Prime Highlights:
- Led by celebrated Spanish architect Izaskun Chinchilla, “Flamenco Essence” reimagines design through a feminine lens of rhythm, emotion, and wellbeing.
- Commissioned by Saudi Arabia’s Ithra, the installation celebrates the power of women-led creativity in bridging cultures through art and scent.
Key Facts:
- The circular pavilion, inspired by the ruffles of a flamenco skirt, symbolizes movement, harmony, and collective serenity, values often linked to feminine expression.
- Through lavender, a symbol of calm and care rooted in Saudi nature, Chinchilla transforms design into an act of emotional healing and social connection.
Background:
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will reveal a new art installation called “Flamenco Essence: The Lavender Pavilion” at Dubai Design Week, starting November 4.
Created by Spanish architect Izaskun Chinchilla, the work combines Spanish and Saudi traditions through art, scent, and craftsmanship, offering visitors a calming and creative space that highlights feminine expression and cultural harmony.
Chinchilla, founder of Izaskun Chinchilla Architects, describes the pavilion as “a space that embodies calmness, collective serenity, and the therapeutic power of scent.” Inspired by this year’s Dubai Design Week theme, “Detail,” the architect drew from the ruffles of a flamenco skirt, a design element that symbolizes rhythm, movement, and emotion. “The ruffle enhances synchronization between music and dance. For us, it allows the synchronization of breathings from visitors,” she said, explaining how that fluidity inspired the structure’s light, undulating forms.
At the heart of the round pavilion is a lavender garden that shows the natural beauty of Saudi Arabia. The soft lavender scent fills the air, creating a calm and relaxing space. Above it, a fabric canopy shaped like flamenco ruffles protects visitors from the sun and wind while spreading the pleasant fragrance around.
The project also shows strong teamwork between Saudi and Spanish designers, mixing local traditions with modern design. Chinchilla said working with Saudi experts made the project stronger and united both cultures.
More than just an art piece, Flamenco Essence offers a place for relaxation and connection, encouraging visitors to slow down, breathe deeply, and enjoy the sense of peace the space provides.
Led by a woman architect, the pavilion shows how female creativity can connect cultures, inspire emotion, and turn small design details into acts of care and beauty.
