Tanween 2024, Saudi Arabia’s most important design conference, comes back to Ithra this month. Running between 31st October and 6th November 2024, Tanween celebrates the very best in global design and innovation.
Shahad Alwazani, programme lead for the conference, explains why Tanween is such a significant event in the world of design. “Its success is largely due to its diverse and impactful programme that prioritises cross-cultural dialogue and concrete opportunities to innovate.
“Over the years, Tanween has welcomed more than 150,000 participants of all backgrounds, from design experts, and established and promising creatives of the region to design students, but also local audiences including families, schools and design enthusiasts.
“We pride ourselves in offering an event that not only attracts the global design community but also inspires new audiences to join this open dialogue connecting creativity and innovation.”
Routes to Roots, an exhibition co-curated by Ithra and Isola, was inaugurated at Tanween 2023. Photo courtesy of Ithra Studio.
Manar Aldhwila, Head of Creativity and Innovation at Ithra, also emphasises the huge breadth of areas covered at the conference, “Tanween offers a diverse programme ranging from architecture to fashion, design, innovation and entrepreneurship that nurtures idea-sharing and allows for tangible creative collaborations to flourish. I think this is the key to the continued success of Tanween.”
Aldhwila also explains how, throughout the last six editions, Tanween has become a catalyst for innovative and sustainable design solutions, fostering cultural connections and enriching communities worldwide.
The theme for Tanween 2024 is “Fail Forward.” It focuses on the astonishing opportunities for progress and innovation that can often emerge from creative setbacks. Alwazani outlines the inspiration behind the theme. “With Tanween this year, we wanted to explore and celebrate the opportunities for growth that challenges and obstacles bring about. Some months ago, a dear and wise friend said, ‘Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn, but you never fail’, and I took that as inspiration for the theme ‘Fail Forward.’
“Failure, or challenges, don’t hold you back; they can propel you forward and enable new and improved creations to flourish. So we are hoping that this year’s conference can lead participants to relish the entire design process, and not just the end product.”
“Tanween is more than a moment set in time and space. It triggers conversations and collaborations that resonate far beyond the conference.”
– Shahad Alwazani
Highlights this year include such distinguished global contributors as internationally acclaimed designer Ross Lovegrove and Lebanese artist Rana Salam. The programme also features “A Day with an Expert” masterclasses which invite a group of people with similar passions to spend a day with a top expert in their field. This year’s group experts are world-renowned tech designer Sebastian Errazuriz and Forbes Award-winning entrepreneur Farah Al Humaidhi.
What do the organisers hope that participants will take away from this very influential conference, then? Alwazani comments: “Tanween is more than a moment set in time and space. It triggers conversations and collaborations that resonate far beyond the conference. Our international exhibition, Routes to Roots, developed with Italian design platform Isola and inaugurated at last year’s Tanween, has travelled to Milan Design Week and will also be showcased at the upcoming Dutch Design Week.
“With these initiatives instigated during Tanween but now travelling around the world, we can promote Arab heritage to new audiences and spotlight the next generation of regional designers internationally.”
Tanween 2023 workshop. Photo courtesy of Ithra Studio.
Aldhwila adds,”Tanween 2024 promises to stimulate creativity and empower talented designers to experiment with their creative setbacks to reach new breakthroughs and advance global design practices. All of this brings together our overarching aim of conceptualising solutions to the challenges we see around us.
“We are excited to see as many of you as possible at Tanween 2024 and hope that attendees leave inspired, refreshed and invigorated to face challenges head-on!”
Surely that’s an offer you can’t refuse.
Tanween 2024
31st October -6th November 2024
Ithra Theater, King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture
Saudi Arabia
Find more information about Tanween 2024, HERE.
More articles about Saudi Arabia: Design Space Alula, Diriyah City of Earth, Diriyah at Harrods.
Words: James Rampton
Opening image: Iwan Pavilion, winning project of the Tanween 2023 Pavilion Challenge, Courtesy of Ithra Studio.
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