Doha:Liwan Design Studios and Labs has unveiled the second volume of Al Journal, centered on the theme of 'Design and Resilience'. This edition compiles essays, articles, reviews, and visual contributions from Qatar, Southwest Asia, North Africa, and beyond, exploring how design can facilitate empowerment and self-expression in facing local and global challenges.
According to Qatar News Agency, Al Journal is published biennially as a platform for exchange between local and international design communities. It showcases pioneering Qatari creatives alongside contributors from various disciplines and geographies. The current volume investigates how creative practices respond to issues such as conflict, displacement, and environmental crises, while preserving cultural knowledge and aiding communities in adaptation.
Aisha Nasser Al Sowaidi, Director of Liwan Design Studios and Labs, emphasized that Al Journal extends Liwan's dedication to fostering creative exchange and offering perspectives rooted in Qatar and the wider region. This volume explores how designers and communities utilize local knowledge, materials, and experiences to navigate challenging situations, aiming to spark a wider conversation about the role of design in shaping a shared future.
The journal's thematic sections analyze how different art and design media, including architecture, craft, film, music, food, photography, and fashion, can embody resilience. Notable pieces include "Land as Witness On Testimony and Resistance" with Shourideh Molavi, "Material Resilience in Contemporary Qatar" by Abdulrahman Al Muftah, and a podcast titled "From Desert Kites to Diasporic Imaginaries" featuring architects Sumayya Vally from Counterspace, and Hamad Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi from Civil Architecture. Additional contributions highlight Qatar's clay traditions, Doha's urban spaces, and experiences from Liwan's residencies, linking resilience to local materials, cultural memory, and creative practice.
The journal also presents photography by Tasweer award winners, featured in the 2025 exhibitions "Threads of Light Stories from Tasweer Single Image Awards" and "Refractions Tasweer Project Awards". Photographers such as Adel Al Haimi, Ali Haj Suleiman, Adam Rouhana, and Wafaa Samir contribute images that offer a photographic perspective on the volume's theme.
