VCUarts Qatar graduate makes her mark

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) graduate Nimrah Kabiruddin, who combined her childhood love for Lego with laser cutting – a technique she picked up during her undergraduate years, has come a long way."I fell in love with laser cutting when I did an independent study in the Fall of 2018, where our team produced 3D printed and laser cut products,” she said. "I took that newfound skill and expanded on it. The idea for my wooden puzzles was born as a response to creating a landmark of Qatar for the course.”"I wanted the wooden model to be not just a display piece but something that can be pulled apart and rebuilt, much like Lego,” she added.Soon after graduation, Kabiruddin started designing and creating products that depict Qatar’s famous buildings and landmarks, all with laser-cut plywood.She began selling these at Qatar Foundation (QF)’s gift shop under the brand name "Build Doha”, where they proved to be a success.Today, she continues to expand, and she’s picked up a few awards on the way.A few years ago, she won first prize in the Msheireb Museums Design Competition for her laser-cut model of the Msheireb mosque.Kabiruddin also participated in the QBIC Fablab’s Qatari Cultural Design Competition during the World Cup and was selected to the top 10 category.Her design was showcased at Scale 7 in Msheireb Downtown Doha for the duration of the tournament.Recently, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) chose her laser-cut miniatures as graduation gifts for the University’s outgoing Class of 2023.Kabiruddin collaborates with the Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC) to design and create her laser-cut landmark miniatures.The miniatures are produced in various sizes."I create different sizes as some corporate clients prefer specific dimensions that suit corporate gifts, while individuals generally prefer something smaller that they can showcase in a display cabinet in their homes, or even use as keychains,” she explained. "Either way, most customers see them as treasured souvenirs or keepsakes.”Kabiruddin graduated from VCUarts Qatar with a BFA in Graphic Design, in 2019, and from HBKU with an MA in Comparative Religions.