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- Ithra’s participation includes three installations developed through Tanween, the Center’s flagship annual design event.
- A recently concluded panel discussion, featuring Sultan Albadran, the head of Ithra’s Creativity & Innovation Unit, brought together thought leaders in a conversation on Saudi Arabia’s evolving design landscape.
- Ithra is delivering the only series of hands-on workshops present at the event, exploring problem-solving, sustainability, and material innovation.
- Downtown Design Riyadh will be open to the public until Friday, 23 May at JAX District
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, 21 May 2025 – The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is participating in the inaugural edition of Downtown Design Riyadh, the Kingdom’s first fair dedicated to contemporary, high-quality design, with a presentation that highlights how its creative programs foster exploration, community engagement, and cross-disciplinary dialogue.
On 20 May, Ithra was a key voice in a dynamic panel discussion themed “Fostering community in a fast-forward market.” The session explored the importance of building a vibrant design community and emphasizing the role of creative education, mentorship, institutional support, and cross-sector collaboration in empowering emerging designers as they shape the Kingdom’s design landscape. Ithra’s Creativity & Innovation Unit Head, Sultan Albadran, joined the panel alongside senior culture and design leaders from the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, the Saudi Artisanal Company and Iwan Maktabi, a legacy family brand specializing in antique and contemporary carpets, to share Ithra’s contributions in design.
Albadran touched upon Ithra’s ongoing efforts to create opportunities for designers to push their creative boundaries, engage across disciplines, and explore new forms of expression. He spoke of the contributions made through Ithra’s programs such as Tanween, Ithra’s annual flagship design event, which have created spaces where experimentation is not only encouraged but translated into real-world outcomes.
Some of these outcomes are on view for audiences to experience at Downtown Design Riyadh, in the form of three installations: Adeem, IWAN Pavilion, and Open Segments. Originally developed through Tanween, each piece explores the potential of design to bridge references from Saudi material culture with globally resonant ideas in spatial and product design. Ithra not only facilitated their creation, but has also extended their journey beyond Ithra’s walls with their exhibition at Downtown Design Riyadh, building on previous showcases at Milan Design Week, Concéntrico International Festival of Architecture and Design in Spain and Dubai Design Week.
The installations are accompanied by a public workshop series run by Ithra that has attracted participants of all ages and backgrounds. These are the only hands-on workshops taking place at Downtown Design Riyadh, and reflect Ithra’s engagement-led approach to inspiring creativity. Sessions include modular folding structures, silkscreen printing, and sustainable packaging, offering participants opportunities to experiment with technique, explore form, and consider the role of design in addressing contemporary challenges.
Reflecting on the fair, Mr. Albadran said: “Ithra is honoured to contribute to the inaugural edition of Downtown Design Riyadh, a historic milestone in the Kingdom’s emergence as a global cultural hub. Our participation reflects Ithra’s role within this thriving ecosystem, nurturing creativity and offering meaningful opportunities for designers to engage with global audiences.”
As the Saudi debut of the Middle East’s leading contemporary design fair, Downtown Design Riyadh has provided the perfect setting for Ithra to showcase its continued efforts towards building a rich creative ecosystem, with design serving as a medium for meaningful storytelling, material exploration, and dialogue across sectors and borders.
Ithra’s design installations are on view at Downtown Design Riyadh in the JAX District until Friday, 23 May.
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About the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra):
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is a leading cultural destination in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The center focuses on enriching people’s lives by offering impactful cultural and creative programs and initiatives. Since its opening in 2018, Ithra has become a distinguished architectural landmark which houses the Idea Lab, Library, Theater, Museum, Cinema, Great Hall, Energy Exhibit, Children’s Museum and Knowledge Tower. For more information, please visit: www.ithra.com. Follow Ithra on social media: Facebook (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture), X (@Ithra) and Instagram (@Ithra) #Ithra
About Tanween
Tanween is Ithra’s annual flagship design event, dedicated to motivating and inspiring a new generation of innovators. Through an industry-focused roster of workshops, courses, and a design competition, Tanween yields tangible impact while offering professionals and enthusiasts opportunities to network, discuss, and collaborate. This event is a key pillar that cements Ithra’s position as a beacon of culture that nurtures creativity and promotes cross-cultural exchange.
About Downtown Design Riyadh
Launching from 20–23 May 2025 at JAX District, Downtown Design Riyadh marks the debut of Saudi Arabia’s first fair dedicated to contemporary and quality design. Held in partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the fair will bring together a curated selection of international brands, regional studios, and emerging creative talent, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing position in the global design landscape.
The fair is complemented by a collateral programme, including creative installations, engaging activations and dynamic pop-up experiences, alongside a line-up of talks tailored to the local context and burgeoning design scene, actively catering to a high-calibre audience, from industry professionals and developers to local homeowners and design enthusiasts, looking to discover, buy or commission.
