After studying architecture in Gaza, the Palestinian designers set up a studio to create furniture that expresses a contemporary vision of Arab culture.
Rejo launched its first collection in 2017 on Instagram with a series of renderings for a chair and floor lamp. The pieces weren’t yet manufactured, but requests for prizes began to pour in. For that reason, the studio’s founders describe its success as “a backward process.”
Palestinian designers Reem Olyan and Jumana Qasem met in the architecture and engineering program at the Islamic University of Gaza, a program they both chose because there was no option to study interior design. The course provided many of the necessary skills and some of the broader knowledge that was useful when they transitioned to furniture.
The pair worked together in college, but after graduating, Olyan returned to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she grew up, and Qasem remained in Gaza. The duo set up their studio in Riyadh and Istanbul, seeing that there were few furnishings that expressed a contemporary vision of Arab culture.
Their first launch with finished furniture was in 2018 during Dubai Design Week, where they Sheba cabinet, Rudo stoolAnd Aliaa table. In 2022, the couple produced a collection of ceramic homewares. Since the events of October 7, 2023, they have largely halted work. Despite this, Rejo’s designs continue to attract attention.
You can learn more about Rejo by visiting the studios website or on Instagram.
Top image courtesy of Rejo
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