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Nature-Inspired Designs Win Tanween Challenges 2024 at Ithra

Four innovative projects, guided by industry experts, transition from concept to commercial production at Ithra, Saudi Arabia. By Nikitha Sunil Vallikad

Day 5 of the Tanween Challenge.

The Tanween Challenges 2024 which was held in July 2024, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) concluded with four winning designs set to enter commercial production, each offering innovative solutions inspired by nature. During an intense six-day programme in Dhahran, participants addressed environmental and societal challenges, focusing on harmonising human activity with ecosystems. This year’s competition brought together talents from architecture, fashion, and graphic design, shining a spotlight on the creative potential of the MENA region on a global stage.

In an exclusive interview with SCALE Magazine, we explore the transformative journey of Tanween Challenges 2024 at Ithra. Insights from the four winning teams and Sultan AlBadran, Creative Programs Developer at Ithra, reveal how innovation and nature came together to push the boundaries of design.

Sultan AlBadran, Creative Programs Developer at Ithra.

Sultan AlBadran emphasised the role of diversity in shaping the competition’s success, “The range of interests and expertise allowed designers to not only refine their skills but also broaden their creative perspectives. Collaborating with global partners and industry experts, these designers demonstrated Saudi Arabia’s design talent on an international level.”

The Tanween Challenges are known for pushing designers to develop practical solutions within tight deadlines. In just six days, participants faced four distinct challenges, each requiring the integration of sustainability, local materials, and global relevance. AlBadran observed, “Time and material constraints fuel innovation. In these moments, designers rely on their core creativity to meet the brief.”

Designers at the Tanween Challenge 2024.

One winning project used date seeds to create sustainable products, while another explored fish scales as a biodegradable material in fashion. Both projects demonstrate how underutilised local resources can lead to environmentally conscious, functional solutions. Tanween’s approach of pairing designers with Knowledge Partners like Vanina, NYXO, and LEAD provided expert guidance throughout the process. This mentorship helped participants seamlessly transition their ideas from concept to reality.

A significant highlight of Tanween Challenges 2024 is the opportunity for the winning projects to be produced commercially. Partnering with Albawardi and Am Unique by Namthaja, Ithra aims to bring these innovative designs to market, contributing not only to the Kingdom’s growing creative economy but also to the global design conversation.

Day 5 of the Tanween Challenge 2024

“The opportunity to bring these promising designs to commercial production aligns with Ithra’s efforts to promote social and human enrichment. These partnerships enable emerging local talents to connect with a vast audience, establishing their international visibility,” said AlBadran.

This year’s competition also included a broader discussion about the role of design in nurturing all forms of life, not just human-centric solutions.

“Our participants weren’t just thinking about humans; they were thinking about how design can support and protect entire ecosystems,” says AlBadran.

Eyes Wide Open: A Generational Reflection on Air Pollution

Zahra Mansour, Deema Albuolayan, and Fatima Bukhamseen’s winning graphic design visualises the generational impact of air pollution, merging past and present through compelling imagery.

Winner of the Graphic Design Challenge “Invisible Threads: Visualising the Unseen Impact”, juxtaposes data from 1990 and 2021. Through two adjacent eyes—one reflecting the past, the other looking to the future—the design symbolises the transfer of knowledge and responsibility between generations. The project highlights the minimal change in air pollution levels across decades, calling for collective action and a shift in environmental behaviour.

At the core of the design is the metaphor of the eyes: their direct gaze creates an emotional connection, encouraging viewers to take accountability. The eyes represent not only the ability to see the problem but also to reveal the reality of continued environmental challenges.

Zahra Mansour, Deema Albuolayan, and Fatima Bukhamseen, winners of the Graphic Design Challenge, Courtesy of Ithra Studio.

“Despite technological advances,” the designers argue, “behavioural change is crucial to prevent history from repeating itself. “Eyes Wide Open” urges reflection on the legacy we leave behind, asking whether future generations will face the same environmental issues.”

