Cairo
Kook
The kitchen as a meeting place
At Cairo Design Week, in the Zamalek district, Hala Saleh brings KOOK into the rooms of the Aisha Fahmy Palace. Nowhere can you see the light fitting that illuminates the spaces: just the light itself, precisely directed onto every detail. It is the first thing you notice, and it is also the most difficult to achieve.
Founder of the brand and the TDF+ studio, Saleh has been working on the same idea for years: the kitchen is not just about function, it’s about connection. It is the place where we welcome others, share stories and linger.
KOOK calls it a ‘social kitchen’. A project conceived, first and foremost, to be shared with others.
For this installation, curated by Saleh herself as part of the ‘In Between Islands’ theme for the Zamalek interventions, the spaces are defined by measured contrasts: deep red frames opening onto luminous depths, green velvet balancing the architecture, and rugs that anchor every element whilst allowing materials and textures to interact without dominating.
Inside KOOK Gallery, the kitchen opens up to art. On display, amongst others, are works by Mohamed Abla, represented by Gallery Mist, and by Ayman Lotfy, alongside vases and design objects. Each element is precisely lit: works and objects designed to be viewed up close, in a setting that invites you to linger.
