The 2017 design exhibition took place at the Amman Electricity Hangar in Amman’s Ras El Ain neighborhood. Curated by Ahmad Humeid, CEO and founder of SYNTAX, the Hangar Exhibition showcased innovative works by over 100 local and regional designers that explore the value of design as a way to tackle challenges, create opportunities and contribute to a richer life.

This year also witnessed the return of the pop-up Crafts District, introduced last year as a space dedicated to celebrating the social and critical discourse of crafts and making. Taking place in an open-air structure designed by architect Dina Haddadin and at the Al Hussein Cultural Center, this years Crafts District offered a series of demonstration booths, pop-up shops, design installations, cultural activities, and a selection of craft artisans working with a variety of materials.
The Crafts District also featured a curated food program entitled ‘Mouneh’ – meaning ‘pantry’ in Arabic – that focused on the practice of regional food preservation, curated by Shermine Sawalha.

Learning continued to be the core focus of Amman Design Week, and this year hosted its first Student Exhibition – the result of a year long mentorship program – as well as a diverse series of workshops, talks and discussion panels geared toward raising awareness on the elements of design and the impact it creates over our daily lives.

As an embodiment of the concept of movement, this year’s edition of ADW focused on expanding the event’s reach, focusing on programs that can target schools in governorates beyond Amman and working with communities nationwide to offer a glimpse into the power of design. With a wide array of tours, mobile experiences, and the traveling Mobile MakerSpace, the kinetic nature of this year’s edition was perceptible at every touch point.

ADW presented a series of workshops and talks that ranged from introductory level sessions for the general public to intensive learning experiences targeted at designers wishing to expand their horizons and hone their skills. The series connected the general public with local, regional and international designers’ work and ideas, and addressed issues of design practice, process, theory, management and technique.