The region’s leading quality-driven design trade fair, Downtown Design collaborates with the American Hardwood Export Council(AHEC) on ‘Seed to Seat’, an initiative that sees seven UAE-based designers create wooden seating.
The region’s leading quality-driven design trade fair, Downtown Design collaborates with the American Hardwood Export Council(AHEC) on ‘Seed to Seat’, an initiative that sees seven UAE-based designers create wooden seating.
With ‘Seed to Seat’, AHEC aims to identify the true environmental impact of design and build on its extensive work with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which highlights exactly how long it takes for wood used in individual pieces to regrow naturally.
“We’re very excited, not only by the caliber of the designers involved in this project, but also by the fabulous pieces that we look forward to seeing in these versatile, yet less well-known American hardwood species. We’ve seen for a long time that the Middle East has a real commitment to sustainable design in principle and through this project we can demonstrate what that means in reality - an opportunity for us to show, and learn, what works and what design elements make a difference to the environment,” said Roderick Wiles. “In addition, we have also developed a microsite for the project, which is now live at www.seedtoseat.info. This will be the hub for all information regarding the project and currently includes details regarding the designers.”
AHEC has chosen to work with Dubai Design Week 2016 participant Fadi Sariedienne (Fadi Sariedienne Studio), Design Days Dubai’s Urban Commissions 1.0 winner Anna Szonyi, Downtown Design architect Tarik Al Zaharna (T.Zed Architects), Bruce Paget (Herriot-Watt University), George Kahler (Kahler Design), Tony Archibold and Monica Twarovski (DWP). Each designer will work with an American hardwood species, with designs being unveiled at Downtown Design 2016 (25-28 October) during Dubai Design Week.
This is the second collaboration between AHEC and Downtown Design. Downtown Design Fair Director, Rue Kothari said: “We’re extremely happy to be working with AHEC again this year, to be able to support such a worthy initiative and promote sustainable design and development not just in concept, but in practice. Allowing local designers to engage with the material in a very conscious way, is providing exactly the kind of mentorship and guidance that our emerging designers need, and can only help to strengthen our collective commitment to the future environment of the city we live in.”
