“Furniture that Celebrates the Past”: Exploring the Nostalgia-Evoking Seating Design on the Purchasing Behavior of Saudi Arabian Millennials in a Case Study of the Hijazi Karaweetah

Abstract

Furniture is a symbol of civilizations and conveys social-cultural identity. In Saudi Arabia, after the oil discovery, radical lifestyle growth and international investors have impacted local social culture and traditional identity and altered the use and form of furniture. Although Saudi Vision 2030 aims to preserve historical buildings and architectural elements, furniture must be in the scope. This study aims to explore the Hijazi conventional seating at residential spaces, the Karaweetah, as a source of inspiration for designing and preserving cultural artifacts. The study used a multi-method research design based on hermeneutics interpretation, investigating historical nostalgic-evoking seating on Saudi millennials' perceptions and purchasing decision-making. The study involved a case study of Hijazi's Karaweetah to understand its vernacular characteristics and function, followed by design ideations based on three-dimensional prototypes of nine seating designs representing different levels of heritage inspiration. Finally, a visual questionnaire tested the historical nostalgia of Saudi millennials and its effect on their purchasing preferences. The number of participants who interact with the study is 164, who spend an average of two to five years outside of Saudi Arabia. Most respondents were female (n=131; 79.9%), while male responses were comparatively lower (n=33; 20.1%). Nostalgic elements in seating design profoundly impact Saudi millennials' purchasing decisions by 43.3%, while others (33%) preferred the modern style due to its simplicity and unique details. The outcomes preserve the essence of conventional seating design elements while also benefiting design by providing information on traditional heritage, exploring the present, and maintaining the future of seating design based on vernacular characteristics; the study contributes to the body of knowledge. The proposed framework guides furniture design practice in identifying vernacular characteristics and preserving cultural artifacts. It also provides valuable insight into Saudi millennials' purchasing decisions and the influence of historical nostalgic-evoking seating designs.