AlUla Design Award winners on show in Paris

Arts AlUla riffed off the buzz around Paris Design Week to announce the five winners of the AlUla Design Award there.

The Award invited designers to develop retail items across six categories inspired by the heritage, landscape and artistic legacies of AlUla. Ten finalists were chosen to exhibit their prototypes at Paris Design Week, and the five winners came from this group:

AlUla Terrains: Dates Serving Set A stackable volcano-shaped set for serving dates in the tradition of Saudi hospitality. The bottom container stores dates, the upper part serves dips, the cover acts as a small plate for discarding seeds. The set is made from Basaltic stone and/or White stone. Designer: Teeb (Saudi Arabia)

Tawa The Tawa, or ‘reflecting chair’, is crafted for AlUla visitors seeking an immersive observing experience “where horizons meet stars and skies”. Designer: Shaddah Studio (Saudi Arabia)

Heritage Incense Collection Modern production techniques blend with ancient handwork, using dark wood grains to pay homage to the past. Clean lines are inspired by Hegra’s rocks and engraved symbols. Designer: Sarra Hafaiedh (Tunisia)

Oil Lantern A response to an original Byzantine oil lamp found in Hegra, upgraded for contemporary use. The mesh is now placed in the centre, emphasizing the handle. The lantern is made out of ceramic. Designer: Imane Mellah (France)

Naba Tea Tiffin A collection of objects with copper lids coated in terracotta powder that pay homage to the ancient city of Hegra and especially its significance as a Hajj route station – the set elegantly combines India’s Lota container and Nabataean pottery’s beak spout. The set comes with tea and milk jugs, plus sugar and cookie bowls. Designer: Gunjan Gupta (India)

The AlUla Design Award supports the winners by commissioning some of the designs, providing assistance throughout the production process, and facilitating their promotion within AlUla and its influential network of regional and international activities.

The exhibition in Paris, at 21 rue de Turenne, runs to 16 September.

Nora Aldabal, Executive Director of Arts and Creative Industries for the Royal Commission for AlUla, said the AlUla Design Award and related initiatives – the Madrasat Addeera Editions, also exhibiting in Paris; the Design Residency which begins in October in AlUla; and Design Space AlUla which opens in early 2024 – illustrate AlUla’s “commitment to pushing the boundaries of design in dynamic and innovative ways whilst fostering creativity and cross-cultural connections… We look forward to nurturing these ambitious initiatives which are making AlUla a design hub in the region”.

The Madrasat Addeera Editions exercise aims to develop artisanal and craft programmes in the local population. Four limited edition pieces that reflect a fusion of local heritage and contemporary design are on show at Galerie Joseph, 66 Rue Charlot.

The inaugural AlUla Design Residency joins the AlUla Artist Residency launched a couple of years ago. The Design Residency “aims to pioneer a novel phase of creative exploration in the region” via a research-intensive three months; it will begin in October with six designers whose work will be exhibited next February during the AlUla Arts Festival.