London-based interior and product designer Hedayat Islam and architect-maker Mohamed Saeed are producing contemporary wooden furniture made of compressed palm ribs, traditionally burned as waste in Egyptian rural communities, and a cause of severe air pollution. This highly innovative re-use of palm ribs has been pioneered by an Egyptian researcher, Dr Hamed El-Mously who has perfected the technique over a period of 20 years.

The designer-maker team will talk about their work to bring this sustainable substitute for wood into the realm of making contemporary furniture and will display some of their latest design pieces.

For more information on the story of Dr Mously please go to: https://www.idrc.ca/en/article/turning-palm-leaves-wood-opportunities-egypts-rural-communities)

An event organised by The Barakat Trust and the Egyptian Bureau for Cultural and Educational Affairs as part of London Craft Week 2019.