By Lina Alaidaroos
Memories that shape my story~
It has been ten years since I graduated as an Interior Designer in 2015, ten years marked by both failure and success. I began my career working for a company that valued heritage and culture, unknowingly aligning my values as a designer over time. Throughout these years, I worked on a mix of cultural, commercial, and luxury projects, feeling lost between whether I should focus on honoring the past, embracing contemporary design, or pursuing luxury living.
In 2020, I established a brand that celebrated living in luxury, collaborating with global furniture brands and creating an online platform to sell these pieces. At the same time, I was involved in projects aimed at preserving history, heritage, and promoting slow, meaningful living. Living in these opposing worlds for so long made it difficult to find clarity. It wasn’t until I took a step back, cut off everything, and moved to London that I began to find myself.
The Future
My year at the Royal College of Art was not about securing a better job or higher salary upon returning to Saudi Arabia. It was about discovering my true identity as a designer. During this time, I finally had the space to read and reflect books like Hassan Fathy’s works and revisiting postmodernism profoundly changed my perspective. The MA taught me that design should go beyond aesthetics; it’s about storytelling. People are collections of their past, present, and their surroundings.
Now, I understand what luxury truly means to me not just high-end brands, but creating layered experiences that foster a genuine connection between people and buildings. It’s about history, materials, and stories that leave a meaningful impact, not just shiny, superficial appearances.
Moving forward, I am committed to preserving historic buildings in Saudi Arabia while telling stories of people from the present. My focus is on research, creating meaningful experiences, and ensuring that every project has depth and purpose. This is why I am determined to work both as a researcher and a designer.
My mind is clear now, and I am ready to embark on this new journey one that seeks to find true meaning in buildings and their stories.