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Case Studies

Saudi Embassy and Residence

Saudi Embassy and Residence

Project | Living
Designer | Sonia Ashoor Cultural Design
Source: Excerpts from Al-Sharkiah Magazine (www.alsharkiahmag.com), originally published January 19, 2021. Written by Victor Gee.

Saudi Cultural Designer Sonia Ashoor:
On leading a global career and the wonders of Islamic art

Sonia Ashoor is a celebrated designer and a cultural ambassador for Saudi Arabia, having created a series of stunning embassies and royal residences all over the world. Her commissions whether for a UNESCO project, a ministry, or a home, all reveal her innate love of beauty and reflect the radiance of Islamic art and design. Everything she designs reflects a shared purpose and philosophy; this gives her work its signature serenity and timeless harmony.

Ashoor, talks to Al Sharkiah about her expertise and career milestones.

Sonia Ashoor:
My early working career commenced by working with a residential design firm in Washington, DC followed by a corporate design position in Rockville Maryland. I then worked in London for a few years renovating historical properties to be put back on the market before moving to Jeddah in 2000. There I cofounded the Interior Design Department for Dar Al Hekma and taught for a year.In 2001, I established my own design firm SACD in Al Khobar, with a focus on culturally relevant projects. In 2008, we moved the firm to Bahrain for a wider exposure and have been here ever since.

Location

Warsaw, Poland
Location | Warsaw, Poland

Featuring

Bespoke
Featuring | Bespoke

Sonia Ashoor:
My multiple cultural strands are my gift and endless source of inspiration. When you also speak several languages, you live each culture and take on the persona of that culture. This allows for a unique approach to design, in which art, culture and history come together effortlessly in harmony without conflict.

Sonia Ashoor:
To date my favorite project remains, the Saudi Embassy and Residence in Warsaw, Poland. It was a project that allowed me to fully express my love for Islamic Art and history in a contemporary context.

Inspired by Warsaw’s vision of rebuilding itself after World War II to the style of its golden age, the 16th century, we took on the 16th century of Islamic Art as our design direction. We were inspired by Ottoman Iznik tiles and dissected colors, patterns and glazes to create artistic art panels throughout. Manuscripts from the Safavid dynasty inspired the space planning, creating a story of meandering spaces and calculated views. The intricate writings in both tiles and manuscripts inspired the calligraphy on our art panels and carvings on limestone walls. Spaces are void of decoration and artistic expressions are limited to the hard interior. Completing a museum feel, carefully selected artifacts are displayed on stands and in glass cases.

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