Inaugural Edition of Saudi Design Festival 2022 unveils 21 days of design

The Saudi Design Festival (SDF) announces a series of exciting events planned for the 21-day design festival. Presented by the Architecture and Design Commission and initiated by the team behind Saudi Design Week (2014-2019), Oasis Company, SDF’s inaugural edition will bring together creative luminaries, designers, and industry leaders to engage, discuss, and celebrate outstanding design in the Kingdom and beyond.

In its opening night, Saudi Design Festival welcomed His Excellency Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, with dignitaries and leaders of the community. The VIP preview gave visitors a glimpse of the weeks to come and tour the various pavilions and curated spaces of the festival.

Dr Sumayah Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, said “The entire team at the Saudi Design Festival and the design community have dedicated themselves to curating this truly community-led showcase. We are proud of the program and the platform it is organically growing into for the creative community. We have exhibits, masterclasses and programs for all ages. Our vision is an inclusive one that invites all creatives and would-be creatives to come together in a space that nurtures the design community, creates dialogue and inspires ideas.” 

SDF 2022 contains a variety of experiences and events that explore the world of design imaginatively for and by the creative community. The festival unveils its exciting lineup of signature events:

Saudi Design Week relaunches as the multi-exhibitions and fair event of the Saudi Design Festival. It is a tribute to the designers and their spaces. It invites dwellers to explore design as a cultural technology that can probe, articulate, and construct new paradigms.

Type It exhibition by SDF brand ambassador Lulwah Al Homoud is an exploratory look at typography, particularly in the realm of Latin-Arabic bilingual type. Part-experimental, part-commentary, the exhibition is aimed at examining the semantic and structural impact of fonts on the perception and reception of its audience.

AirBubble by Ecologic Studio an installation that brings to life the world’s first biotechnological playground to integrate air-purifying micro-algae. AirBubble creates a purified microclimate for children to play in. The playground integrates the Photo.Synthetica technology for the advanced integration of photosynthesis in the built environment.

The Future is Design Exhibition an expose for all the dreamers that showcases conceptual designs, architecture & interior design projects, and initatives. A special segment is curated by Dabbagh Architects through its principal, Sumaya Dabbagh who has specially selected 7 projects (both built and unbuilt) that captures the essence of identity, sustainability, and connectivity to one’s environment.

Design Market A tri-weekend marketplace that is curated as the designated retail segment of the District, the Design Market will showcase SMEs, independent local brands, and product launches. The Market will run three cycles over the course of three weekends (Thurs-Fri), with each week presenting a rotating cluster of brands and designers.

The SDF is also offering spaces within the festival for free to community partners who would like to run workshops and activities within the SDF’s calendar. Community event organizers can submit their application/proposal throughout the festival, or until slots are available.