Downtown Design Riyadh, May 2025

Armourcoat presented its Raw Earth edit of naturally sustainable interior finishes at the inaugural edition of Downtown Design Riyadh, 20-23 May 2025, where it showcased a unique curated edit of natural plaster finishes in locally-inspired textures and tones developed with Saudi Arabia’s energising architectural design industry in mind.

A staple on Dubai’s creative since 2013, Downtown Design Riyadh marked the Saudi debut of the Middle East’s leading fair for contemporary, high-quality design; and Saudi Arabia’s first major fair dedicated to pushing new boundaries in modern design excellence.

For this year’s landmark fair in Riyadh, Armourcoat unveiled a specially devised edit of its Raw Earth – Material Showcase, a unique collection of consciously crafted finishes inspired by local historical architecture together with the captivating world of high-end interior design within the Middle East region. Surfaces on show included a new bespoke rammed earth design Clay Lime Plaster and Polished Plaster finishes inspired by local historical, cultural, and aesthetic design influences, building on the brand’s 15-year regional presence working with local suppliers and applicators across major architectural projects.

A new local edition of the well-established Downtown Design fair in Dubai, the debut event in Riyadh was held at JAX District – new creative and cultural hub set against the historic backdrop of At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah. Designed by Bricklab and managed in partnership with the Saudi Arabia Architecture and Design Commission of the Ministry of Culture.

The unique regional event presented a curated showcase of global design excellence with the region’s most exciting creative talent with the intention of connecting global design brands, industry professionals, and design enthusiasts with the Middle East’s flourishing creative community – via thoughtfully curated exhibits, installations, talks & activations. Including works by original, contemporary designers and global brands alongside new collections from both international and regional studios.

Raw Earth by Armourcoat is an exclusive, thoughtfully curated material edit which aims to inspire a fresh mindset in sustainable design and promote environmentally positive changes across architectural interiors.

Presenting an exploration into the sustainable natural beauty of Armourcoat’s consciously crafted interior finishes via a balanced edit of natural earth-inspired tones and textures. Including a new bespoke coarse finish Clay Lime Plaster applied in a tonal ‘rammed earth’ composition, together with naturally sustainable Polished Plaster surfaces.

A carefully curated edit of hand-applied plaster finishes inspired by Middle East culture, design and architecture conveys the authentic, inherent beauty of Earth’s geological features, presenting a balanced palette of natural earthy tones and textures from Armourcoat’s design-led collection of naturally sustainable interior finishes.

All finishes are consciously crafted to add natural depth and interest to architectural interiors in the Middle East, ensuring visual harmony and balance. Textures range from silky smooth to rugged and raw – shining a spotlight on the diverse aesthetic of Armourcoat’s sustainable luxury finishes, and enabling the creation of unique interior spaces, including curved surface application.

Bespoke Rammed Earth – Clay Lime Plaster Bespoke finish with a coarse, heavily-textured surface and rammed earth effect tonal coloration

Istria – Polished Plaster A superfine matte stone effect finish with subtle tonal variation and directional movement

Smooth – Polished Plaster Natural, mid sheen semi-polished finish with visible crushed marble

Perlata – Decorative Paint A rich, elegant finish with a subtle shimmer and tonal movement