• One of the design week workshops run by the school involved the engraving of rubber stamps to create patterns combining Saudi and Italian cultures

Ameera Abid, Riyadh

The leaders of an experimental Italian design laboratory are aiming to tap into Saudi culture as part of an international creativity project.

Matera Open Design School has been participating in Saudi Design Week — part of the Riyadh Season of activities — with talks and workshops based around its 2019 cultural program.

Open Design School coordinator, Marco Laterza, told Arab News: “It is not a school in the literal sense, there are no teachers or students. We all learn, and we all teach. It is a living lab for interdisciplinary experimentation.

“Our goal is to share, so we are trying something experimental. We are testing (designs), making mistakes and trying to do it better. We are creating a model and want to share it with those that are interested.

“We aim to involve Saudi Arabia, and we have people from all over Europe, Brazil and South Africa. Mixing different backgrounds and cultures is what gives us strength,” added the architect from the town of Montescaglioso in Matera province, southern Italy.

Laterza was joined in Riyadh by Open Design School lab manager, Pasquale Montemurro, who said: “The school is all about mixing knowledge from different backgrounds, and we have people coming to us from all parts of Italy and Europe.

“So, for us it has been very interesting to present our model to another part of the world, and to see and learn from the reactions. It is a great opportunity to be here (in Riyadh) and to participate in the Saudi Design Week.”

One of the design week workshops run by the school involved the engraving of rubber stamps to create patterns combining Saudi and Italian cultures.