What are the rituals, routines, and relationships that define this season for you?

It’s the time to realign our thoughts, plan with purpose, enjoy spiritual reflection amidst a buzzing urban life, practice communal worship, and engage with our communities.

How has your relationship with Bahrain and its cultural heritage shaped your design philosophy?

Being born and raised in Bahrain encouraged us to observe cultural heritage in the context of technological advancement. As an archipelago, it exposed us to Bahrain’s desert and sea cultures, triggering our design senses to explore ways to add value to the social, cultural, and environmental fabrics in which we live. 

How are you going to be celebrating this season in the city?

It’s unlike any season for us. As we pass through the illuminated streetscapes of our neighborhoods, we renew our relationships with our communities by engaging in social, cultural, and family gatherings. We often discuss what we learn and the unique encounters we have at work, and they sometimes inspire new ideas such as our ‘Mosque-in-a-box’ project, which was a response to help reduce assembly time, labor, cost, and space concerning typical portacabin mosques that we usually see in event spaces and refugee camps.

What impact has your inner circle and community had on your creative work?

The people around us challenge our ideas and broaden our perspectives, often sparking unexpected inspiration. These conversations act as reminders for us that architecture is ultimately about the relationships between people and the environments in which they sit. 

What are the rituals, routines, and relationships that define this season for you?

Slow and intentional—this month is busy, with so much happening, but there’s also a peaceful moment before breaking fast. I want this year to be calm, without rushing or cramming everything into the calendar, just moving at my own pace.

What are a few of your favorite things and places this season?

Dates from different parts of Saudi Arabia, paired with laban, a yogurt drink.

I’m oddly obsessed with Madinah mint, paired with agave and hot water.

Balad is charming during Ramadan.

Wearing matching kaftans with Aziza.

Al Nakheel on Jeddah’s Corniche.

Soup and samboosa.

Hydration.

The light of your life is your two-year-old Aziza. How would you describe her and her sense of style compared to yours?

Tears fill my eyes as I write this. Her sense of style is confident—she isn’t concerned about what others think or whether an outfit looks good on her.

What are her favorite things to wear at the moment?

She loves sets, maybe because she sees them as friends that stick together. She has a green Ralph Lauren cotton set, a yellow Bode set with embroidered cherries, and a purple Nike shorts-and-T-shirt set—she loves purple.

In what ways has Jeddah inspired and influenced your creative work? How do you celebrate this season in the city?

I think it’s nostalgia and memories—growing up in the city and seeing it through different eyes over the years. Just like people evolve, so do cities. They grow, they change, but they’re still the same, just an updated version. Jeddah during Ramadan is simply beautiful.