Amman, Oct. 9 (Petra)-- Imad Al-Abbadi - Amman Design Week 2026 is expanding its reach this year, bringing exhibitions and artistic programmes to Iraq Al-Amir, west of the capital, as well as to Aqaba, which is hosting the event for the first time. The initiative offers an experience that brings together design, nature, heritage and local crafts.
In Iraq Al-Amir, exhibitions move from the urban setting to a lush green valley surrounded by olive terraces, fig trees and archaeological sites. The area preserves longstanding craft traditions, including papermaking and weaving, which continue to be practised by the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative Society.
The artistic works are displayed at several locations, including Qasr Al-Abd, the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative Society and Naqsh Collective. The installations explore the area's historical memory and examine the relationship between local materials, nature and sustainable manufacturing techniques.
At Qasr Al-Abd, artist Dima Srouji’s installation, Ahl Al-Bayt (The People of the House), draws on accounts dating back to 1904 that describe the abundance of water for which the area was once renowned. The work imagines the natural elements surrounding the palace as its original inhabitants.
The installation is spread across the palace ruins and features fig fruits and glass snails crafted by Palestinian artisans, evoking the springs, streams and natural life that have shaped the area over centuries.
Designer Qais Al-Rawi and designer Julia Körner present Lamella Series in Clay, a work combining local clay with 3D-printing techniques. Inspired by the gills of mushrooms, the installation explores how natural systems can inform the development of more sustainable forms and manufacturing methods.
The Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative Society welcomes visitors daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering workshops in pottery, handmade papermaking, weaving and soap-making. Visitors can also sample traditional Jordanian dishes prepared by local women. Participation fees for the activities range from JD5 to JD15.
Meanwhile, Jo Navigators is organising free guided tours to Iraq Al-Amir on October 8, 10 and 16. The tours depart from Al-Hangar in Ras Al-Ain and include visits to Naqsh Collective, the caves and Qasr Al-Abd, where Srouji’s work is displayed, before continuing to the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative Society. The tours offer participants an opportunity to discover the area's archaeological heritage, crafts, natural landscape and local community.
In Aqaba, Amman Design Week is holding activities for the first time at Ayla Oasis, in partnership with Wujoud Foundation. The programme features an exhibition, workshops and public events exploring design in the context of the city, its distinctive natural landscape and its cultural heritage.
The exhibition features four works by Bahraini-Danish, New South, Tasneem Zureikat and Yazeed Khaldoun Balqar. Running until October 17, the exhibition brings together diverse cultural and material practices, with the works engaging with the oasis and the layers of everyday practices, physical environments and cultural memory it embodies.
The Aqaba programme opens with a talk by Dr. Khaldoun Hijazin, followed by a guided tour of the installations led by the participating designers. An open discussion will then explore this year’s theme, "Accretions," and the oasis as a space for transformation and exchange.
Wujoud Foundation is hosting and co-organising the event in Aqaba, building on its role in providing a platform for creative and artistic expression and cultural experimentation along the Gulf of Aqaba. The foundation brings together contemporary Arab artistic perspectives and international art practices, seeks to build bridges across different artistic disciplines, and aims to help establish the Red Sea region as a hub for creativity and dialogue.
For event schedules, locations and further details, visit the Amman Design Week website at www.ammandesignweek.com.
//Petra// MF
