Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative of Aramco, is spearheading a year-long global design narrative that will culminate with Ithra Design Week from November 16-21, 2026. This event marks the culmination of a journey featuring international engagements in Milan, Spain, Jordan, and Doha, highlighting the integral role of design within the global cultural landscape.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the journey commenced with Ithra's participation in Milan Design Week, where the center showcased 'Default is Not Universal' at the Isola Design Festival. This exhibit reflects Ithra's aspirations to fortify the place of design within the cultural realm.
Ithra's engagement in Spain continued with its return to the Conc©ntrico Festival from June 18 to 23, 2026, for the third consecutive year. Here, Saudi architect Faris Alosaimi's immersive installation BAYN, commissioned by Ithra, was presented at the Plaza de la Diversidad in Logro±o. BAYN, which draws on the courtyard and tent as spatial concepts, will subsequently be showcased in Saudi Arabia during Ithra Design Week.
The journey also includes the Ithra Design Residency, a curated initiative introduced as part of Ithra Design Week in collaboration with Amman Design Week. This partnership fosters a cross-cultural design exchange between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, supporting emerging designers through a production-based residency.
The residency, centered on the concept of accumulation as a living, cross-cultural process, will unite six designers from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. They will explore the formation of ideas, materials, and identities through layered histories and shared regional narratives. The residency's outcomes will be displayed in a traveling exhibition, first at Amman Design Week and later at Ithra Design Week, extending the conversation across different contexts and audiences.
Following these engagements, Ithra will participate in Design Doha from November 5 to 7, 2026. The event features a comprehensive program that positions design as a dynamic force within contemporary culture. Ithra will present an exhibition, host design-led workshops, and activate two interactive pavilions inviting public engagement and community participation.
Ithra Design Week will culminate this global journey, serving as an annual celebration of design, creativity, and innovation, and establishing itself as a premier regional hub for design practices from Ithra and beyond. Evolving from the legacy of Tanween, Ithra Design Week advances from a designer's platform into a vibrant design ecosystem.
