Nour Zoghby Fares, Founder, Fabrica Design Platform
Where the air is still thick with the cries of human atrocity, and the soil bears the scars of ruthless conflict, stands Lebanon, seething in memory. From the trenches to the boulevards, from war-torn streets to glass towers, the untold stories of suffering reverberate across generations. Yet, neither the clamour of death nor the fear of aggression could silence the nation. It grew only more profound, more pronounced. The country rises in creation.
From the sparks of destruction emerged something more intense and enduring, and Lebanon chose resilience over retaliation. Lebanon nurtured a culture of reinvention, proving that progress grows from rebuilding—not from destruction. Creativity became alchemy, transforming pain into healing and memory into design.
It was amid this social milieu that Fabrica Design Platform (FDP), Lebanon’s leading name in art and design solutions, was born in 2023.
The Spark that Reimagined Design
For the founder, Nour Zoghby Fares—an architect, urban designer, and academic, the spark of Fabrica came quietly. Between her study and work, she managed to set aside three hours a week for her creative retreat of hand building with clay.
“What began as a private refuge soon revealed itself as a profound philosophy,” reflects Nour.
That private act of shaping clay was more than artistic escapism; it was a form of restoration. Thus, design soon transformed into a craft- the craft that connects, heals, and resonates on a deeper human level.
From Retreat to Platform
Fabrica evolved from this personal practice into one of Lebanon’s most dynamic multidisciplinary hubs. It became the seed of a platform that today redefines creativity not as a luxury, but as a force for human renewal. An educational and creative platform, Fabrica blends tradition with innovation, connecting designs with people, spaces, and ideas.
At its core lies a belief that design flourishes not in isolation but in community. Unlike traditional studios that prioritize technical expertise alone, Fabrica creates environments where people can thrive through mutual learning, experimentation, and growth. Its services reflect this philosophy. The masterclasses are designed to drive curiosity, the platform offers memberships that allow engagement across levels of expertise, and work on collaborative projects that emphasize material exploration, craftsmanship, and storytelling.
“Every day, we learn from one another,” Nour explains. “That exchange of knowledge and creativity is priceless, and it’s rare to find spaces where you can evolve technically while being part of a vibrant community.”
A Living Laboratory
In an industry that often chases novelty, Fabrica remains grounded in authenticity. Whether ceramics, digital fabrication, or cross-disciplinary collaborations, the team always experiments with new materials, techniques, and technologies, but always with a clear identity rooted in craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
Nour describes innovation at Fabrica not as a race to keep up with trends, but as a practice of asking deeper questions: “How can we reimagine this material, this process, this form in a way that feels fresh yet timeless?”
This philosophy is lived daily. Fabrica doesn’t design for people; it designs with them. Students, artists, members, and collaborators contribute, shaping work that is as personal as it is innovative.
Designing Amid Ruins
Caught on the tenterhooks of Lebanon’s turbulent realities, Fabrica’s creative journey teetered between uncertainty and possibility. Sourcing materials, sustaining operations, and keeping projects alive often felt impossible.
Yet these crises did not stall Fabrica. Instead of retreating, the platform leaned into creativity. They engaged more with the community, became more innovative, experimental, and collaborative. “These moments of crisis forced us to question the traditional ways of operating and pushed us toward a more adaptive and innovative model,” Nour shares. “They pushed us toward an adaptive model that values flexibility and purpose-driven design.”
In many ways, the challenges became a defining feature of Fabrica’s DNA—proving that design can endure, inspire, and thrive even in the harshest environments.
When Art Meets Community: The Odyssey Collection
Odyssey Collection, created in collaboration with renowned Lebanese artist Charles Khoury and Fabrica’s community of makers, presents an exemplary masterpiece reflecting FDP’s ethos with particular force. Each piece translated Khoury’s art into sculptural ceramics, but the brilliance lay not in the final works alone; it was in the process of storytelling. Instead of a conventional gallery display, the exhibition projected the entire ceramic journey—from initiation to repetitions, completion, challenges, and failures. The unpredictability of the ceramic journey became part of the story, and audiences were invited into the intimacy of creation.
This openness mirrored Fabrica’s philosophy: Art is a powerful experience of life, capturing with authenticity the process, the risks, and the shared human effort.
The Culture Within
Behind every successful platform lies a culture that nurtures its people. At Fabrica, this means valuing curiosity, respect, and teamwork over hierarchy. The team operates through a collective body of diverse expertise—from ceramics and architecture to strategy and research.
Team members are encouraged to experiment while working within a framework of professionalism that ensures excellence. Growth is nurtured through mentorship, cross-disciplinary projects, and openness to ideas from every voice in the room. This culture fosters originality and translates directly into the quality and authenticity of the work produced.
“Our culture not only supports our people,” Nour emphasizes, “but it directly translates into the originality and quality of the work we deliver.”
Mentions in the News
Fabrica’s impact has not gone unnoticed. It has been featured across leading media platforms, celebrated globally for bridging traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.
In 2024
- The Architect’s Newspaper (NYC): June 2024
- AD Middle East: “Best Design Shops in the Middle East” (July 2024)
- Loophole Magazine (NYC): “Art Therapy Through Ceramics” (December 2024)
In 2025
- The Art Pulse (Lebanon): “From Canvas to Clay” (May 2025)
- Agenda Culturel (Lebanon): “Un voyage artistique en céramique” (May 2025)
These recognitions highlight the originality of Fabrica’s work and its influence as both a local innovator and a global player in the fields of art, design, and education.
Know Thy Architect
At the heart of Fabrica’s story is Nour Zoghby Fares. With a background in Architecture and Digital Media from the Lebanese American University (LAU), a Master’s in Urban Design from Columbia University, and currently pursuing a PhD in Development Planning at University College London (UCL), Nour brings a rare mix of academic rigor and creative instinct.
Her vision for FDP is clear: to establish a space where artists, designers, and researchers can advance their technical skills while promoting a culture of shared knowledge and experimentation. Her focus on clay, both for its limitations and transformative potential, reflects Fabrica’s mission to push boundaries while staying grounded in material honesty.
Looking Ahead: Vision Rooted in Humanity
For Nour, Fabrica’s future is as ambitious as it is grounded in human values. The platform’s long-term vision is to expand both its reach and its role as an educational institution.
- FDP Reach: Community outreach programs that use art and design as tools for healing and empowerment. This includes art therapy, inclusive workshops for people with disabilities, and undertaking initiatives supporting artisans and underprivileged communities.
- FDP Ceramics: Scaling the creation of handmade ceramic products through collaborations with local and international artists, positioning ceramics as both cultural and contemporary practice.
- Experimental Lab: A research-driven hub for developing new materials, techniques, and processes, pushing the boundaries of design innovation in a changing world.
Each initiative reflects a single vision: creativity as a catalyst for education, empowerment, and transformation; locally rooted, globally relevant.
Lebanon’s Echo, Fabrica’s Answer
Fabrica’s story is larger than a single studio. In a world fractured by hatred and violence, Fabrica embraces resilience not as a passive endurance, but as a survival strategy—an active choice to rebuild, reimagine, and rise. Its success proves that progress does not come from erasing wounds but from transforming them, shaping them, and designing a new.
What began as one woman’s quiet ritual with clay has become a collective force of reinvention. Long after the ceramic has cooled and hardened, the truth remains: even in the fragile medium of clay lies the strength to endure, to regenerate. And that offers the highest form of resistance, shaping the lasting legacy of a nation scarred yet unbroken.