The value of bilingual typography and its implications are at the core interests of prominent and emerging designers in the region. Bilingualism in visual communication is becoming an imperative approach in design praxis. Diane Mikhael introduces the new publication, ‘Bilingualism in Visual Communication’, which showcases an amalgam of historical accounts, concepts and design practices in pairing the Arabic and Latin scripts.

The 15 minute film will consist of six interviews with Jordanian architects, each of whom will discuss one of the winning projects for the 2016 (13th) Cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The film screening will be followed by a conversation between Farrokh Derakhshani, the Director of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (Geneva); Mohammad al-Asad, the Founding Director of the Center for the Study of the Built Environment in Amman (CSBE) and a member of the Steering Committee for the 2016 cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture; and Ahmad Humeid, founder and CEO of Syntax Digital.

Huda Abifares speaks about the relevance of type design research for creating culturally relevant communication, sustaining heritage and urban environments, and developing culturally-sensitive products. She discusses projects by The Khatt Foundation that focus on open-platform, exchange and collaboration, and education as case studies for a potential model of operation.

The talk will discuss an ongoing agenda, “Almost Natural”, through situating it as a critique towards ongoing green building practices and how a blurring between the natural and synthetic offers an alternative attitude towards building and construction in the Anthropocene.

How can the act of making help promote economic growth, bring communities closer together, and overcome a variety of social issues? In this panel discussion, chaired by the editor of Crafts magazine, Grant Gibson, speakers from Disarming Design from Palestine, The Jordan River Foundation, the Princess Taghrid Foundation explain how craft is capable of making a difference, highlighting the power of collaboration and sustainable programs in craft.

Kais Al Rawi shares insights into articulated geometries and computational design processes within three contexts: practice, academia and research. From a professional-practice perspective, architect-engineer collaborations will be showcased on a series of projects which bridge scales from complex art-forms to NFL stadia and airports. From academia, Kais shares design outcomes from London’s AA course in Jordan, featuring designs inspired by Jordan’s unique ecology – and beyond, designing habitats on Mars, a landscape often likened to Wadi Rum.

The concept of sustainability is taking greater significance in today's society. Consumers are increasingly responsible, laws are getting stricter, and resources are becoming rarer and more expensive. Without a doubt, there is a lot to be done and said regarding sustainability in the fashion world, which affects every stage of the product's life cycle; from design, material sourcing, and production, to logistics, use, and end of life. A holistic view on sustainability is key to understanding the future of fashion, and to thus be able to produce fashion with a future.

For design to become a real industry in Jordan, it has to prove its economic, social and environmental relevance. Is this a neo-Bauhausian statement misplaced in 21st century Jordan? Should designers stay content with a role of ornamentation and embellishment of form, producing so called "art pieces", or will they be a force in the new manufacturing and digital revolutions? This talk joins Ahmad Humeid, curator of the 2017 Hangar Exhibition with Dina Haddadin, the exhibition designer and curator of the 2016 Crafts District in a discussion on the status of design in Jordan.

This open talk covers the design and graphic approach of Tarek Atrissi Design in their worldwide projects that include type design, branding, graphic design, and exhibition design.

As part of Amman Design Week's efforts in engaging designers with the urban environment and using our platform to create conversations about derelict or abandoned spaces in the city, Amman Design Week invites leaders in urban design and activism to a panel discussion. Speakers include Ayman Zuaiter, architect of the abandoned Raghadan Tourist Terminal, host to ADW 2016's Crafts District, urban design educator Leen Fakhoury, design activist and founder of the 7hills skatepark Mohammad Zakaria, and Nemeh Qatanani, an urban designer from the Greater Amman Municipality.

Four Jordanian animation designers and educators showcase their work and process in a quick-paced, pecha kucha style presentation, and discuss how motion graphics can be used as a tool for communication, expression, and as a new medium for giving a voice to youth in Jordan.

CLUSTER presents their mapping initiative platforms and projects that map and archive the changing political and urban landscape in Cairo, and offer a preview of their collaborative mapping projects in Amman, done in collaboration with Studio-X Amman and Columbia University's Center for Spatial Research.