The annual Surge gala returned with a bout of whimsy this year. While participating firms – LW Design, Gensler, SAY Studio, Designsmith, Keane Brands, SBID, Kristina Zanic Consultants and DZ Design – built their dreams, attendees came dressed to match up to the quirky designs. Here’s a look….
Another year ushered in a new edition of the dynamic Surge Gala at the JW Marriott in Dubai Marina. Dreams and all things whimsical took the spotlight at this year’s Design, Dine, Make a Difference Gala. For the past eleven years, the Surge team has organized a competition within Dubai’s design community, all in support of raising funds to provide safe water to regions in desperate need. This edition brought together an impressive gathering of designers, manufacturers, and supporters, all celebrating the enduring history of design.
The theme for the year, Build Your Dreams, encouraged designers to reconnect with the magic of childhood aspirations and watch them transform into extraordinary realities. It invited participants to reflect on moments of boundless wonder when anything seemed possible. With this theme, Surge Middle East inspired designers to reignite their creativity, explore limitless imagination, and bring their dreams to life. Here are the ‘dreams’ that wowed the jury….
39,784 people were directly impacted by Surge’s guest contribution last year!
Blankie for the win!
KEANE BRANDS
Overall Winner & Most Innovative
Presented by Light Link & Humanscale
Blankie drew inspiration from childhood memories of comfort and security, offering a cozy, weighted blanket designed to reduce stress and anxiety. Enhanced with AI-driven technology, it allows users to personalize their relaxation experience by setting the mood and sound to match their needs.
Committed to a future of mental health awareness and sustainable design, Blankie is crafted from upcycled, recycled, and recyclable materials. Collaborating with Kvadrat, a leader in eco-friendly textiles, the blanket incorporates Kvadrat’s Really Material—made entirely from fabric and clothing waste—for its filling. The outer shell was made from locally sourced fabric offcuts, with production handled by small-scale UAE manufacturers. Combining innovation and sustainability, Blankie delivers comfort with an environmentally conscious edge.
Designers: Jillian Hiendl, Ali Noureddin, Jicelle Luzana and Marco Maximus from Keane Brands
Build Partner/s: Kvadrat
Highly Commended & Most Cause-Aligned
Nellie’s Dream by LW Design
Presented by Motif Interiors & INC
To explore the concept of dreams, LW Design turned to the most imaginative minds—children. In a creative workshop, the firm invited them to share ideas for a better world. One young participant, Nellie, envisioned a world where bubbles filled with water could float through the air, delivering clean water to those in need. Her dream highlighted the injustice of people having to carry heavy loads of water just to survive, emphasizing that access to water should be a universal right. Inspired by Nellie’s vision, we created Nellie’s Dream, a floating bench that symbolizes hope, limitless imagination, and the power of dreaming big.
Designers: Amr Abdelaziz, Casey Teo Carillo and Nic Holmes from LW Design
Build Partner/s: Interiors Three Sixty
I am Mod isn’t just a chair—it’s a portal to childhood dreams and limitless imagination. Inspired by the creativity of crafting masks and costumes from cardboard and fabric scraps as a child, it embodies the playful spirit of youthful wonder.
This chair combines cozy, pod-like comfort with an open, inviting design full of personality. Its structure is crafted from intricately stacked rings of recycled wood, while layers of sustainable fabric scraps add texture and softness. The vibrant exterior bursts with color, while the interior features whimsical doodles reminiscent of childhood scribbles on bedroom walls.
Designers: Aya Arbab and Supaporn (MOD) Wangmuen from Kristina Zanic Consultants
Build Partner/s: Design Infinity
People’s Choice Award
Moonlight by SBID
Presented by Metre Sqaured
The Moonlight floor lamp celebrates childhood wonder and the boundless creativity of dreams. Inspired by the way children play with shadows and find joy in simplicity, its circular, moon-like design symbolizes timelessness and invites a fresh perspective on the world.
Rooted in sustainability, Moonlight is crafted with locally sourced date palm fibers for the casing and sustainably sourced beech wood for the base. Energy-efficient LED lighting enhances its eco-friendly ethos, reducing environmental impact. More than just a lamp, Moonlight is a beacon of hope, blending imagination, play, and environmental responsibility to inspire a brighter, sustainable future.
Designers: Joakim de Rham, Carina Lima, Ilija Janicijevic, Eduardo Guimaraes, Analyn Morales and Riyah Gravador from SBID
Build Partner/s: Light Link, SACO Carpentry, and Desert Board
Most Sustainable
Liminal Tangle by Designsmith
Presented by Haworth
The theme of “build your dreams” inspired Designsmith to reflect on how dreams evolve over time. As children, dreams are vibrant and filled with wonder—like exploring the magical underwater world of jellyfish and corals. As adults, those dreams often become more grounded, but the longing to uncover the mysteries of the ocean remains universal.
This reflection led to the creation of Liminal Tangle, an abstract installation that brings to life a dream of exploring the ocean’s surreal depths while envisioning a sustainable future. At the center of the installation is the jellyfish, a delicate and mesmerizing creature symbolizing the fragility and beauty of marine life. Using a “Waste to Wonder” approach, Designsmith transformed discarded materials into a striking representation of nature’s elegance, juxtaposing the ocean’s grace with the harsh realities of pollution.
Liminal Tangle seeks to rekindle the childlike wonder of the ocean while raising awareness about the urgent need to reduce plastic waste. It serves as a powerful reminder of humanity’s responsibility to protect marine ecosystems and preserve their beauty for future generations. Through this installation, Designsmith hopes to inspire a collective effort toward sustainability and to transform the shared dream of a cleaner, healthier planet into reality.
Designers: Alifa Ajmal and Mohammed Faraan from Designsmith
