DHAHRAN: The Routes to Roots exhibition at Tanween, Ithra’s famed creativity conference, is hosting leading designers from around the world in a bid to promote a sustainable future.
Under the theme “Scale,” Tanween is being held by Ithra at its Dhahran headquarters from Nov 1-4.
The Routes to Roots exhibition, which is held in partnership with Milan-based Isola, is the first curated digital platform dedicated to international emerging designers and independent design studios, with a focus on innovation, sustainability and biomaterials.
The event at Tanween displays a collection of forward-looking projects from Isola’s global design community.
The selected designers come from more than 16 countries, and their exhibited projects highlight an eco-conscious approach to design, integrating biomaterials, natural resources, household and industrial waste, and blending traditional methods with innovation to craft contemporary design pieces.
“As a design student myself, I dreamed about traveling the world to see contemporary art and design pieces, and to have the work of brilliant designers exhibited here in my hometown makes it emotional and happy,” said Noor Al-Hamed, a visitor at the exhibition.
She added: “Dhahran, as most Saudi art students believe, is becoming a global hub for young creative designers, with Ithra enabling young designers to showcase their innovation at Tanween.”
The exhibition includes art projects by emerging talents from Japan, Portugal, France, Italy, India, Estonia, South Korea, the US and more.
The Routes to Roots exhibition is one of the four exhibitions held at Ithra as part Tanween. (AN Dhai Al-Mutairi)
It also enables designers to hold live performances and share their techniques and crafts with visitors at Tanween.
On the second day of the exhibition, Portuguese designer Nicolau dos Santos and French-Italian art director Stephanie Blanchard, the designers of Iammi studio, held a live demo to teach visitors how to handcraft cloud seatings, an exhibited design that captured the attention of many at Tanween.
The cloud seatings were made by moulding entire blocks of Ecofoam sourced by Italian startup Re-mat, which gives new life to discarded mattresses.
Once completed, the seating is coated with water-based elastic varnish to make it durable, washable and biodegradable.
“In using this coating, we are increasing the longevity of the cloud seating, and still committing to an environmentally safe approach,” said dos Santos.
The Routes to Roots exhibition is one of four exhibitions held at Ithra as part of Tanween.
Since 2018, the event has brought together innovators and creatives with leading experts, encouraging knowledge exchange and redefining creativity in a changing world.
