Latifa Al-Ali
Bachelor of Fine arts in graphic design
VCUarts Qatar
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Design and Technology / Product Design / Design for Social Good
My location: Doha, Qatar
Latifa Al-Ali
First Name: Latifa
Last Name: Al-Ali
University / College: VCUarts Qatar
Course / Program: Bachelor of Fine arts in graphic design
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Design and Technology / Product Design / Design for Social Good
My Location: Doha, Qatar
About
Currently, the design and production of most language toys are by non-Arabic speaking designers which results in unintended conflicts with our culture and language. My aim is to design products, especially for the Arabic language, as an Arab designer myself, to truly present the depth and richness of the Arabic language, highlighting all it can offer.
Highlighting Arabic’s unique form and connectivity, the Arabic letter beads (Harf Harf) provide a tangible and interactive tool for exploring the intricacies of the Arabic script. The product responds to the limited availability of well crafted learning tools in the Arabic language. The wearable beads provide a new way for children and adults alike to play with the building blocks of the language. Through a rigorous process of material exploration and prototyping, the beads were developed to allow users to see and feel the individual letterforms, explore the different ways of connection and unlock poetic potentials. The set consists of 128 pieces, featuring 32 different beads; 28 pieces of the Arabic Alphabet and four additional pieces that are essential to the Arabic script such as ligatures and punctuation. The beads were custom designed for the Arabic script with two holes on each side restricting its rotation and movement when connected. The beads were produced using Prusa MK3S+ using Silver PLA filament in a total of 48 hours per set. The design has the potential to be mass produced using injection molding, lowering cost and time.
Competitions
