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