Who Crafted Sand Spheres In Diriyah?

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by Alexandra Mansilla

Who Crafted Sand Spheres In Diriyah?

24 Mar 2024

"Layali Diriyah" is an annual festival held in Al Bujairi Park, showcasing the rich heritage, culture, and traditions of Saudi Arabia through a lot of events, performances, exhibitions, and activities. One captivating feature that caught our attention is the display of sand spheres, meticulously stacked atop one another, appearing almost perfectly identical. But who crafted them and what's the story behind their creation?

You have got a limited window to experience it all (so don't dawdle!) as the event runs from 5.30 pm to 4.30 am, spanning from March 18 to April 1.

A bit about Diriyah

Known as the "City of Earth," it holds historical significance as the birthplace of the first Saudi state and boasts unique earth-based architecture. The traditional mud-brick buildings and structures, characteristic of Najdi architecture, constructed from locally sourced materials, offer a glimpse into the region's rich historical and cultural heritage.

Photo: Unsplash in collaboration with Getty Images

"From This Earth" in the "City of Earth"

It sounds like the name of the installation fits perfectly with the name of the city, doesn't it? But it is not just a coincidence — the installation "From This Earth" is made entirely of materials generously provided by the Earth, namely, sand.

Who are the authors?

Karim Tamerji and Elias El Hage are from "Karim + Elias," a multidisciplinary design studio that specialises in working with sand. As they describe it, they “explore sand through art and design.”

Their debut project, "IOTA", was unveiled at Dubai’s Downtown Design last year. "IOTA" featured a grand open-air installation comprising over 150 modular spheres of sand. Each sphere boasted unique texture and composition, naturally pigmented in an earthy blood-orange hue.

Instagram: @karimandelias

Karim and Elias describe their technique: “Our work preserves the age-old method of hand-pressing earth layer above layer, now cast in modern-made moulds. We have reimagined the method through form, showcasing a perceptibly heavy material as contemporary, soft and seemingly weightless. Each tactile sphere is unique in texture and composition, naturally pigmented in an array of colors.”

The studio's latest creation, "From This Earth," pays homage to Diriyah's architectural tradition of earth-based construction. It showcases a breathtaking arrangement of over 1,400 modular spheres stacked atop one another. Each sphere is meticulously handcrafted, and what is truly remarkable is that all elements appear flawlessly identical.

Instagram: @karimandelias

The installation's porous surfaces offer a contemporary reinterpretation of the "mashrabiya", a distinctive architectural feature prevalent in Islamic and Arab architecture. Originating as wooden lattice windows, the "mashrabiya" remains a defining element of homes in the Western Islamic world.

by Alexandra Mansilla