Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Saudi Arabia’s Tanween concludes with architecture, collaboration at forefront

Saudi Arabia’s Tanween concludes with architecture, collaboration at forefront

Tanween, Ithra’s flagship creative festival, concluded this week in Dhahran with a cluster of talks from experts in the field of architecture, who spoke about making use of sand, making spaces fun again and being mindful of embracing nature and including indigenous communities while building new structures.

Marcus Farr, professor at the College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah, shed light on the uses of a particular raw material found in abundance in Saudi Arabia — sand.

He highlighted how only about 5 percent of sand is used to make glass and building materials.


Huda Shaka urged listeners not to randomly plant trees in environments which could prevent them from thriving.

The majority of sand in the Kingdom is not currently usable for construction due to factors including density and weight, so he offered an alternative experimental project which converts sand dune particles into usable materials by creating a special binding.

Huda Shaka, also known as the Green Urbanista, is an urban planner and sustainability specialist.

She urged listeners to not be adamant about randomly planting trees in environments which could prevent them from thriving. Trees require water, space, and many other expenses — financial and otherwise, she said, and there are other ways to incorporate natural surroundings without adding burden to mother nature, like embracing mangroves, which might not be as aesthetically pleasing as a lush garden, but are there for a reason.

Other speakers included Waleed Shaalan, co-founder and design director of Sifr Studio, Alya Al-Mazora of AlUla, and Alan Parkinson, founder of Architects of Air.

This year’s Tanween offered much to the local community, but with a global focus.

Saudi student Rayanah Mansour Abinbuhybeha visited Tanween between her study breaks. Growing up in the area, she wanted to explore the offerings at Ithra and be part of the cultural community.

She currently studies aerospace engineering in Manchester in the UK and could not believe her luck that her visit to her hometown, while pursing studies abroad, coincided with Tanween again this season.

“I attended last year’s Tanween and I can see there was a big change this time; they added new ideas. I can see they've tried their best to make it a huge celebration, like, everyone in Sharqiya knows about it — it was all over social media too.

“I attended a robots workshop this time and it was something that never happened in Saudi Arabia. I attended the ‘Big Moment,’ it was really a nice celebration.

“It was a unique activity because there was a communication between the people on stage and the audience. Everyone was having fun, children, parents. I hope to come back next year,” Abinbuhybeha told Arab News.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Saudi Arabia Faces Uncertainty Over Succession After Mohammed bin Salman
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×