During a two-week long workshop in September 2017, a team of Jordanian, Palestinian and Dutch designers collaborated with local craftswomen and men from the Gaza refugee camp in Jerash to collaboratively develop a series of thought provoking products. The workshop sought to create collaborative learning experiences through multidisciplinary and international exchange. The participants produced a line of items that reflect on the reality in the camp and the stories the artisans shared, varying from a wooden labyrinth game to an origami folded bag, and from a luminous clothespin to a baby blanket with embroidered song lines.

A selection of the workshop’s outcomes were taken into production in the camp, and were being exhibited and sold at The Lab at Darat al Funun throughout Amman Design Week, alongside a show of the existing collection of the label. All together the goods were telling alternative stories and reflect upon the function of creative practices in situations of conflict.

Exhibition at The Lab, Darat al Funun

This exhibition displayed the products developed during a two-week long workshop by a team of Jordanian, Palestinian and Dutch designers who collaborated with local craftswomen and men from the Gaza refugee camp in Jerash. Collaboratively they developed a series of thought provoking products. The workshop, guided by Ghadeer Dajani (Disarming Design’s production manager), Annelys de Vet (Disarming Design’s founder), Haya Bustami (Education and Community Outreach at Amman Design Week) and Reem Marji (architect, Darat al Funun team) — plus May Khoury (designer) as visiting tutor — sought to create collaborative learning experiences through multidisciplinary and international exchange. The participants produced a line of items that reflect on the reality in the camp and the stories the artisans shared, varying from a wooden labyrinth game to an origami folded bag, and from a luminous clothespin to a baby blanket with embroidered song lines.

A selection of the workshop’s outcomes were taken into production in the camp, and were being exhibited and sold at The Lab at Darat al Funun throughout Amman Design Week, alongside a show of the existing collection of the label. All together the goods were telling alternative stories and reflected upon the function of creative practices in situations of conflict.

Participating designers: Rand Abu al-Sha’r (JO), Architect, Asja Keeman (NL), Master Student Design Sandberg Instituut, Mohammad Ishtay (PS), Product and interior designer, Tessa Meeus (NL), Master Student Design Sandberg Instituut, Fida Shaffi (PS), Political scientist and designer, Sherida Kuffour (NL/GH), Master Student Design Sandberg Instituut, Nour Nsheiwat (JO), Designer, Rebekka Fries (NL), Sandberg Instituut Design alumni, Mariam S. Shukri (JO), Designer, Qusai al Saify (PS), Founder Origami Palestine, Aya Abu Ghazaleh (JO/PS), Artist  and designer

Participating artisans: Ibtsam Aladine, Nouf Albarbary, Siham Abu Nimeh, Hasan Abu Siam, Saber Abu Masoud, Khadeja Abu Amrah, Sanaa Abu Amrah, Jaber Tayeh, Zainab Abu Jamous, Yusra Abu Sil’a, Farha Khammash, Asma Ayesh, Wisal Al Qadi, Hadeel Abu Amrah, Handa Abu Ateq, Muna Abu Ateq, Widad Sarhan, Aziza Abu khatleh, Zeinab Abu Jarar, Firas Rashid. Acknowledgments to the Amani Charity center

Workshop guidance: Ghadeer Dajani (Disarming Design’s production manager), Annelys de Vet (Disarming Design’s founder), Haya Bustami (Education and Community Outreach at Amman Design Week), Reem Marji (architect, Darat al Funun team), May Khoury (designer), Sara Mahasneh (intern), Isabel Zoetbrood (intern)

Craft Moves Communities – panel discussion

8 October 2017

How can the act of making help promote economic growth, bring communities closer together, and overcome a variety of social issues? In this panel discussion, chaired by the editor of Crafts magazine, Grant Gibson, speakers from Disarming Design from Palestine, The Jordan River Foundation, the Princess Taghrid Foundation explain how craft is capable of making a difference, highlighting the power of collaboration and sustainable programs in craft. 

See also: Amman Design Week, The Lab, Darat Al Funun