Latest news with #MajedaAlhinai
Arab News
14-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
Oman debuts at Venice Biennale with Sablah-inspired pavilion
DUBAI: The Sultanate of Oman has marked its debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia with a thought-provoking pavilion titled 'Traces,' curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Drawing inspiration from the Sablah — Oman's traditional communal gathering space — the pavilion reimagines this architectural concept as a modern civic space, rooted in cultural continuity and adaptive design. Unlike conventional references, the Sablah in 'Traces' functions as an architectural method, not merely an aesthetic reference. Its open circulation, shared presence and adaptability are reinterpreted for contemporary public life. It proposes a new civic space that remains culturally specific while addressing global concerns of collectivity, sustainability and architectural responsibility. The pavilion's structure is built entirely from raw aluminum, utilizing a custom system of folded and cut panels. Each panel is precision-cut with patterns inspired by Omani cultural practices — palm frond weaving, carved wooden doors, and the Falaj irrigation system. One of the pavilion's standout features is its commitment to sustainability and reuse. The entire assembly is designed for easy disassembly and transportation, ensuring no material loss. Following the Biennale, the structure will be permanently installed in Oman, maintaining its scale and purpose as a civic gathering space. Curator Majeda Alhinai said: 'The pavilion is not a symbol of tradition. It is a working model for how civic space can be reimagined through inherited systems of making, maintenance, and adaptation.' The Omani pavilion opened on May 10 and will be at the venue until Nov. 23.
The National
09-05-2025
- General
- The National
Oman reinterprets the sablah community space at Venice Biennale of Architecture
Shifting in form and purpose, the Omani sablah resists definition. It is where the community gathers to discuss social matters or to mark life events such as weddings and funerals. It is a place of conversation, celebration and mourning, whether between four walls or under the shade of a palm tree. The sablah adapted as cities in Oman grew, enduring as an essential gathering space for communities. The Oman Pavilion is highlighting the sablah at the Venice Biennale of Architecture with a bold new take on the concept. To quote the exhibition literature, 'the project does not aim to preserve the sablah but to reactivate it'. Curated by Majeda Alhinai, the pavilion is titled Traces. It presents a sablah that, much like the core concept itself, is open to interpretation. 'With our structure, we wanted to create a space that had no fixed interior or exterior,' Alhinai says. 'It's a space that is a series of thresholds that allow people to either pause, sit and gather, or to just move and pass through.' At first glance, the sablah at the Oman Pavilion appears gestural and improvised. However, there is a thoughtfulness to its design. It takes cues from various motifs from Omani culture: the khanjar ceremonial dagger, the grilles of traditional windows and the decorative designs on mandoos storage chests. It also draws its geometry from palm frond weaving, the designs of wooden doors and the branching forms of the Falaj irrigation system. 'Since our pavilion is titled Traces, it's a series of traces of our craft in Oman,' Alhinai says. 'They are metaphorical traces as well as physical traces, where we're starting to look at very specific ornamental forms in parts of our arts and crafts.' Features of these traditional motifs have been deconstructed and abstracted before being fused together in the final result for the sablah. 'We take some of these traces to delineate outlines and then adapt it back on to a physical form,' Alhinai says. However, the sablah is in by no means in final form. Composed out of hundreds of 1.5mm aluminium panels, it can be reconstructed in many other permutations. The aluminium pieces are porous in some parts, promoting air flow. 'We first went through a digital sculpting process and then looked at the engineering to make a structure that is woven out of these aluminium panels and strips,' Alhinai says. 'We wanted to create a structure that, once disassembled, it could be reassembled again in a public space in Oman.' Accentuating the heritage aspect of the project is a series of benches that have been woven out of palm fronds. The benches are circular and in undulating forms, much like the sablah installation. 'The woven palm leaf was then referenced back on to our structure with the aluminium panels that kind of behave in a similar way.' The benches were also crafted by Omani artisans, Alhinai says. 'We really wanted to host a lot of our communal crafts that would be otherwise lost if we didn't carry them on,' she says. 'We wanted to create this collaboration with the local community. We commissioned artisans in the Bahla region of Oman. It was a way to bring our community into our space.' Traces is Oman Pavilion's debut exhibition at the Venice Biennale of Architecture. By reimagining the sablah, the pavilion explores how the structure can inspire adaptable and resilient communal spaces by bridging tradition and modernity while reflecting values of hospitality, dialogue and community. 'We are looking at our local heritage to extract these ideologies for space and circulation and movement, as well as form in a non-traditional way,' Alhinai says. 'But it's very much part of our arts and craft movement.' Although deeply rooted in Omani tradition, Traces aims to be a global model for designing inclusive, adaptable environments that foster shared responsibility and connection. It also demonstrates how multifunctional communal spaces can address both local and universal challenges, promoting interaction and inclusivity. 'One of the main agendas of the biennale is to examine how can each country come together to create a global toolkit,' Alhinai says. 'I really feel that, just by people understanding and knowing what the sablah is, their curiosity around the subject is a win for us.' Traces will be running at the Venice Biennale of Architecture until November 23
The National
23-04-2025
- The National
Oman to make its debut at Venice Architecture Biennale
Oman has announced its inaugural participation in the Venice Architecture Biennale. Curated by Omani architect Majeda Alhinai, the sultanate's pavilion is called Traces, and is themed around the concept of Sablah, a traditional communal space used for hosting guests or having discussions. The pavilion aims to explore how architecture can preserve cultural heritage while evolving to meet contemporary needs. Usually located at the heart of a village or neighbourhood, the Sablah is a welcoming place where people gather to exchange ideas, share meals and socialise. 'As an architect and curator, I believe meaningful architectural solutions emerge when we truly understand the deep connections between place, people and collective memory,' says Alhinai. 'Traces highlights the importance of social cohesion, dialogue and communal spaces in shaping the built environment. Architecture is not just about structure, but about creating spaces that foster connection and shared experience. I wanted to create a space that could be redefined and reshaped over time, much like the conversations, meetings and encounters that naturally unfold within a traditional Sablah.' Traces is designed to be easily reassembled and repurposed into various configurations, allowing it to create public and always new spaces after the exhibition. Rather than constructing a temporary structure, the pavilion uses a modular design that can be used in different contexts. The structure, which is 10x10 square metres, will have no distinct inside or outside, allowing people to move freely through it and to remodel and create their own space. Traces will feature movable seating crafted from natural, palm-woven materials and use colours reminiscent of Omani pottery clay and sand. The pavilion will also have movable seating, ideal for public talks taking place throughout the Venice Biennale. By reimagining the Sablah, the pavilion explores how the structure can inspire adaptable and resilient communal spaces by bridging tradition and modernity while reflecting values of hospitality, dialogue and community. Although deeply rooted in Omani tradition, Traces aims to be a global model for designing inclusive, adaptable environments that foster shared responsibility and connection. It also demonstrates how multi-functional communal spaces can address both local and universal challenges, promoting interaction and inclusivity. The Oman Pavilion will be open to the public from May 10 to November 23
