Meriem Chabani is an Algerian-born architect based in Paris. She is the founder and principal of NEW SOUTH, an award-winning practice working across architecture, urban planning, and anthropology, with an approach that puts the margin at the center. Her work engages sacred spaces, memory, and belonging, and includes the Muqarnas Pavilion, Saint-Étienne, the Globe Aroma refugee art center, Brussels, and the upcoming Mosque Zero, Paris. She served as Aga Khan Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge (2025), and currently teaches at École d’architecture Paris-Malaquais, Paris. She received the Europe 40 under 40 Award, 2020, and a Graham Foundation Grant. She was named among the leading young female architects in France by AMC (2023), and Le Monde (2025).
Gorbon Ceramics is a ceramic atelier and factory founded in Istanbul in 1957 by Rebii Gorbon, an architect recognized among the leading figures of his generation in Turkey. Since its establishment, Gorbon has produced modern and traditional tiles, ceramic wall works, and giftware objects for local and international clients. Custom-made Gorbon tiles can be found worldwide, from the Mecca Gate in Saudi Arabia to the Nureyev House in Capri. Today the company is led by third-generation member Orhan Gorbon and continues to develop high-quality ceramic production for hotels, retail stores, and commercial spaces. Alongside commissioned architectural applications, Gorbon operates as a long-standing hub for artistic ceramics, collaborating with internationally recognized artists and taking part in leading art and design presentations. With nearly seven decades of heritage in design, technical know-how, and craft practice, Gorbon Ceramics maintains a strong presence within Istanbul’s visual culture and in contemporary ceramic production.