Over the years, Dubai Design Week has showcased a range of innovative material approaches across its installations - from repurposed sawdust and compressed paper pulp to mycelium as a building material, alongside experiments with food waste, loofahs and paper-based structures. Below are five installations that highlight inventive uses of alternative materials.
1. The Space Within by ARDH Collective
Presenting an installation centred on material experimentation, The Space Within was built from DuneBlocks made using their signature DuneCrete - a low-carbon concrete using desert sand from Al Ain - alongside traces of DateForm, a solid surface derived from date seeds. Anchored by a round table displaying prototypes and studies, the installation brings their ongoing material research to the forefront.
2. Breathing Falga by Aisha Tariq, Iman Ibrahim, Lamya Ahmed, Lina Awad, Tania Ursomarzo and Yasmin Alqeshawi
Breathing Flaga reinterprets the geometry and environmental logic of mollusk shells to create an adaptable, modular outdoor installation. It is built from stackable, overlapping modules made from recycled LDPE (low-density polyethylene) and crushed seashells sourced from UAE beaches, forming a flexible, durable, and recyclable material. A repurposed hydraulic press shapes this waste-based mix into curved, high-performance components. Blending natural systems thinking, modularity, and sustainable materials, the installation proposes a responsive, repairable, and eco-conscious approach to temporary architectural design.
3. ReRoot by Dima Al Srouri, Dalia Hamati, Andy Cartier and Rosa Hämäläinen
One of Dubai Design Week’s commissions under Abwab in 2024, ReRoot proposed an emergency housing unit using mycelium grown from palm waste and Desert Board, empowering displaced communities to build their own homes. Mycelium, grown from agricultural waste like date palm by-products, offers a lightweight, versatile, and sustainable alternative for applications ranging from construction to packaging. The design revives the idea of community-centric construction, with a focus on ecological restoration and cultural adaptation.
4. The WARP by Mitsubishi Jisho Design
The WARP, a result of five years of research by Kei Atsumi, uses sawdust-based filament and 3D printing to reinterpret the traditional Japanese technique of glueless wood assembly. The installation features innovative joint systems and sustainable materials made from repurposed wood waste, forming a pavilion of 3D-printed, double-curved elements that challenged conventional methods and offered a forward-thinking solution that reduced waste and expanded the possibilities of contemporary architectural design.
5. The Future Will Be Sown by Made in Earth Collective
Made in Earth Collective’s installation highlights the potential of loofah as a material, transforming the dried plant into a tactile, light-diffusing surface. Sourced just before it would have been composted, the loofah is cleaned, seeded, and stitched together to form large luminous panels that reveal its natural texture. Paired with simple coconut wood seating, the project repositions a common organic material as both functional and decorative.