Tessa El Sakhi El Maalouli is an architect and designer, based between Venice and Beirut.
Born in Lebanon the Land of Cedars, she grew up in a family with cross-cultural oriental and occidental influences from her Lebanese father and Polish-Syrian mother.
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
She started her career in 2015 while she was still in college and became an international award-winning studio. Specializing in renovations, interior architecture and urban design, her aim is to preserve cultural heritage and create social and sensorial experiences to connect, inspire and nurture amidst today’s world, dominated by rapid change, mass production and digital technologies. Her creative identity focuses on 3 pillars: Human (social and sensorial connections), Earth (natural environment and sustainability) and Legacy (traditional craft and innovative technique). Through the thoughtful use of materials, forms and natural elements, she seeks to spark physical and emotional experiences that resonate with people on a deeply personal level, inviting moments of presence, stillness, curiosity and meaningful transformation. Every project is a dialogue between tradition and innovation, memory and present, form and feeling.
Her work is exhibited globally in museums, fairs and galleries, earning numerous awards and nominations. Dedicated to philanthropy and social consciousness, she supports various NGOs including student scholarships, reforestation initiatives, fund relief aids, building reconstruction, community-centric design, sexual health awareness, children education and dog rescues. Driven by a desire to inspire, she shares her knowledge, passion and journey through talks and workshops with educational and cultural institutions. Her life and her work boils down to sharing her stories and creating nurturing spaces with timeless designs that embody both essence and depth.
She started her initial architecture studies at Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts in Beirut in 2009 and later graduated her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at the American University of Beirut in 2015, with first prize of honors and excellence. While studying, she was interning at Bernard Mallat Architects in 2013 and Raëd Abillama Architects in 2014 and volunteering with The Nawaya Network in Lebanon for children’s art therapy, IVHQ in Tanzania for children’s education and Share & Care Foundation in India for children’s care.
“As an architect and designer today, my role is not just to shape spaces but to create environments that are conducive to well-being. My work is rooted in the belief that architecture and design has the power to inspire, nurture and heal the body, mind and soul, much like nature. My aim is to create sensorial experiences that foster a sense of balance, grounding and curiosity.”
SERVICES
Hospitality
Commercial
Cultural
Public
Residential
Heritage and Historical Renovation
Interior Architecture
Urban Design
Public Interventions & Installations
Exhibition Design & Scenography
Collectible & Product Design
Architecture, Interior & Design Consultancy
PERFUMERY
In 2022, she launched her line of perfumes and soaps collection. Rooted in her rich heritage – the cradle of the invention and use of perfumery in the Middle East region, and the longstanding history of her family in Lebanon since 1746 – her passion for flora and fragrances began at an early age getting lost in the wilderness of the glorious mountains of ancient cedars and pine forests, strolling in the lush Levantine Souks of myrrh, oud, and amber, running in the vast orange orchards and blooming valleys of wild orchids and genet, and bathing in the cascading waterfalls diffused with vibrant aromas of moss. Her fragrances focus on the value of craftsmanship and Mother Nature and transport you into a restorative escape to the wilderness of Forests, dreaminess and nostalgia. The collection is inspired by her native lands’ Forests and their four seasons’ most evocative notes, diverse natural ingredients and irrefutable well-being. They are consciously sourced and crafted with intricate precision and care in France, and include sustainable and natural oil extracts of the finest quality. The project contributes and donates to initiatives focused on urban forestation in Lebanon, helping to support biodiversity and promote social and environmental regeneration.
“Perfume is the wing of our soul, it is an expression to define ourself beyond our physical bodies. Interpreting the olfactive sense with the ones of sight, sound and taste is precisely where my perfume collection co-exists with my architecture and design studio. In each project, I draw inspiration from Nature's vast palette of colors, textures, sounds, and scents, allowing me to create a physical and emotional voyage through spaces and objects that engage and nurture all senses, much like the art of perfumery - my fragrances carry stories deeply rooted in Ancient Forests and transport you on an evocative journey to explore oneself through emotions and memories.”