Multidisciplinary designer Aljoud Lootah created an otherworldly installation for this year’s Dubai Design Week that is inspired by the area’s fishing heritage.

The octagonal roof and walls of the eye-catching “Yaroof” installation are made from nylon ropes that draw attention to tradition in a fast-paced city focused on innovation.

Dubai’s fishing nets heritage

Traditional Yaroof shore fishermen use beach seine netting made of strong mesh, mainly to catch small fish. Fishermen wade into the sea from the shore, holding the edge of the net. Inspired by this process, Aljoud Lootah designed his installation using four octagon frames, each with patterns of nylon ropes that reference the structure of a fishing net. Arabesque motifs were also used as inspiration for the patterns, which create curves using straight lines.

The installation was placed on the beach as a kind of shelter, providing shade for beach goers and promoting this year’s Dubai Design Week, which aims to diversify and develop the design industry in the city.