This January, Saudi Arabia’s modern interior brand, aura, announced its participation in the first edition of the Saudi Design Festival from January 9 – 29, 2022 at JAX District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At the inaugural edition of SDF 2022, aura is set to showcase a unique design exhibit that demonstrates the brand’s dedication to supporting future talent in the region, as well as paying homage to the nation’s local traditional craftsmanship. For the exhibit, aura has collaborated with Andréa Abou-Fadel, a budding young product and furniture designer who interned at aura. Andrea was given the chance to bring her creative industry background to aura’s product mix, presenting a range of refined table designs, the Andrea Tables, set with a distinctive Arabesque pattern. Additionally, recognizing the importance of supporting local organisations, aura has proudly collaborated with Herfa Association and Ketcha Studio to create a distinctive multifunctional side table with the purpose of ensuring the preservation of the cultural heritage of crafts. The exhibition wall space will also draw the spotlight on aura’s extensive dinnerware range through distinctive plate fixtures in pastel, black, and gold colours making for a perfect Instagram moment.
In a continued effort to support the growing local talent amongst the design community of Saudi Arabia, aura also announced a countrywide furniture design competition with Saudi Design Festival. In partnership, aura will award two Saudi-based designers the chance to have their design manufactured and retailed exclusively at the aura stores as part of a limited-edition retail collection within the brand’s AW23 collection.
Participants are tasked to design either a mid-market priced, upholstered, occasional chair or table for use in a living room or formal reception room or a contemporary pattern suitable for placement and production on porcelain dinnerware, serveware and aura’s iconic Arabic coffee pots and cups. The concept should incorporate aura’s core goals of blending international design with Arabian trends – as well as taking into consideration one of aura’s three signature collections – Modern Classic, Contemporary, or Trend. Submissions are open from January 9, 2022 until April 10, 2022. The winning designs will be unveiled on May 15, 2022.
Encouraging sustainability, fostering local talent, and promoting art through design, aura is also collaborating with Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University, on a university installation challenge that calls students to come together and create an art installation showcased at the Saudi Design Festival. Through this initiative, students will be provided with a range of aura home products to repurpose and recreate into a master art installation.
Since its inception in 2011, aura has been inspiring the region with modern living interior solutions. Starting its journey in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and expanding into the UAE, aura is “from and for the Middle East”, influenced by the traditions of the Middle Eastern culture whilst providing a synergistic contemporary touch to its unique take on international design.
For more information on the competitions, entrants can
visit saudidesignfestival.com
email Competition@auraliving.com
Brand profile @auraliving_ae / @auraliving.
