海角直播

RIYADH: 海角直播 placed its design ambitions firmly on the global stage this week as the inaugural Cultural Investment Conference wrapped up its second day in Riyadh.

The two-day event, which was held on Monday and Tuesday, showcased opportunities across the cultural economy and unveiled a landmark partnership between the Ministry of Culture鈥檚 Architecture and Design Commission, and Salone del Mobile.

The collaboration will bring the world鈥檚 most influential design and furniture fair to Riyadh for the first time.

Since its launch in 1961, Salone del Mobile has become a global benchmark, presenting exceptional furniture and product design while also functioning as a hub for business, networking, and innovating.

The fair attracts nearly 2,000 exhibitors and more than 300,000 visitors annually, and its entry into the Saudi market signals a new chapter for the Kingdom鈥檚 growing design industry.

For Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman, the CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, the timing could not be better.

She told Arab News: 鈥淭he Cultural Investment Conference for the Architecture and Design Commission specifically is an extremely important venue for building relationships and making sure that we鈥檙e able to align specific problems and challenges with a lot of different solutions, and also a funding mechanism.鈥�

She described the conference as both a platform to showcase progress and a springboard for the future, adding: 鈥淲hat we鈥檝e seen over the course of two days has been fantastic in terms of some of the projects that already happened. But also for us, it鈥檚 an opportunity to launch a really important project for us, which is bringing Salone del Mobile to Riyadh and it鈥檚 a key moment for us.鈥�

Al-Solaiman emphasized the broader impact for the Kingdom鈥檚 design industry, saying: 鈥淲e always look at how to make sure that from an ecosystem point of view we鈥檙e able to connect the dots. It鈥檚 not just about the existence of talent, we also need to connect it with industry, but we also need to open up different platforms where people can come to share ideas and actually get inspired.鈥�

That perspective resonates with Maria Porro, president of Salone del Mobile Milano, who draws parallels between the fair鈥檚 history and 海角直播鈥檚 transformation.

She said: 鈥淢ilan was founded 鈥� by a group of courageous entrepreneurs that started from the idea that competing and gathering together was a way to be stronger. Design at the end is industrial production that comes from the culture of the project.鈥�

Porro underscored the importance of a holistic approach, and added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 an ecosystem that brings together producers, schools, designers, architects, but also the business part.

鈥淭his ecosystem needs to be nourished with long-term investment.鈥�

She noted that momentum has already been building, and said: 鈥淚n November we will start our collaboration with the Ministry of Culture鈥檚 Architecture and Design Commission, creating an incredible event here in Riyadh with more than 30 Italian furniture established brands in dialogue with the local design community.鈥�

The partnership reflects a shared belief that culture and design are not just creative pursuits but economic engines. 

As Al-Solaiman put it: 鈥淲ith Salone del Mobile coming to us for the first time 鈥� it鈥檚 going to be a beautiful annual event that will also sustain a lot of interest throughout the whole year.鈥