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Reimagining connection This year’s Abwab pavilion for Dubai Design Week will be desiged by Iraqi designer Hoazn Zangana for his proposal ‘Fata Morgana’ that responds to the theme of redefining and reimagining the way we live in an urban environment. The name, which translates to a superior mirage that can be observed in a narrow band just above the horizon, presents a conceptual framework of a modern-day city through an openplan arrangement of seating components that are organised around a central point of origin. The organisation amplifies the need to cross paths, reigniting a demand for social interaction and connection. The various components of the pavilion include pillars that are symbolic of each of the seven Emirates, paying hommage to the UAE. It also researches contextual materials and production, structurally adapting to the requirements of physical distancing, constructed using a rammed earth technique.
Breaking new ground Alserkal Arts Foundation has awarded its inaugural research grants to practitioners breaking new ground through innovative approaches to film, contemporary architecture and urbanism, exploring indigenous knowledges and local ecologies in the context of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The three recipients are Léa Morin, Manar Moursi, and Shahana Rajani and Jeanne Penjan Lassus, who were shortlisted from over 200 applications, selected by the Alserkal family and Alserkal team alongside a panel of artists, researchers, and academics from the Alserkal network. The grant is awarded for a two-year period with support of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for collaborative projects. The recipients’ works range from exploring the history of Moroccan cinema, mosque constructions in Cairo, Egypt and infrastructural development and militarisation of the landscape in the delta region of Sindh, Pakistan.
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