Latest news with #AmaniAlIbrahim
Vogue Arabia
22-05-2025
- Business
- Vogue Arabia
5 Female Saudi Designers to Look Out For at the First Downtown Design Riyadh Fair
Following graduation, Amani Al Ibrahim worked at design firms in Dubai, London, and Paris, pursuing a strong passion for design. Yeas later, she saw an opportunity to contribute to something 'meaningful,' especially as a Saudi designer, and joined renowned design firm Kristina Zanic Consultants. The designer has teamed up with BMW to create a VIP lounge for the fair, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and spirit of her homeland." 'Living in Riyadh, I've always felt a connection to the Tuwaiq Mountains. They are more than just a physical feature of the landscape,' she says, adding that these motifs also carry cultural and symbolic meaning that are often seen as a metaphor for strength and resilience in Saudi culture. 'With Downtown Design making its debut in the Kingdom, I felt it was important to root The BMW Lounge in something authentically local. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding terrain just came naturally.' Budoor Althunayan, Dome Furniture & Blends Home Accessories Photo: Dome Furniture & Blends Home Accessories Design has always been a part of Budoor Althunayan's DNA. 'I grew up in an artistic family, and my father was one of the early leaders in the furniture industry. So creativity and craftsmanship were part of everyday life,' she says. Now the co-founder of Saidi-based Dome Furniture & Blends Home Accessories, Althunayan has been commissioned to infuse the halls of Downtown Design Riyadh with her distinctive cultural vision this month with the Sands Flow benches.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Zawya
BMW Saudi Arabia drive creative collaboration as the Premier Sponsor of the inaugural Downtown Design Riyadh
The BMW Lounge to serve as the main hospitality hub for Downtown Design Riyadh. BMW Saudi Arabia's presence at the inaugural Downtown Design Riyadh showcases the MYNM's commitment to empowering and supporting local talent. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, the official importer of BMW in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, drive creative collaboration as Premier Sponsor of the first-ever Downtown Design Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's first fair dedicated to contemporary and high-quality design. BMW Saudi Arabia has also unveiled a compelling spatial experience at the first-ever Downtown Design Riyadh. The BMW Lounge, designed by award-winning Saudi designer Amani Al-Ibrahim, Partner and Executive Director at Kristina Zanic Consultants, articulates BMW's progressive design language and ongoing dialogue with the world of art, architecture, and innovation. The lounge will host Downtown Design Riyadh's VIP visitors, including leading architects, designers and tastemakers. David McGoldrick, Managing Director of Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, commented: 'Our presence at the inaugural edition of Downtown Design Riyadh is a celebration of cultural expression through design. The BMW Lounge is where excellence meets Saudi storytelling, brought to life by some incredible national talent and shaped by exceptional global perspectives. We are proud to nurture and champion Saudi creatives as we pursue the ambitions of Vision 2030 that places art, culture and design at the beating heart of the Kingdom's development.' The first high-quality design fair in the Kingdom, Downtown Design Riyadh will take place from 20-23 May at JAX District, a cultural hub set against the historic backdrop of Diriyah. Together with its strategic partner, the Architecture and Design Commission of the Ministry of Culture, Downtown Design Riyadh will connect global design brands with Saudi Arabia's creative community, offering access to original, high-quality design and limited-edition works from both international and regional studios. The lounge is a physical manifestation of BMW i7's progressive identity and refined design philosophy, of elegance without excess. The lounge's sculptural ceiling inspired by the winding ridges of Mount Tuwaiq, Najdi motifs, and bronze-green gradients echo the BMW i7's thoughtful, intelligent luxury. Quiet, sculpted, and intelligent, The BMW Lounge is a regional expression of Forwardism: rooted in context but driven by what's next. Even the lounge's materials journey — from traditional weaving motifs to sustainable elements like Econyl — reflects BMW's design DNA: conscious, contextual, and future-facing. With its curved surfaces, ambient light, and luxurious restraint, the lounge is inspired by the elegance and serenity of the BMW i7's interior design language. From its earthy grounding to its brass canopy, The BMW Lounge honors the past while embodying and emphasizing the focus on a future shaped by sustainability, craft, and design thinking. Every curve and gradient reflects a harmony of precision and poetry, considering local context and a global vision, where the quiet luxury of today meets the motion of tomorrow. 'I'm excited to be part of the first Riyadh edition of Downtown Design — a valuable addition to the growing design scene here. For The BMW Lounge, we drew inspiration from our regional landscape, particularly the contours and elevations of the Tuwaiq Mountains, which hold deep cultural significance. The concept, Woven Landscape, shapes a calm, welcoming space that reflects the surrounding environment and encourages connection and conversation,' said Amani Al-Ibrahim, Designer and Partner at Kristina Zanic Consultants. BMW's long-standing global patronage of the arts has spanned over 50 years, involving partnerships with revered cultural institutions and creating synergies between the worlds of modern art, classical music, jazz, architecture and design. BMW continues to push boundaries: not just on the road, but in the spaces where ideas are born. For media inquiries, please contact: Kathleen Burbridge Senior Account Director, Gambit Communications Email: kathleen@ About Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Co. Established in 1990, Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors has been the official importer of BMW Group brands - BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce - for 30 years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With showrooms and service centres in Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Khobar, Al-Qassim, as well as the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors has established a strong footprint for the BMW Group across the Kingdom. Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors has grown its network of new cars, used cars and after-sales showrooms as well as fast-lane service centres in key areas across the Kingdom, including two new showrooms in Al Khobar and Riyadh, with the bikes brand of the BMW Group, BMW Motorrad, being the last addition to its product portfolio. About Downtown Design Riyadh Downtown Design Riyadh marks the Saudi debut of the Middle East's leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design. Taking place from 20–23 May 2025, the fair will be held at JAX District, Riyadh's creative hub set against the backdrop of Al Turaif, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fair will present a curated showcase of global design excellence alongside the region's most exciting creative talent. Held in partnership with the Saudi Arabia Architecture and Design Commission of the Ministry of Culture, the fair offers direct access to original, contemporary brands, limited-edition works, and collections by both international names and regional studios. It will bring together industry professionals, decision-makers, and design enthusiasts through exhibitions, installations, and a tailored programme of talks and activations. Aligned with Vision 2030, Downtown Design Riyadh supports the Kingdom's ambition to become a global cultural hub and meets growing demand from Saudi Arabia's expanding interior design and real estate sectors. Downtown Design Riyadh will serve as a vital meeting point for the global design industry and the Kingdom's creative community—facilitating dialogue, fostering partnerships, and contributing to the continued evolution of design culture in Saudi Arabia.
