Designer AlZaina Lootah and Ar Sahil Rattha Singh Weave Emirati Tradition and Sustainability into this Wooden Oasis

Situated in the purpose-built Design District in Dubai’s desert, Dubai Design Week’s latest installment premiered with an array of installations featuring biomaterials and exhibited diverse projects from local and international designers. Dubai Design Week 2023 marked a noticeable trend of temporary installations across the festival area being constructed from biomaterials—living organism-derived materials like plants, animals and fungi.


The pavilion aligns with sustainability goals, being dismantlable and reusable, leaving no trace behind as its materials can be upcycled for future use.

The interventions and installations of this year were inspired by the natural ecosystems of the region, local traditions and craftsmanship, blending them with innovative technologies, biomaterial explorations and reimagined practices. A recurring motif emerged, emphasizing the celebration of Middle Eastern heritage and productive engagement with vernacular practices through the Naseej wooden pavilion. Know more about it on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).


Designed for disassembly, the pavilion, with its ziggurat shape and traditional weaving patterns, is a collaborative effort by Emirati designer AlZaina Lootah and Indian architect Sahil Rattha Singh, constructed from reused and recycled wood.

The Naseej wooden pavilion drew inspiration from Emirati traditions and palm fronds, serving as a space for contemplation and peace. Its Arabic name, meaning to weave, highlighted the focus on local craftsmanship. Designed for disassembly, the pavilion, with its ziggurat shape and traditional weaving patterns, is a collaborative effort by Emirati designer AlZaina Lootah and Indian architect Sahil Rattha Singh, constructed from reused and recycled wood. The pavilion aligns with sustainability goals, being dismantlable and reusable, leaving no trace behind as its materials can be upcycled for future use.


The Naseej wooden pavilion drew inspiration from Emirati traditions and palm fronds, serving as a space for contemplation and peace.

Image credit: Dubai Design Week

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