designing Healthier Beginnings | Eiman Ahamed | Year 3 – Interior Design, Healthcare Studio | A restorative mother and childcare clinic built around the themes Reassure, Protect, Care, Connect and Restore. The project uses biophilia, natural light, privacy and family connection to support physical and emotional wellbeing. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari, Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 3 | CommuniTEA Center | Harsha Remesh, Abinaya Subramanian | Asian Paints Competition Project | A project exploring tea as a connector between people, cultures and generations, with spaces designed to encourage conversation, interaction and shared experiences. | Prof. Asifa Mahjabeen |
| 4 | Somatic Light | Fathima Liyana | Year 3 – Interior Design, Healthcare Studio | A healthcare concept exploring daylight as a healing medium, using organic forms, textures and biophilia to transform the clinical hospital experience into a restorative journey. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari, Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 5 | Fable House | Hannah Gonsalves | Year 3 – Interior Design, Corporate Studio | A corporate space designed for artist and designer Shona Heath, combining whimsy, storytelling and experimentation while reimagining the conventional commercial office and display studio. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari, Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 6 | Sukoon | Safa Bint Muzammil | Year 4 – Thesis Project | A nature-integrated recreational centre for elderly users, designed to enhance physical, mental and social wellbeing through calming spaces, wellness activities and meaningful social interaction. | Prof. Sneha Thomas – Thesis & Dissertation Guide; supported by Prof. Asifa Mahjabeen, Dr. Arushi Malhotra, Prof. Adel Sattaripour and Prof. Tasneem Shikari |
| 7 | Omana Wellness Centre | Harsha Remesh | Year 4 – Thesis Project | A wellness centre designed to help people slow down, heal and reconnect with themselves through thoughtful, holistic and restorative experiences. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari – Thesis & Dissertation Guide; supported by Prof. Asifa Mahjabeen, Dr. Arushi Malhotra, Prof. Adel Sattaripour and Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 8 | Rumi, Nurturing Spaces: An Early Childhood Development Centre | Abinaya Subramanian | Year 4 – Thesis Project | An Early Childhood Development Centre exploring how child-centric spaces can nurture cognitive, social, emotional and physical development, while influencing how children learn, grow and connect. | Prof. Tasneem Shikari – Thesis & Dissertation Guide; supported by Prof. Asifa Mahjabeen, Dr. Arushi Malhotra, Prof. Adel Sattaripour and Prof. Sneha Thomas |
| 9 | Verity Cosmetic Store | Abhishek Mottamal | Year 2 – Thesis Project | An exploration of the future of beauty retail, bringing together interior design, artificial intelligence and human-centred experiences to redefine the customer journey. | Prof. Adel Sattaripour – Thesis Guide; Dr. Arushi Malhotra – Dissertation Guide |
The shortlist reflects the strength of student-led design work at MAHE Dubai and the School of Design and Architecture’s focus on creativity, research and human-centred design.