Design as a Response to Local Challenges: Design Platform launched in Jordan

August 29, 2021

23 Aug 2021, Amman – Jordan, United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) and Empowering through™ launched today the Design Jordan digital platform at TechWorks.

Design Jordan is a digital platform that features stories and design work of 42 designers across Jordan and 19 articles by experts from different fields of design, sharing insights and tools for designers to enhance their skills, become self-employed and scale their impact. The concept behind the platform came as the pandemic changed the world and changed us. The challenge of producing another coffee-table book in the pandemic led to the journey of reimagining our approach to showcasing the beauty of design in Jordan through a digital platform.

UNDP Resident Representative Sara Ferrer Olivella stated, “Growing global concerns about climate change, economic and social problems related to work circumstances, poverty, equity and equality makes it imperative to adopt an approach of sustainable consumption and production, an area that was highlighted in Agenda 2030 as one of the 17 sustainable development goals. Therefore, sustainable design becomes an important area through which designers can take these social, economic and environmental concerns as a key element in their products' innovation and development strategies”.

Design Jordan platform is a step towards presenting examples of how ‘design’ led by youth has the potential to improve efficiencies, produce quality and marketable opportunities (local and international) and at the same time improve environmental sustainability by providing better and innovative solutions to local challenges .The partnerships supporting this platform are all working towards providing youth with the necessary skills, capacities and opportunities and working with various stakeholders with the purpose of creating employment opportunities for young men and women in Jordan.  

Dr. Tamam Mango, CEO of the Crown Prince Foundation said: “The Crown Prince Foundation has been interested in digital fabrication and 3D printing to support innovation. This interest prompted the launch of TechWorks, our digital fabrication lab.” She also added: “Design is the cornerstone of the digital fabrication process. From our daily interactions with youth across Jordan, we noticed that the most prominent challenge faced by aspiring young "makers" is how to transform their ideas into implementable and feasible designs. This is exactly the kind of support that the technical team at TechWorks is always keen on providing.” Tamam explained: “We are very pleased to host the launch of the design platform at TechWorks today.”

The partners of this platform include: Wavato, Jabal Amman Publishers, The Outfit, Amman Design Week, Jordan Fashion Week, Jordan River Designs, Design Institute Amman, Dezain, Silsal, Waragami, Design Battlefield, Kama, H2 Interiors, Dimitris, Kheit, The Italian Embassy in Jordan, Chamber Gyld, Maysalward, Interior ph, Pioneers, SADDA, Mad Hook, The Jordan Ministry of Youth, Studio Be, Design Ideas Studio, Orient Spirit, Amman Arab University, Souq Fann, Forsa, Antwork, Shams El Balad, Musab Accessories, All Jordan Youth Commission.

“We are grateful to our partners and contributors and are thrilled to shed light on stories of our inspirational individuals with the world,” said Empowering through™ co-founders Dina Saoudi, Abdul Majeed Shoman Jr, and Danish Farhan.

Empowering through is a new breed of social enterprise founded by Seven Circles and Xische Ventures with the purpose of empowering ecosystems to enable individuals economically and socially. Since 2017, we have been creating an impact in more than 10 countries with a portion of our proceeds committed to giving back.

Visit us on 

https://designinjordan.com/