With its minimalistic yet impactful imagery, the design balances the weight of time with the urgency of action. It challenges viewers to confront difficult questions: Why has so little changed? Can future generations break the cycle? While acknowledging past stagnation, the design remains hopeful, emphasising that awareness can still drive meaningful progress. The gaze of the present eye serves as a reminder that the future is in our hands, and decisive action is needed to avoid passing down a legacy of inaction.

Ultimately, “Eyes Wide Open” serves as a visual reminder that we are all responsible for the air we breathe. The project captures the generational impact of air pollution and urges viewers not just to reflect—but to act before it’s too late.

 The Determinal: A Deconstructivist Pavilion That Mirrors Airport Movements

Designed by Mohamed Alghoneimy and team, this pavilion redefines movement and stillness at Ithra, Dhahran

Airports, marked by constant movement and diverse emotions, are among the most dynamic spaces in the world. But can this energy be captured in a structure?

‘The Determinal Pavilion”, designed by Mohamed Alghoneimy, Turki Aljandal, Muzun Bin Rubayan, and Mahmood Alkawi, takes on this challenge through deconstructivism. Part of Ithra’s “City Breathe” Pavilion Design Challenge, the pavilion explores the essence of movement within an airport setting, blending motion and stillness.

Mohamed Alghoneimy, Turki Aljandal, Muzun Bin Rubayan, and Mahmood Alkawi, The winners of the Pavilion Challenge, Courtesy of Ithra Studio

“The experience is rooted in contrast—between steel structures and suspended greenery, between the complexity of airport circulation and the simplicity of the pavilion,” says Alghoneimy.

By abstracting the core elements of an airport, “The Determinal” offers a new interpretation of movement without directly recreating a terminal. It deconstructs layers of airport activity—from passenger flows to aircraft movements—presenting them in a simplified yet cohesive form.

“We aimed to capture the chaotic yet organised nature of airports by breaking down their elements and presenting them in a new way,” explains Aljandal.

The pavilion creates a unique experience of circulation, merging familiarity with surprise as visitors move through its steel framework and suspended greenery, reflecting the balance between nature and industry. As part of Ithra’s urban fabric, “The Determinal” addresses the concept of “urban respiration”—how spaces “breathe” within a busy city. Airports, often associated with frantic activity, are also places of transition and waiting. The pavilion captures this duality through its use of space, contrasting man-made steel with organic greenery to explore the balance between urban demands and the need for tranquillity.

While “The Determinal” presents a bold interpretation of movement, it also invites reflection. Does it fully capture the emotional complexity of airports—places filled with joy, frustration, and anticipation? Its abstraction may feel detached from these personal experiences, yet it allows visitors to project their own emotions onto the space. Whether or not it encapsulates the chaotic nature of airports, “The Determinal” sparks a broader conversation about movement, stillness, and architecture in urban spaces. Its influence is likely to extend beyond the Pavilion Design Challenge.

Bloom: A Multispecies Design Harmonising Urban Living in Saudi Arabia

Furniture Design Challenge winners reimagine the urban landscape with nature-inspired forms that foster multispecies interactions.

In an era of rapid urbanisation, designing spaces that nurture both human and non-human life has become increasingly important. “Bloom”, the winning project of the Furniture Design Challenge (Reimagine the City: Activating Public Ground for Multispecies Living) in Saudi Arabia, offers an innovative solution. Created by Abdullah Albattat, Ahmed Al Aqran, Nader Al Metairi, Nawaf Al Ghamdi, and Mohammed Albayyabi, Bloom aims to bridge the gap between urban environments and natural ecosystems, inviting birds, plants, and other outdoor creatures to share space with city dwellers.

Bloom integrates nature into every aspect of its design. The use of flowing, organic shapes ensures the furniture blends seamlessly with outdoor spaces.

“We wanted the furniture to harmonise with its surroundings and highlight ecological functions,” the designers say. The seating area invites human interaction while offering a habitat for birds and plants. Water features further enhance the space by providing resources for local fauna. Through its thoughtful combination of form and function, Bloom demonstrates how urban design can foster connections between built environments and natural ecosystems.

