The renovation of the Arab League Hall by International Designer Nada Debs, marks the beginning of a new era in design,dialogue and unity amongst the Arab states. Commissioned and funded by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs of the UAE, the renovation, which began in 2015, aimed at modernising traditional elements while maintaining the essence of a distinctive Middle Eastern identity.

Nada’s approach focuses on her pioneering work as a craft custodian, where she creates a timeless appeal by safeguarding craft legacies and making them relevant to future generations through a signature design approach. “The idea was to breed new life into traditional craft, and I used prevalent Middle Eastern geometric design, interspersed through different mediums and a harmonic repetition to replicate a sense of coherence and unity,” says Nada.

Restoring and strengthening the inherent Arab identity, Nada preserved historically relevant features of the place, such as the scriptures above the main stage, the wooden wall panels, and the central circle of the hall, which is now accentuated with a rhombus selected for its relevance to Islamic architecture and its intrinsic connection to the Middle East region. The central circle of the hall is today a reflection of the modern Arab identity, represented through geometrical accents, arabesque patterns, an elevating colour scheme and the congruency of a Rhombus that together, stand to resemble a renewed alliance of the Arab member states that remain united in their mission to usher in a period of peace, prosperity and harmony in the Arab world.