RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will unveil a new commission at Dubai Design Week, which begins Nov. 4.
Designed by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects, the installation, titled “Flamenco Essence: The Lavender Pavilion,” “bridges Spanish and Saudi traditions through shared arts, scents, and craft details,” according to a statement.
It is, Spanish architect Izaskun Chinchilla, the founder of ICA, tells Arab News, “a space that embodies calmness, collective serenity, and the therapeutic power of scent.”
Spanish architect Izaskun Chinchilla, whose firm designed the Ithra commission. (Supplied)
She continues: “This year’s theme (for DDW), ‘Detail,’ invites designers to rediscover the meaning hidden in traditional decorative elements. In our case, we looked at the ruffles of the flamenco skirt — a detail that might seem ornamental, but holds movement, rhythm, and emotion. The ruffle enhances the synchronization between the music and the dancer movements and, for us, it allows the synchronization of breathings from visitors. We translated that energy into architecture: light, undulating forms that seem to breathe with the visitor.
“Lavender, deeply rooted in Saudi nature, brings its soothing fragrance and becomes a bridge between body, community, and landscape. Here, design becomes an act of care, transforming something as small as a decorative detail into a space for healing and connection.”
The pavilion is circular, with a sequence of reclinable seats inviting visitors to try out different forms of breathing, depending on their posture. And at the heart of the installation is a plantation of lavender. “The wind naturally carries the fragrance across the pavilion, allowing visitors to enjoy the calming scent over several meters, creating a subtle, immersive experience,” says Chinchilla. “Above, an undulating fabric canopy — inspired by the ruffles of a flamenco skirt and built with outdoor textiles and a light metal structure — protects visitors from sun, dust, and rain, while channeling the lavender aroma toward the seating areas.”
The collaboration with “our Saudi colleagues,” she adds, “greatly enriched” the project, with input on “local forms of communication” and “contemporary building techniques.”
The hope is that guests will enjoy “a multifaceted experience of wellbeing and social connection,” Chinchilla explains. “We encourage visitors to explore different forms of interaction within the space: from quiet introspection to shared dialogue, noticing how subtle design gestures — the curvature of the seating, the undulating roof — shape the rhythm of breathing and social engagement.”
