Hibah Albakree
“I believe there is a craving for physical and authentic content and environments.”
#WomenWhoBuild meet Hibah Albakree,
Hibah Albakree is the co-founder of architecture and creative studio Designlab Experience. Based in Dubai and Riyadh, the studio specializes in transformative experiences through bespoke architectural design and art. In collaboration with her co-founder, Mootassem El Baba, and Lead Architect Marwan Maalouf, Designlab Experience is a global team of designers, architects, artists, engineers, and strategists committed to challenging and transforming the familiar by creating fully immersive environments, highly curated in the most intricate details.
We sat down with Hibah to discuss what it means to have a career in immersive experiences, the introductory days of starting her career, her creative process for each project she works on, and her advice for anyone who is interested in entering the field.
What was your first introduction to immersive experiences and what led you to want to pursue a career in the field?
Our "Lucid Dream" project in 2014, H.H. Sheika Lateefa Al Maktoum's royal wedding for 3500 guests in Dubai, was a turning point for the firm. The bride's surrealist and dreamlike artwork inspired the set design and the evening performances. We teamed up with world-class talents such as director Amy Tinkham, artist Roger Titley, and music producer Jean Marie Riachi creating a multisensorial journey where all these elements were connected, and provided an elevated experience for each guest. Since then, all our projects, public and private, large or intimate, have been designed following the concept of storytelling, diving into the client's history and inspirations to make the event memorable and impactful.
Saudi Cup 2023// Photo Courtesy of Designlab Experience
Take us to the introductory days of starting the company? What made you want to take the leap to creating your own firm and how did you approach it?
I first worked independently, and after three years, I joined forces with Mootassem El Baba. When I first started, I loved the adrenaline rush. The ability to see something come to life in a short amount of time was one of the most satisfying experiences. When I partnered with Mootassem, the workload tripled thanks to his incredible background and years of experience as a creative visionary, leading us to many successful projects. We felt the sky was the limit and that we could take this company to a different level through our instinct, self-motivation, and personal skills. Our aspiration was always to leave a mark internationally and to be able to be distinguished in terms of our delivery, our sensitivity, pushing the envelope but knowing where to stop before becoming over the top and unrelatable. Today, after 15 years the company grew into a multi-faceted international workforce striving to conceive and execute highly complex solutions built on a cohesive vision and shared values.
Tell us about a couple of your recent projects. How did you approach each one? What is the creative and production process like for each?
One of the most spectacular recent events was 'Memoir', the royal wedding of HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. We drew from the bride's personal memories with her late grandfather and from chapters of her early life to produce a complex architectural space and scenography where respect for tradition was combined with innovative, cutting-edge design. The bride was the central character moving along a reflective pathway through three immersive environments: a grand entrance, a domed dining area, and a nostalgic majlis. The three areas were 'activated' by the bride's movement across the catwalk, anchoring the guest's journey in a scenography designed with the studio's longtime collaborator Stefan Lubrina, also known for his work on Chanel's set designs with Karl Lagerfeld.
Another highlight is 'Layali Diriyah', a two-month event in the birthplace of the Saudi Kingdom on the outskirts of Riyad. We created an immersive cultural space in a palm tree farm illuminated by 20.000 lights, bringing together international design, contemporary art, world-class cuisine, and local cultural talent. By integrating architecture into nature and blending the natural elements of light and darkness, sound and silence, stillness and movement, we created an experience of discovery and play.
Finally, 'Bedayat' was a temporary installation hosting the first-ever State dinner hosting 1500 guests to commemorate Saudi Arabia's Founding Day on February 21st. Inspired by the country's tradition of symbolism and mystique, the interactive event featured live dances, performances, and projection mapping on a steel and textile dome-like structure. The team, guided by Designlab Experience principal architect Marwan Maalouf, used an inventive approach to erect the over 300-ton structure. The 156-ton central ring was first raised by 14 cranes and kept in midair while the base's concrete was drying. The arches were built from top to bottom and inserted in round-shaped steel holders that would move with the wind to stabilize the structure. The team executed the balancing act to position the ring perfectly and set arches into the bases without computerized support.
Memoir//Photo Courtesy of Designlab Experience
How do you approach team management? What is your management style and how did you refine it?
We are very meticulous and demanding with our team, but we do our best to empower and guide them. We try to hire professional and accountable people we can eventually delegate to and work independently. Overall, we tend to be very hands-on. Even if we are a fast-growing firm, we keep communication open with the team members, staying highly involved with the clients and being present on the ground to oversee the project. We don't want to lose the personal touch, our clients can always reach us.
Working with a co-Founder can be challenging at times, especially in the creative field where your visions might differ. How do you and your co-Founder, Mootassem El Baba, find common ground if your vision or approach for a project differ?
Mootassem always takes the creative lead, while I'm more on the client-servicing side. I try to understand what the clients are expecting to see, the level of complexity they are aiming for, and their background in terms of public exposure while making sure that the work in our pitch phase can turn into a confirmed project.
To be honest, there are many times Mootassem and I differ, for example, on strategies when it comes to the company, but we're very clear about where our strengths are, and we trust that each of us will make the best call based on our experience. The core of our strong relationship is our shared ethics and values, we are sincere and transparent with our clients.
Diriyah Nights//Photo Courtesy of Roberto Conte
What do you see for the future of the immersive experiences field?
It is becoming a bit tricky, as the field increasingly relies on A.I. and digital, and it is getting more impersonal. I believe there is a craving for physical and authentic content and environments. We have been researching several projects on experiential design, and we've noticed people are shying away from the big screens and digital content. It's becoming too sci-fi, the public is hungry for hospitality, warmth, and substance. We try to mix both, using cutting-edge technology for lighting and digital content while keeping the environment inviting and welcoming. Many clients come to us for that, they're not looking to design an exhibition stand or a dark black room. They want their guests to be engaged.
That said, we have produced high-tech events, for example, an interactive digital map installation for the World Government Summit for Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation in Dubai. Using projection, sensors, and video-mapping, physically-activated experiences challenged visitors to think in new ways about solutions to the most pressing global challenges of our time. But even in that case, the digital content complemented the decor, not the other way around.
Being a founder generally comes with demanding hours, especially in a service-based field. Are there any lessons you have learned throughout your career on balance that you would share?
After having experienced burnout recently, I finally realized that I could give all my energy to my work on certain days and then take a day or even a few hours to completely switch off, spend quality time with my family, or go out for dinner, and when possible, take a short trip with my husband and kids. I need that kind of cut-off, even for a small moment, and to set healthy boundaries. As a founder, you can't just let go, you can't just travel and think that you're not going to be able to answer, you must the person who moves the pieces and pushes people to meet deadlines or overlook all the presentations before they go out or check everything before it's submitted. But these breaks are essential, you go back to work refreshed and more focused.
AIUIa Camel Cup// Photo Courtesy of Designlab Experience
What is one piece of advice you have for others who may be interested in entering the field.
I would tell them that it is a very demanding field creatively. You need to continuously reinvent yourself, innovating and developing the newest ideas. And it's very subjective. Like in all art forms, some people will love what you do, and others won't. It's hard work in a tough industry and requires a lot of finesse and perfection. Once you take on a project, it always gets bigger and bigger, the checklist keeps growing, and you never know when it ends.