Abdullah Albattat, Ahmed Al Aqran, Nader Al Metairi, Nawaf Al Ghamdi, and Mohammed Albayyabi ,Winners of the Furniture Challenge, Courtesy of Ithra Studio

Bloom sparks a vital dialogue about how urban spaces can support both human and ecological life. By reimagining the role of furniture and public spaces, the project encourages ecological awareness and highlights the importance of coexistence in urban environments. Bloom offers an ambitious and thoughtful solution to the challenge of multispecies living. Its success will depend on whether similar projects gain momentum and inspire lasting change in urban planning. For now, Bloom stands as a unique contribution to the conversation about the future of urban living, inviting us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world.

Sustainable Legacy: MRG Blends Biomaterials and Fashion Innovation in Saudi Arabia

A sea-inspired, biodegradable bag designed by Ghayda Alnasser, Ebaa Altaweel, and Rawan Alsalem redefines the future of sustainable fashion.

In a world increasingly dominated by fast fashion, the search for sustainable alternatives has become a necessity. The winning project of the Fashion Design Challenge, MRG, symbolises this shift. Created by Saudi designers Ghayda Alnasser, Ebaa Altaweel, and Rawan Alsalem, MRG is a biodegradable bag that blends biomaterials, local heritage, and modern design, offering a glimpse into sustainable fashion’s future.

Ghayda Alnasser, Ebaa Altaweel, and Rawan Alsalem, Winners of the Fashion Challenge, Courtesy of Ithra Studio

What sets MRG apart is its use of unconventional materials—fish scales and sea salt. These biomaterials, typically overlooked, have been transformed into a functional accessory that reflects the clarity and depth of the sea, rich in Saudi cultural significance. “Through extensive research and experimentation, we’ve stabilised these materials with resin to create a functional product that merges innovation with practicality,” explains the design team. The result challenges conventional norms of materiality in fashion.

Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the sea is steeped in history.

MRG” draws upon this cultural connection, harnessing marine resources to create a tribute to the past and a step toward the future. MRG bridges tradition and modernity by drawing inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s connection to the Gulf Sea,” the designers share, “Using marine-derived materials like fish scales honours traditional practices, while the sleek design embodies modernity.” The bag tells a layered story that merges heritage with innovation and sustainability with fashion.

MRG isn’t just a bag; it embodies a vision for the future of Saudi Arabian design on the global fashion stage, blending tradition with contemporary concerns. By integrating biomaterials into the design, MRG opens a dialogue around sustainability, heritage, and innovation. As Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry evolves, projects like MRG offer a blueprint for how the country’s cultural history can inform modern design practices while addressing critical questions about the future of sustainable fashion. Can biomaterials become a mainstream alternative in an industry still dominated by synthetics? While this debate continues, MRG stands as a step in the right direction—a fusion of tradition and modernity that honours the past, tells meaningful stories, and safeguards the planet’s future. 

A Celebration of Resilience and Innovation

In line with the 2024 theme, “Fail Forward,” the Tanween Challenges celebrated not only success but also the resilience required to achieve it. Participants embraced failure as part of the creative process, learning from setbacks and pushing the boundaries of design within a short timeframe. The winning designs will continue to be showcased at Ithra’s Tanween 2024 event, reinforcing their role in Saudi Arabia’s broader innovation narrative.

However, the scalability of these designs remains a critical question. Can nature-inspired solutions developed under intense conditions achieve large-scale impact, or will they remain limited to localised applications? As these projects move toward commercial production, their real-world viability will face the ultimate test. Time will reveal whether these approaches can drive significant changes in global design.

In an era of overproduction and its threats to natural ecosystems, the Tanween Challenges encouraged designers to think beyond human-centric solutions. By highlighting the potential of local materials, the competition sparks a broader conversation about how creativity can reshape our relationship with the environment.

All Images Courtesy of Ithra Studios.