Alula Design Award

Harry Dobbs x Rukun

AlUla Design Award inaugural winner with design by Harry Dobbs in association with Rukun Creative Exchange.

Set within sweeping deserts and framed by mountains, the epic rock formations of AlUla are sculpted over thousands of years by the wind, rain and heat. The presence of water sustained life and nurtured kingdoms, with AlUla becoming a crossroads of cultures as the heart of the legendary Incense Road.

The sediments of AlUla’s ageless rocks are grains of time, and the design essence of these curated objects brings together geological memory with technological innovation. AlUla’s ground stone dust is incorporated into the ceramic production and 3D printed, transforming eroded material into renewed forms, matching colour and texture to offer a unique collection which speaks to AlUla’s cultural and material identity.

The stone used in this limited edition is sourced from the Sharaan Nature Reserve, a 579 square mile expanse of red rock canyons, sprawling desert and valleys nurturing a delicate ecosystem of plants and wildlife, including ostriches and gazelles.

The landscape – today dedicated to conservation and restoration – inspires the sculpted form of each of the unique objects presented to you today.