Tribune News Network
DOHA
On Saturday, Design Doha hosted a special closing event in partnership with DesignWanted Magazine to mark the closing of Arab Design Now and the culmination of the biennial, inviting the public to take part in the celebrations and explore the exhibition before its close on August 5, 2024.
The event began with a panel talk moderated by Patrick Abbattista, the CEO of DesignWanted, an Italian magazine exploring product trends and innovations, while connecting the design community on a global scale. Materials’ Legacy: Products, Spaces and Culture discussed how materials and culture have been interwoven for centuries, shaping what can be accomplished in both architecture and product design, and how it defines society. Focusing on materials in the MENA region, the discussion delved into their impact on our forms of expression from different points of view. This session featured insights from Ali Karimi of Civil Architecture, and Turki Gazzaz and Abdulrahman Gazzaz of Brick Lab, a studio for architecture, design and experimental research based in Saudi Arabia.
Following the panel talk, there was a curated tour of Arab Design Now focusing on the materials used in certain objects in the exhibition. The tour was followed by a networking event at Profiles Café, with refreshments provided by Design Doha.
Fahad Al Obaidly, deputy director of Design Doha, said, “By hosting this closing event for Arab Design Now, we wanted to express our appreciation for all the spectacular contributions to this special exhibition and celebrate the talent, creativity, and innovation that brought it to fruition.”
He added, “We’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to DesignWanted for their continued support throughout the inaugural Design Doha, and their contribution to hosting what was a very special event–one that has already furthered the conversation around design in the region.”
Under the leadership of Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums launched Design Doha, a biennial event celebrating excellence and innovation in design in Qatar and the MENA region, in February 2024. Curated by Rana Beiruti, Arab Design Now is a regional survey of over 70 Arab designers, exploring contemporary and traditional design methods with a focus on sustainability. This exhibition, highlighting the design aesthetics of the Levant, the Gulf, and North Africa, is currently on view at M7 in Msheireb, Doha’s centre for innovation and design, which hosted the inaugural Design Doha.
Design Doha is inviting the public to attend the final days of Arab Design Now before it closes on Monday, August 5, 2024.
For more information, visit https://designdoha.org.qa/en/ or follow @designdohabiennial on Instagram.
