Alula Design Award

Tarek ElKassouf

Designed by a sculptor, these items are carved from ancient materials – local sandstone and teakwood – and use archaic forms and motifs, simplified, to express a sharp minimalism anchored in cultural significance.

They are the gifts of the hands of traditional craftsmen, unique, creating contemporary tributes that reflect a constantly evolving Al-Ula. They are about instantly summoning all those feelings of place again.

The Old City puzzle is inspired by the urban tissue of Al-Ula, the dark wood is a material of the city, and this deconstructable piece helps to give understanding of the structure, and of how people used to live.