Sharjah entities join hands to turn wood waste into art

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sharjah Sustainable City – the first sustainable master-planned residential community developed by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in partnership with Diamond Developers, has joined forces with the University of Sharjah’s College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) to promote wood recycling among community residents and students.

As part of the collaboration, a hands-on workshop and special session were organised for the Sharjah Sustainable City residents at CFAD, where they learned about the wide range of aspects involved in sustainable wood recycling.

In particular, the residents, the majority of whom were women, discovered how to select the suitable wood for recycling, choose the right tools for each wood type, and use different measuring techniques and the essential steps to prepare, recycle, and clean wood.

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Commenting on the collaboration, Carl Atallah, Director of Marketing & Communications at Sharjah Sustainable City, said: “We are thrilled to partner with CFAD for this important initiative to spread awareness about reusing and recycling materials such as wood, which ultimately helps save resources like energy and water that go into producing such products from scratch. It is also part of our broader efforts to engage every community member in various activities promoting sustainable living as we aspire to become a net-zero-energy city while creating a happy, healthy, and environmentally aware community. I was delighted to see the great response from our residents toward this particular workshop, as they spent hours keenly learning sustainable art. I thank CFAD for their amazing support, for sharing valuable knowledge, and for making the workshop engaging and informative.”

For her part, Dr Iman Abdel Shahid Ibrahim, Associate Professor at CFAD, University of Sharjah, said: “One of our focus areas at CFAD is to contribute to the cultural and social progress of the community by responding to its needs through effective partnerships. For nearly two decades, we have been fostering creativity and promoting innovation in partnership with society, especially in the Emirate of Sharjah. Our collaboration with Sharjah Sustainable City aligns well with these efforts, and we are delighted to interact with the city’s residents, educating them about various sustainable and eco-design arts. It is great to see the enthusiasm among all the participants, and I congratulate them for leading the way and inspiring others toward a sustainable future.”

Speaking about her experience, Dayana Sayegh, a resident of Sharjah Sustainable City, said: “It was such a wonderful experience to learn how we can reduce wood waste and reuse this precious resource by turning it into useful artifacts like wooden frames. I thank our city’s management for leaving no stone unturned when it comes to promoting sustainable living. Whether it’s health and wellness sessions or community farming workshops, the city has always been at the forefront of engaging us in a wide range of activities. I’m proud to see how we are becoming an integral part of a movement contributing to local and global efforts toward sustainable development.”

Overall, the broader goal of the collaboration is to make a positive impact on the environment and society by promoting resource recovery and creative ways of turning waste into valuable art, which would otherwise end up in landfills. Additionally, the collaboration aims to spread awareness about sustainability among future generations, such as students.

The workshop concluded with residents creating a wooden frame that will be showcased at the upcoming exhibition by CFAD titled Sustainable Interior Environments.

Sharjah Sustainable City is leading the global movement toward sustainable living, promoting a lifestyle that is compatible with the future.  The development provides practical solutions related to food security, water and energy management, as well as natural resources conservation.

The city is a joint venture between Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Diamond Developers to meet the highest sustainability standards.