Reinventing the Vernacular

Reinventing the Vernacular was an initiative founded by Dar Al- Hekma University with the mission of weaving local tradition
into the global context of new media, art, and technology. It began with a passionate interest in preserving the heritage of
Aseer. It turned into broader research that reached other areas in Saudi Arabia at the intersection of art, architecture, and
education. The project’s purpose was to build a cultural center in Al-Okas village that connects the ancient sustainable
building techniques with modern technology to reinvent the lifestyle in communities.

Co-Designs developed the brand identity and website of the project. Besides the secondary research method, the project
required visiting the region, observing its history, and talking to the inhabitants to understand the connection between the
residents and their architecture and learn about the stories behind their buildings. The concept was derived from the colorful
paintings applied to buildings in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The font was chosen to reflect the vernacular and
primitive aspects of the city while appealing to the youth at the same time. As the project was intended to be applied to
different regions in Saudi Arabia, the logo was designed to be adjustable to reflect the region it ought to show.