The Isola Space hosted a talk led by Gabriele Cavallaro and featuried architects Sara Alrayees, Mohammed Rowaizak, and designer Shubhi Sachan, as they explored the fusion of tradition and modernity, craft and technology, and sustainability in materials.

Visitors joined us at Isola Space for an enlightening talk on Materials, which featured a diverse panel of visionary experts. Gabriele Cavallaro, the co-founder and CEO of Isola Design, lead the discussion, while introducing three prominent speakers who shared their unique perspectives:

Richard Wilson: Richard Wilson is the founder of Colab, the first material library in the UAE and, at the same time, Colab means a space for inspiration around materials. We connect with his creative universe and some of the aspects that Wilson regards that embody design and, more specifically, interior design.

Mohammed Rowaizak: Mohamed Rowaizak is an architect, maker, and technologist with specific interest merging heritage, materiality, and technology. He received a B.Arch from the American University of Sharjah (AUS). Materiality has always been a key element in his process and practice. It started with deep research on naturally 'grown' materials to replace traditional construction methods with a more environment-friendly process, including mycelium, crystals, and corals. His current profession is a Project Architect at a renowned energy company, managing the design and construction of projects at multiple scales. In addition to that he works on commission-based projects for various organizations and institutions while exploring materials, natural environments, and urban environments.

Sara Alrayes:Sara Alrayes is a Bahraini architect who merges traditional "Khaleeji" architecture with modern design. She aims to showcase cost-effective sustainability and is exhibiting at Design Week for the second time, using discarded oysters from the Bahraini pearling industry. She's also the founder of Orient Design Studio, promoting limitless creativity, empowering designers, and sustainable practices while respecting cultures and traditions.

Shubhi Sachan: Shubhi Sachan, of material library of india a multidisciplinary designer with a sustainability focus, repurposes industrial and agricultural waste. She's received recognition as a TEDx Speaker, Lexus Design Award Finalist, and more, showcasing her work at events like Lakme Fashion Week and Dutch Design Week.

This talk was an engaging discussion on materials and design innovation, where these experts explored the past, present, and future of materials in architecture and design.