Building Arts & Crafts Diploma
A partnership between The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, Jeddah Historic District and The King's Foundation School of Traditional Arts, delivered at The Royal Institute of the Traditional Arts - Jeddah Branch, Saudi Arabia
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The Building Arts & Crafts Diploma is a two-year programme that is structured as a set of modules centred around craft and design experiences.
The programme provides a strong foundation in traditional Islamic art and crafts, architecture and design. It is created to develop students’ design knowledge and crafts skills to eventually undertake regeneration and commercial projects.
Open to craftsmen, architecture and art students, engineers and designers, our Diploma Programme offers opportunities to those who wish to become proficient designers to engage with the building arts and crafts of Al Balad. It also supports graduates to pass on the traditional knowledge and skills they have learnt and developed.
The course is structured as a series of craft and design modules, with it's curriculum focused on the architectural heritage of Al Balad. Students undertake studies that develop both their design skills and crafts techniques supported by project led learning. The second year culminates in a major project set within Jeddah’s historic houses.
On the craft modules students learn a variety of craft techniques and transferable skills based on a master-apprentice method. Field studies in Al Balad and exposure to restoration work in Jeddah will provide a vital aspect of understanding the contextual importance of traditional craft skills.
On the design modules students study the language of the traditional Islamic arts and that of Jeddah's Al Balad, which helps them achieve a high level of artistic literacy and design application. Furthermore, they learn design topics that are specific to each craft and supports the students' technical practice.
This education process integrates design skills and craft workshop experiences for students to reach an integrated understanding of how things are designed and made. Research and practical engagement with the rich cultural heritage of Al Balad will inspire their contemporary expression of Jeddah’s living heritage.
