Roham Shamekh Debuts the R O O T S Collection at Design Miami 2025
As Design Miami returns from 3–7 December 2025, the fair’s much-anticipated Curio programme welcomes a deeply immersive installation from multidisciplinary artist and designer Roham Shamekh. His new body of work—R O O T S—redefines what contemporary collectible design can be, blending sculpture, sound, and emotional introspection into a multisensory encounter that explores humanity’s shared connection to the natural world.
A Meditative Encounter at the Heart of Design Miami
Visitors entering Shamekh’s Curio booth will step into a reflective, almost sanctified environment created to encourage grounding, stillness, and introspection. Unlike traditional design presentations, R O O T S unfolds as an experience rather than an exhibition, inviting guests to slow down, breathe, listen, and feel.
At the centre of the booth, attendees are offered headphones and an iPad that together create a layered, enveloping soundscape. This bespoke composition forms the emotional backbone of the installation, guiding visitors on an inner journey designed to reconnect the senses to the rhythms of nature. Inspired by forest ecosystems and elemental patterns, the soundscape blends low, mid, and high frequencies to mirror the vibrational qualities found within the natural world.
Low-frequency waves resonate with the Earth’s Schumann resonance—a 7.83 Hz electromagnetic pulse often associated with grounding and stability —while mid- and high-frequency harmonics stimulate creativity and emotional openness. The result is an immersive environment that feels both ancient and futuristic, familiar yet unexpectedly transformative.
A Collection Born from Nature—And from Within
Created in Shamekh’s Dubai-based studio, the R O O T S collection comprises four distinct works:
a hand-carved white sofa crafted from ceramic and epoxy resin
two fluid, organically shaped side tables
and a painting that visually anchors the installation’s ideology and aesthetic.
Together, these pieces exist at the intersection of functional design, abstract sculpture, and emotional storytelling. The white ceramic sofa, arguably the highlight of the installation, appears to have emerged from the ground itself, its sculpted silhouette echoing ancient root systems that twist, grow, and expand beneath the surface. The side tables continue this language of organic movement, with surfaces that ripple and flow like tendrils searching for soil, connection, and continuity.
The accompanying painting completes the narrative, expanding the collection from three-dimensional forms into a visual composition that reinforces the thematic exploration of belonging, origin, and memory.
Design as Organism—Not Object
Shamekh approaches design as a living entity rather than a static creation. In R O O T S, he challenges the boundaries between art, design, and philosophy, presenting each piece as part of a larger organism; a system in which human experience, environmental memory, and sculptural form are inseparable.
The collection reminds us that roots never stop extending, interlacing, and seeking out new ground. By drawing parallels between the root system and humanity, Shamekh encourages viewers to reflect on our shared ancestry and interconnection, challenging us to consider the invisible networks: emotional, historical, and cultural that bind us.
Sound, Sculpture, and the Future of Design
What sets R O O T S apart within the global design landscape is its integrative approach. Shamekh brings together physical form and vibrational energy to create an installation that goes beyond aesthetics. Here, design is not simply seen; it is sensed.
“After R O O T S, sitting will never feel the same. It is soulful design as activation, art as alignment, and wellness as awareness — a new frontier where the senses become gateways to the soul. My work invites us to ground, to listen, and to remember that the future of design is not what we build, but what we awaken,” says Shamekh.
His vision aligns with a broader shift within contemporary collectible design, where emotional resonance and experiential depth are valued alongside material craftsmanship. As wellness, sensory design, and environmental consciousness continue to influence the industry, R O O T S emerges as a powerful statement about where design is heading next.
Roham Shamekh - Courtesy of Nikita Berenzhoy
A Must-See Installation During Art Week Miami 2025
With thousands travelling to Miami each December for Art Week, the Design Miami Curio programme remains a vital platform for discovering experimental design. Roham Shamekh’s R O O T S installation promises to be one of this year’s standout presentations; a quiet, contemplative antidote to the overwhelming energy of the week.
Whether you are a collector, a design professional, or an art enthusiast, R O O T S offers a rare opportunity to experience design on a sensory, emotional, and spiritual level.
Design Miami 2025: Curio Programme
Dates: 3–7 December 2025
Location: Pride Park, Miami Beach Convention Center
Shamekh’s booth will be open throughout the fair, offering visitors a space to reconnect with nature, with design, and with themselves.
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