This month Amman had its first ever Amman Design Week (ADW) and people flocked to Downtown Amman to see what local talents had in store. The event took place in three major locations throughout Amman, with more than 100 local and regional designers including some world renowned names.
The impeccably organized Design Week brought three neglected spaces back to life and created new possibilities in a city where design could use a proper push.
Designed by local architect, writer and photographer Ammar Khammash, this installation was the main attraction at the Hangar Exhibition space. It's a xylophone purely created with flints found in the desert, each piece is a musical note and Khammash did not manipulate any of their shapes. The overall result: a fully functioning instrument emitting sweet sweet music for our ears.
One of the most talked about spaces at the Raghadan exhibition, Aperçu Designs created a very unique and eye catching line for design week. Architects Farah Kayyal and Tarek Hreish are the brains behind the intricate and flawless designs, which centered on the concept of turning imperfections to perfections by experimenting with different materials to add to the wood. Using resin as a main component, their light fixtures were a huge crowd pleaser.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 27 years, you know about Al Burgan and their handicraft designs. Creating traditional yet contemporary designs of pillows, home accessories, customized photo albums to abayas and dresses. Lina Lama Burgan created a very exclusive line for Amman Design Week, inspired by the legendary poet Nizar Qabbani. The dress and poem have one thing in common: they represent a story and in the dress itself is a hidden message that only the privileged can see!
We have to admit that Hashem's installations were probably one of the few attention grabbing pieces at the MakerSpace. His incorporation of design and technology piqued people's curiosities and long queues inevitably formed. Joucka, a designer, fabricator and maker, put his passion for advancing innovation and contemporary technology on full display.
5. Kees Chic
From afar, you would never believe that the items on display were made of plastic bags. Kees Chic exhibited at the Crafts District in Raghan by Diana Rayyan featured the works of local women turning your typical plastic bag into everything from coasters and bean bags to purses.
Tariq Yosef used geometric shapes to rewrite the Arabic alphabet. They were displayed at the Hangar exhibition and were one of the main attractions, shifting your perception of your typical everyday Arabic letters.