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Biography & Awards

Biography

After spending twenty years as a founding partner at Eklego Design in Cairo, where she specialized in both residential and commercial interior design, Hedayat founded her UK based interior design business Jam By Hedayat. It quickly became a comprehensive design destination thanks to her two decades of experience and her passion for handcrafted furniture and original designs. Together with her team, she works on projects in both the UK and Egypt.

Hedayat has received various design awards for her work on Nubia Nile Boat and Forty West show apartments. Additionally, Jam was a finalist for the 2020 SBID Awards in the "residential house under 1 M" category and the 2021 Surface Design Awards in the "Housing Interior" category.

Hedayat has a degree in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design and a BA in Political Science with a minor in Fine Arts from the American University in Cairo. Hedayat is a BIID Registered Interior Designer.

Professional Experience
JAM By Hedayat, 2019 
Founder and Principal Interior Designer
Responsible for acquiring projects and leading the design process.
Principal product, fabric and wallpaper collections designer.
Jam Space UK, 2014 - 2019
Founder and Principal Interior Designer
Responsible for acquiring projects and leading the design process.
Principal product, fabric and wallpaper collections designer.

Eklego Design, 2000 - Present 
Founding Partner:
Responsible for directing and executing corporate strategy, collaborating with clients to develop projects with strong underlying concepts, leading design teams to deliver architecture and interior design services, and building institutional capability. 

- Established the Eklego Design organization and built it to an organization of 40 professionals in 2014 (20 architects/designers and 20 retail and administrative)

- Led the architecture and interior design organization in the delivery of architecture and interior design services throughout Egypt in various sectors including residential, hotels, restaurants, and other commercial projects. Since 2000 the organization has successfully completed over 100 projects throughout Egypt.

Freelance Interior Designer, 1997-2000
Completed a number of interior design projects across Egypt with clients including Orascom and Shetta Group.

Education
New York School of Interior Design, Degree in Interior Design, 1997
American University in Cairo, Bachelor Degree in Political Science, Minor in Fine Arts, 1994

Awards:

2023 SBID, Finalist Residential house under 1M
2021 Surface Design Awards, Finalist Housing Interior
2021 Houzz, Best of Houzz service 2021
2020 SBID, Finalist Residential house under 1M 
2019 Luxury Travel Guides, Lifestyle Awards, Winner in the category Commercial Interior Designer of the year - London
2018 Build 2018 Architecture Awards, Winner in the category Best Residential Interior Design Firm 2018 - London
2017 Society of British Interior Designers, Finalist in the category Residential House under £1M (Hedayat/Eklego Design)
2017 International Architecture and Design Awards, shortlisted in the category Fabrics (Jam Space)
2017 International Architecture and Design Awards, shortlisted in the category Wallcoverings (Jam Space)
2016 London Fashion Week Commendation for best country stand, Egypt Project: London Design Biennale at Somerset House (Jam Space)
2014 International Design and Architecture Awards Winner, Commercial Residence Project: Forty West Apartments (Eklego Design)
2014 Finest Interior Design With Textiles Winner, Special Award Project: Nile Dahabeya (Eklego Design)
2013 Zimmer+Rohde Interior Contract Awards Winner, Residential Design Project: Forty West Apartments(Eklego Design)
2010 Arabian Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television Highly commended, Commercial Interior Design Category Project: SODIC Sales Centre (Eklego Design)
Highly commended, Residential Interior Design Category Projects: Summer Villa in Gouna & House in Saqqara (Eklego Design)

Media & Publications:
Books:
Daughters of the Nile, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016
Andrew Martin Interior Design Review, UK, Issue #14, 2010/2011
Egyptian Homes Modern, Egypt, Dar El Shorouk, 2010
Andrew Martin Interior Design Review, UK, Issue #12, 2008/2009

Magazines & Newspapers: 

Build 2018 Architecture Awards Magazine, July 2018
25 Beautiful Homes,  May 2018
Egypt Today March 2018
Furniture News, May 2017
The List by House&Garden, November 2016
Estilla, November 2016
Interior Design Today, My Icon, September 2016
Interior Design Today, Ask the Designer, July 2016
The Resident, January 2016
The World of Interiors, December 2015
Trend Magazine, October 2015
Homes and Gardens, UK, October 2015
Trend Design, Trend Home, Jordan, June, 2015
Sunday Telegraph, Stella Magazine, Little Black Book, UK, April 26th, 2015
Financial Times, How to spend it, Van der Postings, UK, March 9th, 2015
House and Garden, Insider, UK, March, 2015
Elle Decoration, Explore/News, UK, March, 2015
Country and Town House, Q&A, UK, March, 2015
Homes and Gardens, London Notebook, UK, March 2015
Wallpaper* Magazine, UK, Issue 176, Nov 1, 2013
Obelisque Magazine, Egypt, Issue #15, Jan 1, 2013
Monocle Magazine, UK, Vol. 5, Issue 48, Nov 1, 2011
Kalimat Magazine, UAE, Vol. 1, Issue 4, Dec 15, 2011
Arabia’s Best 2010, UAE, International Property Awards Publications, 2010
Magaz Magazine, Egypt, Issue 302, June- July 2010
Obelisque Magazine, Egypt, Issue # 11, Summer 2010
Community Times, Egypt, Issue # 171, April 2010
Obelisque Magazine, Egypt, Issue # 9, Winter 2009
Magaz Magazine, Egypt, Issue 203, August September 2009
Crossroad Magazine, Hungary, Issue #13, June 2009
Modern Carpets & Textile, UK, HALI Publications, Spring 2009 Issue
Obelisque Magazine, Egypt, Issue # 5, Winter 2008
International Herald Tribune/ Daily News Egypt, Egypt, Nov. 29-30, 2008
FLAIR Magazine, Egypt, Issue # 12, September/October 2008
Enigma Magazine, Egypt, June 2008
El Beit Magazine, Egypt, Al-Ahram, Issue # 67, January 2006
CANVAS Magazine, UAE, V. 1 Issue #6, 2005
International Herald Tribune/ Daily News Egypt, Egypt, Aug. 24, 2005