By Hershey Pascual
Ayah Al Bitar is a Saudi Arabian product and furniture designer with Palestinian roots. She studied at the prestigious Parsons School for Design in NYC. Through her work, she merges tradition and modernity creating products that combine Eastern heritage and Western style. Brought up in Saudi, Ayah was inspired by Saudi topics of women’s rights; she wanted to create a model for how design can trigger social change. Her designs focus on breaking cultural boundaries with their thought-provoking concepts. She said: “I design to solve problems; I design to create new problems; I design to acknowledge, and I design to communicate.”
Ayah Al Bitar Design House was founded in September 2014. She launched her first collection of floor seating cushions early in May 2015. The design house aims to create limited edition contemporary furniture that feature designs fostering form and function as well as conceptual pieces relative to the Arab world.
Her new collection, Wisada, has recently been unveiled at Dubai Design District. The collection merges art and function with a sculptural cushion set. Wisada hybrid pieces of furniture is inspired by the difference between Eastern and Western transportation cultures encouraging socialising in a traditional yet contemporary environment.
The collection Wisada is inspired by the shape of a bicycle seat, a main concept throughout all collections. The range includes floor cushions with a twist. Customers can immerse themselves in a world of springbok fur hand died in Africa in a multitude of electric and standout colour ways. Design enthusiasts, expats and locals will enjoy the unique concept and aesthetic of the pieces. It’s a colourful evolution from her classic line which is modern, minimalist and contemporary.
Ayah Al Bitar is available at Dubai Design District, Building 7, Unit B402, price on request.
