An upcoming talent, youthful and passionate. Oftentimes, we come across people who are born with a certain spark that drives their future careers, Nouf AlMayyal is one of those people and AlTujjar is proud to have her be a part of the community.
Nouf AlMayyal graduated from Kuwait University in the architecture field. Her values have grounded her as she incorporates them into her career, shaping her decisions and projects. Nouf has always been a crafty and creative individual, ever since her adolescent years she had been intrigued by the intangible world of Sims, where decorating a virtual space initiated her architectural journey. As the years passed, she moved away from the virtual world and followed her interests in building and decorating spaces in the real world.
As Nouf grew more confident from working in the private sector as well freelancing on the side, she launched her architecture firm A+A Studio (Architecture + The Arts Studio), providing external and internal designs for residential estates. A+A Studio handles projects from A to Z, from laying the first brick to putting the final nail on the wall, putting their clients at ease with their professionalism and efficiency.
Nouf AlMayyal built her architecture firm A+A Studio (Architecture + The Arts Studio) on a philosophy that revolves around the human senses, learning about her clients and their day to day life in order to build a structure that serves them in the best way possible. Every project is a personal project, understanding how to attract a passerby’s attention and grasp a certain space. In the case of a restaurant, thinking about the type of smell that emulates can affect the passerby’s intrigue subconsciously because they have been led by their sense of smell. The motive is “How are they [clients] going to be more successful?” This goes beyond aesthetics, A+A Studio looks at each project as a puzzle, mixing materials and studying the environment in order to produce a solution.
The ambiance, the lights and the colors are a visual experience, the materials used for the flooring, the tables and the walls are meant to be felt, cold or warm, comfortable or hard, therefore triggering the intended reaction. Building a healthy space for the client’s senses is what lead’s AAStudio’s actions, whether commercial or residential. Health also extends to leaning more towards using clean, non-toxic and sustainable materials to build the foundations of the home or space.
Looking up to world renowned architects inspire Nouf AlMayyal, architects like Mies van der Rohe who juxtapose materials and make them work together in a single space, the soft and the hard. A+A Studio works to push the boundaries of architecture in Kuwait, offering new ways of experiencing a space.
Nouf AlMayyal cares deeply about the natural world and envisions A+A Studio to always factor in the effects every project has on the environment. As an extension to that, she aims to take steps towards a greener approach in building and decorating, raising awareness and drawing inspiration from Kuwait and the Arab world’s old architectural techniques. As challenging as that might be, she believes in her work and the power architecture has on improving the standards of living and how it could have a positive effect on our day to day lives. As A+A Studio continues to progress, Nouf and her team get a step closer to transforming Kuwait into a more healthier and sustainable place.