Saudi Design Week is back in Riyadh this October 2017

Saudi Design Week will be at KAPSARC’s Apex Convention Center, Riyadh

-        Promises to deliver unique opportunities to learn about design through curated exhibitions, design forum, fair and various activities.

-        Talks and workshops from leading creative leaders and designers aimed to engage, educate and inspire audience and emerging practitioners.

From October 5-8, 2017, Saudi Design Week returns to transform Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh into a dynamic and interactive design platform.

Oasis Magazine and the Saudi Design Week team are launching their fourth annual design event devoted to exhibiting innovative product design, and supporting national and international designers. It brings the masters in the creative industries together with emerging talents, giving them a communal space to share in their common passion as one community.

This year’s theme explores the concept of “Design in Motion”. Designers will study that sense of motion figuratively by showcasing the stories behind their products as they move from sketch to shelf, or seek a more literal understanding by exploring the intersection of design and sports, and even motion in design through multiple dimensions such as time.

Special Projects:

Black Diamond is a design installation by BIA design studio seeking to unify the event’s identity with that of the venue’s (KAPSARC) as well as its architect’s, the late Zaha Hadid. The piece will use shades of black and be scattered in space to represent the fragments of a gem, all of which is intended to evoke petroleum and its impact on the region.

DESIGNxUS by Shepherd Design Studio is considered a response to local architecture by presenting spatial configurations that synthesize local polychrome frescos and dynamism of space. The goal is to develop a space that engenders design in-transit and makes it a creative nexus that encourages collaboration.

Alongside site-specific installations, Saudi Design Week 2017 brings together over 50 unique designers both local and international with a special focus on promoting the talents within Saudi Arabia and creating a dynamic platform for exchange across the designers encouraging and following the direction and vision of Saudi 2030.  Sponsors are also taking an active role in this year’s theme and creating special exhibitions for the audience to enjoy.

“An ardent supporter of the arts, Van Cleef & Arpels is proud to partner with Saudi Design Week, a unique design initiative supporting local and international talent.” says Alessandro Maffi, Van Cleef & Arpels Managing Director Middle East and India. “To mark this occasion, the Maison invites jewelry admirers to Couture & Movement, an exhibition and interpretation of Design in Motion, highlighting the play of volume and style within its High Jewelry creations.”

Haute Couture and High Jewelry are kindred spirits. They inhabit a universe governed by the same values: a respect for tradition, the transmission of specialized skills, and the constant pursuit of perfection. Van Cleef & Arpels’ High Jewelry collection Couture is a tribute to these shared values. The grace and refinement of Haute Couture are reinterpreted through the eyes of a master-jeweler. Thematically, the Roaring Twenties have exerted a strong influence: much of the jewelry recalls the freedom, extravagance, and modernism which so marked that period. Sumptuous textiles are evoked by creations that imitate the fabric of fine garments. Ornaments like buttons, zips, pompoms, and ribbons are transformed into a glittering interplay of metal and precious stones.

Considered to be Saudi Arabia’s first design festival, Saudi Design Week features curated exhibitions, workshops, dedicated design forum and market and related activities, making this the place to be to discuss, debate and delight in great design.