Maha Alavi is a Canadian industrial designer based in Tokyo. Her practice is grounded in an inquiry into context — how objects emerge from, respond to, and shape the environments they inhabit. Trained in philosophy and psychology, Alavi approaches design as both an intellectual and material pursuit, one that seeks meaning through connection and creation.

Travel remains central to her process. She draws from the shifting rhythms of daily life across global geographies, and from the ways in which objects mediate relationships between people, spaces, and cultural archetypes. Early in her career, cities such as Berlin and Singapore, and now, Tokyo and London — each negotiating its own balance between industry and nature — have sharpened her sensitivity to light, seasonality, and proportion. This sensibility informed her inaugural hardware series, CERCLE, which reimagines foundational geometry in material form.

Through this perspective, Alavi transforms the ordinary and the exceptional alike into explorations of space and form. Her work insists on continuity — each design must articulate its intent with coherence, precision, and an elegance that unites philosophy with practice.

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A MAHA ALAVI design may span in function, from hardware to furniture, but always linked by a sculptural thematic. Through hands-on exploration, whether experimenting with clay at an office desk or examining wild flowers on an introspective hike, Alavi discovers shapes that are at once modern and timeless. Seamless joinery and intuitive forms define her objects, creating a visual fluidity that is both immediate and gentle. Each MAHA ALAVI piece is hand formed and finished; softness and warmth crafted in luxury. 

Alavi is proud to be part of a new wave of industrial designers who embrace their heritage through the showcase of cultural crafts and techniques. MAHA ALAVI proudly manufactures all cast metal pieces in a family-run foundry in Northern India.

Sustainability is a pillar of MAHA ALAVI designs, with cradle to cradle manufacturing a core tenet. This means all items are recycled whenever possible, and designed to be recycled at the end of their lifecycle.  

Manufacturing —
All casting of MAHA ALAVI products are  done in India, where the factory uses recycled metals as much as possible. Small batch production results in minimal raw material waste. 

Furniture is fabricated in Canada using sustainable practices such as upcycled and recycled materials whenever possible. 

Packaging —
All packaging is biodegradable, recyclable, with a focus on using circular packaging materials.

Shipping boxes, shipping labels, parcel tape, note cards and stickers are all made from 100% post-consumer waste. These materials are entirely recyclable and/or compostable

MAHA ALAVI jewelry, hardware, furniture, and homeware is designed to last a lifetime and beyond. By avoiding trend cycle pieces to focus on items that are intuitive and timeless, MAHA ALAVI designs are created with intention.