How Ithra is Redefining Creativity at Milan Design Week 2026

DHAHRAN — The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is showcasing the best of Middle Eastern creativity at Milan Design Week, running through April 26.

Under the exhibition “Beyond the Ordinary” at the Isola Design Festival, Ithra presents seven interactive stations featuring eight designers from across the MENA region. The show marks the fourth collaboration between Ithra and Isola Design and serves as the first tangible realization of the rebranded Ithra Design Week (formerly Tanween).

Visitors can engage with installations such as “The Collective Sofa” from the UAE, which transforms through audience interaction, and “Attar Al‑Balad” from Saudi Arabia, a sensory piece made from traditional herbs and spices. Another highlight is “Body Blocks” by a Lebanese designer, a modular game inspired by Mesopotamian art.

The exhibition collects visitor data anonymously to map how cultural backgrounds shape cognitive patterns. That information will later commission a new design piece reflecting the exhibition’s findings.

Ithra Programs Manager Noura Al‑Zamil said the center’s presence at Milan “empowers creative talent, strengthens cultural exchange, and supports the creative economy.” After Milan, the exhibition will travel to Ithra’s headquarters in Dhahran for a local event later this year.

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