American University of Sharjah (AUS) Assistant professor of Architecture Ammar Kalo recently won the highly anticipated Emerging Designer of the Year Award, at the Harper's Bazaar Interiors Awards 2015, in association with Downtown Dubai. Kalo received his Bachelor of Architecture from the AUS College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) and is currently the Director of CAAD Labs at AUS, where he also teaches classes focused on digital fabrication.

According to the Harper's Bazaar Arabia website, Kalo won the award "for his technologically advanced designs, most notably his 'Stratum' chair, which takes advantage of innovative fabrication technologies, creating two interlocking, folding parts. The Emerging Designer of the Year Award is not only one of the most prized awards of the night, but also an aspirational achievement for new designers to set the benchmark for up-and-coming creative talent."

"It is a great pleasure to receive such an award from Harper's Bazaar Interiors and I'm glad my recent work is being recognized like this. I'm also very excited to see all the new opportunities that young and emerging designers are getting in the UAE to produce and exhibit their work," said Kalo.

The awards recognize the achievements of furniture designers, design brands and retail furniture stores in the region, providing a platform to honor the most innovative and successful players in the industry, as nominated by their peers and readers.

"The design awards offer luxury brands and designers, both established and emerging, an unrivalled platform from which to gain recognition for the visionary skills they bring to the region, and for helping raise the profile of design in the Middle East within the international scene," commented magazine editor, Eleanor Joslin.

"This year marks the award's second annual ceremony, and is once again part of the official program of Downtown Design, situated amid the inaugural Dubai Design Week, making the awards an integral part of the design calendar. It is exciting to be part of the burgeoning design scene in the Middle East, and to celebrate both prestigious brands and promising next-generational talent."

The Harper's Bazaar Interiors Awards celebrate the best brands and designers within the region's interior design sector.