New Sharjah Design Centre to Open in 2029

Sharjah is getting a new regional design institution with the Sharjah Design Centre (SDC) set to open in 2029 under the direction of H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi. Established by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and chaired by Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the institution's building is designed by Mexico-based practice Taller de Arquitectura – Mauricio Rocha, in collaboration with Spanish architect Daniel Rosselló.

The building brings together local materials and vernacular design principles with contemporary technology, while its architecture responds to the local climate and landscape through the use of the ancient construction technique of rammed earth, helping minimise its environmental impact.

SDC will form part of the newly established Sharjah Creative Quarter (SCQ), a cultural district bringing together institutions and initiatives working across art, design, craft, fashion and cultural heritage.

Located across from University City of Sharjah and adjacent to the House of Wisdom, the Quarter will also be home to Irthi Museum, Sharjah Fashion Lab, Qasimi Archives, the Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi Collection and L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels. SCQ aims to build an ecosystem that supports the creative industries, nurturing talent and enterprise through production, learning and public engagement.

Within this wider ecosystem, SDC is looking to bring together different parts of the design industry, from designers and manufacturers to researchers, startups and entrepreneurs in Sharjah and across the region. By giving designers access to specialist facilities, technical expertise and industry connections, the Centre aims to help them take ideas beyond the research stage and develop them into finished products.

“Promising ideas often remain at the research stage because the infrastructure to develop and realise them is not readily accessible,” H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qasimi says. “Sharjah Design Centre will change that and give designers a place to research, test and realise their ideas with the expertise, resources and collaboration opportunities to take them all the way into production.”

The institution will house seven specialist labs dedicated to textiles, rapid prototyping, glass, ceramics, jewellery, metal and wood, alongside a Material Library, Digital Archive, exhibition spaces, co-working spaces, private studios and a retail space. The labs will give designers access to equipment and technical expertise across different materials and disciplines, allowing them to experiment, develop prototypes and work on projects at different stages of production.

The Material Library will catalogue research into different materials and experimental applications, alongside a collection of design publications for education and research. The Digital Archive will complement this with a searchable record of material research, digital publications and industrial mappings, making this knowledge accessible to SDC members.

Some of this work is already underway. Through ‘Theatrum Al Kimiya’, an initiative developed in collaboration with Atelier LUMA, a research and design programme by LUMA Arles in southern France, SDC is looking into how locally sourced and waste-based materials can find new applications in design and construction. Atelier LUMA's own research centres on the resources, materials and traditional knowledge of its surrounding bioregion, including those that are often overlooked or go to waste. At SDC, this includes exploring the potential of salt, brine, limestone, sand, clay, palm, shells, demolition waste, ceramic waste, wool and mycelium. The initiative also builds on Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council's Architecture of Culture publication (2023), taking material research previously explored through craft into new design applications.

Another ongoing project is SDC's material certification programme, developed with Atelier LUMA and the American University of Sharjah (AUS), which will focus on testing new materials and assessing their potential for wider use.

The Centre is also working with the Sharjah Economic Development Department and AUS's College of Engineering on Sharjah Industrial Mapping, a project that will document the emirate's manufacturing landscape and help designers find local manufacturers to work with.

Beyond its research and production facilities, SDC will offer workshops, courses, masterclasses, residencies, collaborative research projects and professional development programmes, giving students and designers more opportunities to develop their skills and engage with people working across the industry.