- 05Tue10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- 06Wed10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- 07Thu10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- 08Fri10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- 09Sat10:00 am - 10:00 pm
- 10Sun10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Installations
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Dubai Design District (d3)
EN-SI-AB
Tania Ursomarzo, Sara AlMahmoud and Maryam AlQassim
Using soy wax masonry, this approach explored eco-friendly, load-bearing assemblies made from reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable building units.
EN-SI-AB was a spatial installation that explored sustainable material alternatives for masonry using soy wax, a vegetable wax derived from soybean oil, making it a natural, renewable, and biodegradable alternative to conventional materials.
The installation investigated the use of soy wax masonry in new unit forms and in a load-bearing capacity. EN-SI-AB was the formal outcome of a structural study that experimented with rotations in the assembly. A building method conventionally associated with heaviness and opacity appeared tectonic, fluid, and varied in transparency.
Constructed with over 1,000 wax masonry units, the installation was 100% reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable. After Dubai Design Week 2024, the wax units were set to be reused for new assemblies or melted down and recycled, inspiring designers and the public to consider playful, sustainable alternatives.
EN-SI-AB was the result of a collaboration between Tania Ursomarzo, an Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design at the American University of Sharjah and the founder of the design studio ETCETERAcreative, along with Emirati architects Sara AlMahmoud and Maryam AlQassim, both alumni of the American University of Sharjah. The installation was kindly supported by Golden Wax, AAK INDIA PVT LTD, resinarthub.ae, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, and Proto21.
About the designers:
Tania Ursomarzo is an Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design at the American University of Sharjah. Founder, Designer, and Creative Director of multidisciplinary design research studio, ETCETERAcreative, and fashion product brand, TRIPTYCH.
Sara AlMahmoud is an Emirati architect based in Sharjah, with a degree in architecture from the American University of Sharjah.
Maryam AlQassim is an Emirati architect who recently graduated with a degree in Architecture from the American University of Sharjah.