Shepherd Studio: Reimagining design through experimentation

One of the few realms that tradition and modernisation can coexist within – two peas in a paradoxical pod—is that of urban design. Shepherd Studio, a design lab rooted in creative invention and engagement with local culture, harnesses this symbiosis wisely. Founded in and operating out of Bahrain, Shepherd Studio dismantles the architectures of constraint. Its work looks almost imaginary, shapes emerging from the ground or crafted with inconceivable whimsy, like something from behind your eyes. Each project is an experiment that challenges the notion of functionality, often flirting with the surreal while grounded in the practicalities of its environmental and cultural contexts. From sustainable prayer mats to architectural structures crafted to thrive in harsh desert climates, Shepherd Studio is rethinking how we live, pray, and engage with our surroundings. 

Led by a team of forward-thinking architects and designers, Shepherd Studio tinkers with the nexus of tradition, sustainability and modernity. Its approach pushes the boundaries of what design can accomplish, standing out even when the rest of the world is sprinting in innovation. “Following our academic studies, the three of us intended to create a design practice which wouldn’t be limited to architecture buildings,” the team explains to Dazed MENA. “We were inspired to explore the intersections of design and the possibilities of human imagination through analytical, rational and logical inquiry.”

Shepherd Studio’s commitment to returning locally in its design focus makes its avant-garde products all the more impressive. Take, for example, its ‘Mosque-in-a-Box’- a concept the team designed in May 2023. It’s a lightweight, inflatable structure that assembles in 20 minutes and can be deployed in large gatherings or in refugee camps. While the structure is practical, it’s the nuanced thinking behind the design that sets it apart – you truly won’t believe it until you see it. The mosque’s design is simple yet ambitious in form, addressing the need for accessible religious spaces while playing with light, texture and transparency in ways that feel modern yet sacred. 

“Our projects are rooted in contextually-driven design responses, and we hope to use this approach to create synergies between the spaces we create and the environments in which they sit,” Shepherd Studio tells Dazed. “We hope to explore and share the cultural and contextual legacies of our local cultures to create dialogue and enrich the economy of the MENA region.”

It’s this melding of the visionary and functional that persists in its myriad projects, elevating everyday experiences. Its ‘Tila Chair’, for instance, is a striking piece comprising 210 stainless steel spheres, designed as much for the eyes as for the body. Commissioned for the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo Dubai, it reimagines the concept of a chair into a meditation on density, light and shadow. This design, which invites viewers to both sit and observe, is quintessentially Shepherd – a study in contradictions, mischievous artistry meeting rigorous precision. 

Shepherd Studio’s focus on experimentation is not limited to objects and furniture. Its work confronts larger urban issues, particularly the question of sustainability in rapidly growing cities across the MENA region. One notable project, its proposed ‘Spring System’ for Bahrain, attempts to revive the region’s lost urban springs. The idea is to preserve and introduce an iconic element of Bahrain’s past while reworking it into relevancy for the future. The design implies that progress doesn’t need to come at the expense of heritage. Rather, it emphasises ideas from the past can help equip and empower sustainable solutions for the future. 

“We hope to add value to the social, cultural and environmental fabrics in which we live through,” Shepherd Studio says. “Designs which encourage unorthodox ambition whilst simultaneously maintaining logical and rational reasoning.”

Its reinterpretation of the traditional Islamic prayer mat best illustrates the team’s attention to sustainable design. The studio’s version uses 50% less material while maintaining the key seven points of contact essential during prayer (face, hands, knees and feet). The studio took a deeply personal item for billions across the world and modified it into something that appreciates both spirituality and environmental responsibility. Its projects provoke reflection on how we are shaped by what we use and where we are. 

The studio’s products are ingenious, but it’s the methods for design that distinguish the studio further. Its scenography for the Uzbekistan Art & Culture Foundation – which involved the installation of 31,000 individual optical tiles to create the space – reflects the team’s dedication to meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. The tiles shift in colour and depth depending on where one stands, making no two experiences in the room the same. It’s a poetic merging of architecture and art where the space becomes a living entity.

Shepherd Studio is at the forefront of a new design movement that isn’t afraid to bring imagination to realisation. Its experimental design breathes new life into quotidian objects and spaces. Now working on the spatial design and scenography of the World Conference on Creative Economy in Uzbekistan, in addition to the exhibition design and narrative for the Bahrain Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Japan, Shepherd Studio has no plans of slowing down. 

“It excites us to witness and be part of such a dynamically-driven creative economy within Southwest Asia and North Africa,” the team concludes. “The region’s role in the next few years will be integral in directing the industry.”