House of Artisans: Making Emirati craftsmanship experiential

The House of Artisans in Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi. Permanent Exhibition

For the House of Artisans, a national craft centre in Abu Dhabi, Tellart redesigned the centre's permanent exhibition in collaboration with Kossman De Jong. Guests can now wander through an experiential woven village full of stories.

Located by Abu Dhabi’s historical landmark, the 'Qasr Al Hosn', this beautiful building from the 18th century is the city’s oldest and most famous building. For the permanent exhibition called House of Artisans, Tellart reframed Emirati crafts culture as a 'way of life' through a dynamic blend of artefact displays, films, interactive media as well as the unique opportunity to meet and engage with real craftspeople working within the space. This reimagined space brings the stories of Emirati craftsmanship to life, emphasising the enduring connection between people, nature, and heritage.

By focusing on key values that shape crafts culture—resourcefulness, collaboration, engagement, and innovation—Tellart redefined the visitor experience, offering a culturally relevant and personally engaging journey through local heritage. Beyond presenting information about Emirati crafts, the exhibition invites visitors to actively engage with the materials and methods through hands-on interactions, storytelling, and integrated technology. This immersive approach allows audiences to explore traditional craft techniques and how they connect them to their environment, culture, and history.

MS House of Artisans centre area HR, © Photography by Mohamed Somji, Design by Tellart & Kossmanndejong

Community space in the pavilion where Emirati artisans give workshops, Photography by Mohamed Somji

Crafts Pavilions: AI Sadu, Talli, Khoos
Within the main pavilion space at The House of Artisans, three semi-open pavilion structures woven from palm leaves showcase key local crafts: Al Sadu (wool weaving), Talli (ornamental braiding), and Khoos (palm leaf weaving).

Inside, the space is dedicated to traditional craftsmanship, while the outside represents contemporary innovation. Together, these pavilions form the heart of the exhibition, with the central focus on traditional weaving. The woven structures surrounding the crafts symbolise both protection and value, while the entire craft process is on display—from raw materials to finished products.

Each pavilion's design is carefully tailored to reflect the unique aspects of the craft it represents. Through a dynamic mix of artefact displays, films, and interactive media, visitors are guided through the full process of craft-making. The organically shaped structures blend traditional techniques with a modern sensibility, creating an inviting sensory environment for exploration. Guests also have the rare chance to meet and engage directly with artisans, gaining first hand insights into their craft.

This immersive experience fosters a deeper understanding of the relationship between Emirati artisans and their environment, emphasising how these traditional crafts—rooted in local materials—embody sustainability and preserve cultural heritage.

Each pavilion features an interactive table where visitors can explore the craft and traditional weaving techniques of Al Sadu, Talli and Khoos through a touchscreen controlled by digital versions of traditional craft tools. At the table, visitors can weave their own digital versions of each craft work. In collaboration with animator Lieke Milder, Tellart designed this experience to showcase the intricacy of these techniques and invite visitors to engage with the artistry of these crafts.

MS House of Artisans interactive2 HR © Photography by Mohamed Somji, Design by Tellart & Kossmanndejong

Interactive touchscreen for digital weaving, Photography by Mohamed Somji

MS House of Artisans overview HR © Photography by Mohamed Somji, Design by Tellart & Kossmanndejong

Wall projecting the video of Emirati crafts techniques, Photography by Mohamed Somji

Walls as Navigators: Universe of Craft & Wall of Hands
The two distinct curved walls in the main exhibition space shape the spatial experience that structure the environment. To highlight their monumental presence, one wall is dedicated to a Wall of Hands, featuring projected hands that emphasise the energy and skill behind the act of making. Some hands are of live-filmed-footage of the artisans working inside the exhibition. On the opposite side, the Universe of Crafts wall showcases a vast collection of craft objects and materials, representing not only traditional weaving but the full spectrum of Emirati craftsmanship.

“Our design for the House of Artisans exhibition centred on storytelling to bridge craftsmanship with technology. In some of the interactive experiences, we deconstructed intricate Emirati weaving techniques to uncover how they are made, and developed three touchscreens featuring animations. This allowed visitors to visualise the complexity of the craft and even create their own digital weavings, fostering a deeper understanding of the artistry.”

Sabrina Verhage, Tellart technology director

Together as an exhibition, this spatial design creates a harmonious balance of the creativity, craftsmanship, technology and the materiality that represents the rich cultural heritage of the UAE.