AD100 2026: The Best Designers in the Middle East and North Africa

Formerly head of region at Zaha Hadid Architects, Tariq Khayyat established Dubai architecture studio tkdp in 2018 with partner Xiaosheng Li. Hadid’s legacy has inspired one of tkdp’s latest designs, a Sharjah villa whose fluid, organic form was influenced by ZHA’s headquarters for eco-tech company BEEAH. Innovative residential developments, such as the recent Dubai South Gardens, are another speciality. “The building features a layered façade with landscaped pockets that soften its structure, while staggered balconies add depth and visual interest,” Khayyat explains. United Arab Emirates; tkdp.one

Tessa Sakhi

It has been quite the year for Venice-based Lebanese designer Tessa Sakhi, who, after enjoying a slow-paced renovation of her charming apartment in a historic canal-side building, has fully thrown herself into what brings her the greatest pleasure: creating objects, spaces and experiences that open room for cross-cultural dialogue. Fresh off curating her first show for We Design Beirut in October 2025 (it focused on her passion for glass craft), she is working on two residential projects in Lebanon and recently launched a new collection for Fragmenta: Titled Blooming (In)carnations, born from discarded stone fragments reimagined as architectural furniture. Lebanon, Italy; tessasakhi.com

Thomas Trad

Žiga Mihelčič

Lebanese designer Thomas Trad approaches design as an act of making – tactile, deliberate, and deeply human. His Dubai-based studio moves between interiors, furniture, and collectible objects, exploring the harmony between craftsmanship and contemporary form. A highlight this year was his collaboration with jewellery designer Nadine Kanso, where art, material, and emotion converged into a home of sculptural warmth. Now working on the renovation of a heritage villa on Wasl Road, Trad continues to design with a sensitivity that favours atmosphere over excess – design that endures quietly, with intent. United Arab Emirates; thomastrad.com

Tristan Du Plessis

Cape Town-based interior architect Tristan Du Plessis creates immersive, narrative-driven spaces, such as Le Café Louis Vuitton in Shanghai, which draws on LV’s signature heritage luggage to create an environment layered with rich materials. The Cullinan, a fine-dining steakhouse in Dubai’s Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab complex, is an opulent mix of dark marble, timber and brushed metals. Next, Du Plessis is working on the Mondrian Hotel in Abu Dhabi, a hotel in Puerto Rico and a residential tower in Ibiza “for an iconic global brand”. United Arab Emirates, South Africa, United Kingdom; tristanduplessis.com

Verhaal

SEBASTIAN BOETTCHER