About 1971-Design Space

Founded in Sharjah in 2015, 1971 – Design Space is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to design, research, craft, and creative exchange in the UAE and the wider region. Established under the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the space supports emerging and established practitioners working across architecture, product design, material experimentation, visual communication, and socially engaged practices. Through exhibitions, commissions, workshops, talks, residencies, and public programmes, 1971 – Design Space cultivates dialogue between contemporary design and local cultural narratives.

Located in Flag Island, the space functions as both an exhibition venue and a community hub where design is approached as a living and evolving practice connected to everyday life, memory, environment, and material culture. Its programme often explores themes rooted in the histories and landscapes of the Gulf and the broader SWANA region, while also encouraging interdisciplinary experimentation and international collaboration.

Over the years, 1971 – Design Space has presented exhibitions and site-specific commissions by regional and international designers, architects, and makers whose practices engage with sustainability, heritage, urbanism, ecology, and craft traditions. The institution places particular emphasis on supporting research-driven and process-oriented work, offering visitors insight into the conceptual and material development behind contemporary design practices.

In addition to its exhibitions, the space hosts educational initiatives and community-led activities that encourage learning, dialogue, and participation across different age groups and disciplines. By fostering connections between design, culture, and public engagement, 1971 – Design Space continues to contribute to the UAE’s growing creative landscape while positioning Sharjah as a centre for critical and experimental design discourse in the region.

Dr. Nina Heydemann

Director

Dr. Nina Heydemann is currently the director of the Maraya Art Centre and the 1971 – Design Space in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Before her appointment, Dr. Nina Heydemann worked as the Senior Manager – Visual Arts, heading the Department of Visual Arts at the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) in Abu Dhabi from 2014-2018. She received her PhD degree in Art History from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and the University College London (UCL), United Kingdom. Her dissertation “The Art of Quotation. Forms and Themes of the Art Quote, 1990-2010”, examines inter-pictorial referentiality of contemporary artworks. Previously, she worked as an exhibition manager for the Deutsche Bank Art Collection in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

Dr. Nina Heydemann studied Art History and Cultural Sciences at the University of Leipzig, the Universit Ca’ Foscar Venice and Venice International University, Italy. She was awarded scholarships from the University of Leipzig, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes).

Noor Suhail

Curator of 1971 Design Space

Raised in Sharjah, Palestinian-Jordanian curator and designer Noor Suhail Abu Hijleh has been active in the art and culture field for nearly a decade. She joined Maraya Art Centre in 2015 as a graphic designer, where she was instrumental in developing the branding strategy of 1971 – Design Space upon its launch that same year.

A graduate of the American University of Sharjah with a BA in Visual Communication (2006), Noor began her career in marketing and advertising before transitioning into the cultural sector. At Maraya Art Centre and 1971 – Design Space, she designed the visual identities of numerous exhibitions and produced their accompanying catalogues, gradually expanding her role to include curatorial development and exhibition direction.

As Curator at 1971 – Design Space, Noor’s recent projects explore contemporary design’s intersections with sustainability, material innovation, and cultural heritage. Her curatorial portfolio includes SILA: All That Is Left to You (2025), co-curated with Cima Azzam and in collaboration with Rula Alami, Niche: Leukeather Goods by Nuhayr Zein (2025); and Prototypes for Permanence (2024), part of the Tanweer Festival Off-Site Art Commissions. Her upcoming exhibition, Light, Encountered, is presented in collaboration with the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival (SIAF).

Throughout her practice, Noor has worked closely with and commissioned regional designers including Ahmad Kattan and Areen Hassan, fostering a curatorial dialogue between material experimentation and narrative design. Her work continues to investigate how design can act as a conduit for storytelling, sustainability, and the preservation of collective memory.