In the line with Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah's vision to foster sustainability and environmental awareness among young people, the University of Jordan (UJ), through the School of Arts and Design, has launched an initiative titled “Recycling as a Tool for Environmental Awareness."
Led by Dr. Haifa’a Bani Ismail, the initiative encouraged students to engage in upcycling, transforming old and unused furniture into creative works that merge aesthetics with environmental responsibility. In the School’s studios, students redesigned chairs and tables into pieces suitable for display, exemplifying how sustainable art can turn waste into value and design into a driver of positive change.
Dean of the School of Arts and Design, Prof. Jihad Hassan Al-Ameri, said the initiative highlights students’ ability to reimagine the old and reshape it into innovative works that align with principles of eco art and sustainable design.
Bani Ismail explained that the project aims to instil recycling as a social value while deepening environmental awareness among students,aligned with global trends such as design with memory, where the history of the material is reflected in its renewed form.
The initiative unfolded in several phases, including the exhibition “From Old to Precious,” the redesign of corridors and meeting rooms, and the creation of nearly forty new artworks now displayed across the University. Highlights included a wooden mural by Jana Haidar that combined handcraft with digital tools, and a geometric mural by Dania Al-Rafou that blended traditional motifs with modern colours, examples of art interventions that enrich the campus space while embodying sustainability.
Al-Ameri added that the School plans to expand the initiative through cultural days, conferences, seminars, and collaborations with artists, ensuring it continues to serve as a vibrant centre of cultural and creative expression rooted in sustainability.