Shaping and Crafting the Future Summer Residency 2025
The residency will offer a reinterpretation of design that integrates innovation, environmental respect, and reuse, while remaining creative. Contemporary design, marked by this plurality of expressions, leans toward more sustainable and responsible solutions, akin to Antidesign. The residency will take place in two phases: the first will focus on learning, followed by a second phase dedicated to applying the acquired skills.
This 9-week residency at Campus MaNa, France, represents an exceptional opportunity for designers and architects to strengthen their network, push the boundaries of creation, and exhibit their designs at the Design Doha Biennale 2026. They will have the chance to collaborate, learn from learn from other creatives, and refine their projects. The residency is all inclusive, including food, residence, materials, and production. Participants will need to commit to a 9-week stay in France over the summer, 2025.
Schedule
Week 1 | MODULE CRAFTS + CERAMIC
This workshop focuses on the valorisation of ceramic waste of all sizes.
Week 2 | MODULE CRAFTS + WOOD
This introduction to woodworking provides training with carpenters to gain basic knowledge in handling and transforming wood for both craft and industrial purposes.
Week 3 | MODULE CRAFTS + BRASSWORKING
This week offers the opportunity to discover a rare and ancestral craft dedicated to enhancing metal, the art of brassworking.
Week 4 | MODULE CRAFTS + COLOURS
This introduction to plant-based dyeing teaches designers how to use local plants transformed into juices and baths to create natural dyes.
Week 5 | MODULE CRAFTS + LEATHERWORKING
This workshop introduces a rare craft using leather as a raw material, with the possibility of repurposing this technique to create functional design objects.
Week 6 | MODULE DESIGN + UPCYCLE
This week of design creation will build on the skills acquired in previous workshops and be supported by the GGSV studio, allowing participants to design innovative projects by combining traditional techniques, repurposed materials, and contemporary design approaches. It is all about reinventing uses and forms.
Week 7 | MODULE DESIGN + PROTOTYPING
This workshop focuses on designing and creating prototypes, from the initial idea to production.
Week 8 | MODULE DESIGN + TRANSFORMING
This week invites participants to reflect on obsolete objects and explore how to give them a second life by repurposing them from their original function. Participants will reflect on existing resources and raw materials.
Week 9 | MODULE DESIGN + PROTOTYPING
The last week will focus on introducing participants to advanced prototyping
ABOUT CAMPUS MANA
Campus MaNa is in the heart of Burgundy, a region where craftsmanship is deeply rooted in history. It is an innovative and inspiring space dedicated to the teaching and practice of Design, Architecture, and Crafts. Campus MaNa offers modern facilities, production workshops, collaborative spaces, and resources for creators, fostering the emergence of unique projects.
The residency will take place in a stimulating environment that encourages the exchange of ideas, the search for innovative solutions, and an openness to the world.
Participants and trainers are fully cared for during their stay, with accommodation and meals provided for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This allows them to share meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients, carefully selected by an in-house chef.
Participants can relax and spark their creativity while exploring the 37 hectares of Nature, where various animal species live. Bicycles are also available for those who wish to explore the surroundings. Furthermore, located just 1h50 from Paris, the campus offers participants the chance to discover the capital, which is easily accessible for weekend cultural getaways.
Eligibility
- Profession: Active designers or creatives in various fields (interior design, product design, fashion, visual arts, crafts, artisans, etc.)
- Location: Living and working in Qatar
- Education: Solid professional experience, often with an academic background from design schools, universities, or creative centres
- Please note that only three (3) participants will be selected for this residency.
- The applicant can commit to a 9-week-long residency, travelling to and living in Campus MaNa, Burgundy, France
Applicants must submit:
- Portfolio (PDF or images — maximum five high-resolution images).
- Bio / CV (PDF, max 1 page).
- Craft Techniques: a short text describing interest in crafts.
TIMELINE
- Open call launch: Monday, May 20
- Submission deadline: Thursday, June 20 | 10 PM
- Final selection announcement: Thursday, June 27
