Arabic Design Archive
The Arabic Design Archive (ADA) is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to documenting, digitizing, and sharing the rich visual history of Arabic graphic design.
It was created to address a critical gap: the lack of accessible, organized archives that reflect Arab design heritage—especially from the second half of the 20th century.
ADA exists to change that, offering an open platform where history can be explored, understood, and preserved by everyone.
How It Started
Founded by Egyptian designer, researcher, and design historian Moe Elhossieny, ADA began in early 2020 as a passion project centered on collecting Arabic book cover designs.
What started as a solo effort quickly grew into a cross-regional collaboration, uniting designers and researchers from Cairo, Beirut, Jerusalem, Casablanca, and Vancouver—all driven by a shared belief that Arab design history deserves visibility and recognition.
Since 2021, the archive’s scope has expanded to include a broad range of graphic design materials—posters, logos, ads, and more—building a fuller picture of the region’s visual legacy.
Philosophy
At the heart of ADA is a rhizomatic approach to knowledge. This means we reject the idea of knowledge as linear or hierarchical. Instead, we embrace a decentralized, non-linear understanding—one with multiple entry points and narratives, where stories and history flow in all directions.
How We Work
Their method follows a “history from below” approach. Rather than solely documenting the works of prominent designers, we actively involve the community—inviting submissions, stories, and materials that might otherwise be overlooked.
This inclusive framework has helped surface many hidden gems, thanks to incredible contributions from people across the Arab world.
Team
They are a collective of passionate individuals committed to cultural preservation:
Core Team
- 🟡 Moe Elhossieny – Founder & Lead Researcher (Cairo)
- 🟡 Omaima Dajani – Assistant Researcher (Jerusalem)
- 🟡 Yaman To’meh – Assistant Researcher (Beirut)
- 🟡 Sophia Alami – Assistant Researcher (Casablanca)
- 🟡 Karim Fouad – Assistant Researcher (Cairo)
- 🟡 Fatma Fahmy – Metadata Specialist (Cairo)
- 🟡 Zeina Ahmed – Digitization Specialist (Cairo)
- 🟡 Rima Ghanem – Metadata Specialist (Vancouver)
Interns
- 🟣 Yasmine Mowafy – Digitization Specialist (Beirut)
- 🟣 Nourhan Elbanna – Assistant Researcher (Cairo)
Why It Matters
They believe the past should be accessible, collaborative, and constantly evolving.
ADA isn’t just an archive—it’s a living, growing movement to reclaim, protect, and celebrate Arab visual culture, and to make sure its stories are never lost again.
