tanween impacts dialogue designed for and by the community

tanween lead Shahad Alwazani talks to designboom

From November 17–22, 2025, the 8th edition of Tanween transformed Ithra into a multidisciplinary laboratory for design, empathy, and experimentation. Across exhibitions, Majlis talks, the Tanween Challenges, and the hands-on Day with an Expert programs, the event examined how design can reveal hidden needs and generate meaningful societal impact. This edition also marked a pivotal moment for the platform: from 2026, Tanween will evolve into Ithra Design Week, expanding its scale while preserving the community-driven core that has shaped the event over eight years. designboom interviews Shahad Alwazani, Tanween Lead, about the philosophy behind the platform and how this transition positions Ithra as a growing anchor for regional and global design exchange.

‘This year (2025), Tanween designs the unspoken. It could be environmental, social, cultural, or educational — but it always returns design to humanity. We focus on the actual needs of people across many disciplines. That is the real role of Tanween: to experiment, to inspire each other, to support each other, and to develop ideas with ambition. Each edition builds a thematic path in the design process, allowing designers to explore what truly matters,’ says Shahad Alwazani Tanween Lead.

Shahad Alwazani, Tanween Lead | all images courtesy of Ithra

‘we want to highlight empathy in design’

At the heart of Tanween was a deliberate shift toward empathy as a design method. Rather than centering aesthetics alone, the program invited designers to step into the lived realities of users and communities, translating overlooked needs into tangible outcomes. This approach reframed design as a practice of listening, one that responds to social, cultural, and emotional dimensions often absent from conventional briefs, and one that resonates strongly within the region’s rapidly evolving creative landscape.

‘For the 8th edition we wanted to highlight empathy in design: how designers should place themselves in the user’s or community’s position to understand, to empathize, and to feel real needs. Tanween opens this window for designers so their voices can be heard, and so they can tell the stories and challenges of their own people. It is both a showcasing platform and a learning experience for everyone to understand the importance of design,’ continues Shahad.

the program called on designers to inhabit the perspectives of users and communities

a full day with a design expert goes beyond a typical workshop

As Tanween continues to grow, collaboration remains its central engine. Signature formats such as Day with an Expert reflect this ethos by replacing traditional masterclasses with immersive, human-centered learning experiences. Designers spend extended time with global practitioners, engaging in dialogue, observation, and shared exploration. This cross-disciplinary structure mirrors contemporary design practice, where architecture, fashion, interiors, graphics, and research increasingly intersect.

‘One of Tanween’s signature offerings is Day with an Expert. It goes beyond a typical workshop and function as a full experience where designers spend the day with the expert, learning in a more interactive, human way. Designers speak many languages; an architect can be a fashion designer or a graphic designer. Tanween encourages this openness, allowing creators to explore all fields,’ she adds.

as the platform continues to expand its reach, collaboration remains its driving force

The evolution into Ithra Design Week builds directly on foundations laid during this edition. Strategic collaborations with Dubai Design Week and Isola Design Group as creative partners, alongside exhibition partners such as Iwan Maktabi, Bricklab, Rizomasr, and Mujassam Watan, signaled a shift toward a broader, interconnected design ecosystem. Beyond the campus, guided tours developed with the Municipality of Khobar extended Tanween into public space, while outcomes from the Tanween Challenges, including permanent pavilion installations, demonstrated how design can translate into lasting community impact.

With its transition towards Ithra Design Week, its core remains intact: a platform rooted in experimentation, empathy, and community; what changes is scale and reach. Design will be further integrated across Ithra’s museum, library, cinema, publishing programs, and IdeaLab, while expanding beyond its walls to activate public spaces across the Eastern Province. In this next phase, Ithra Design Week aims to strengthen regional dialogue, elevate designers’ visibility, and position Saudi Arabia as an active participant in the global design conversation, without losing the human-centered ethos that has defined Tanween from the start.

‘Tanween is making a shift into something more global and more aligned with the design industry. We are collaborating with platforms like Dubai Design Week and Isola to expand our reach and amplify our message. Tanween is designed for the community and by the community. It responds to their questions and needs, transforming them into something tangible. As long as the community is with us, Tanween will keep evolving,’ concludes Shahad.

Tanween aims to strengthen dialogue across the Gulf region and beyond