While the catalogue of materials available to architects and 3D printing have exponentially increased the possibility to marry innovation with value, most of us still paint within our comfort zone. Instead of limiting our use to a traditional palette consisting of concrete, wood, brick, glass, and metal, however, we have expanded our use of available materials to embrace a design ethos that bridges research, practice, and the possibilities.

Till now and counting, there are 95 design weeks throughout the world, each generating massive impact on a city by attracting media attention, tourism and helping the economy. The collective dialogue invites local designers to engage on the world stage.

Co-Founders and Designers of Wajha, Hussein Alazaat and Ali AlMasri will talk about Wajha’s upcoming plans, and how its development affected the design scene in the Arab world. Wajha is an independent social initiative that uses design and branding knowledge to help the community by offering design services free of charge.

Mohammad Rahahleh talks about how the development and structure of the city of Amman and its urban design have affected the human experience of the city. His talk focuses on the participatory nature of design as he shares his vision and future plans for creating sustainable transport and urban design at a local government level.

What happens when designers embrace their capacity as creative problem solvers and integrate into the remaining phases of creation which can include business, strategy, and other functions? This discussion, featuring guest speaker Lilian Abou Zeki and eyen founders, addresses the binary that exists between design and business.