Zaha, Gehry, And Other Architecture Stars Design Rugs To Keep Afghan Women Employed

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Zaha, Gehry, And Other Architecture Stars Design Rugs To Keep Afghan Women Employed

February 12, 2013

“Arabesque I”, by Michael Graves

Heartwarming story of the day: A Chicago rug vendor has tapped several architecture superstars for a new collection that aims to help impoverished Afghan women. The designs by Frank Gehry, Michael Graves, Zaha Hadid, Robert A.M. Stern, Margaret McCurry, and Stanley Tigerman will be sold through Arzu Studio Hope, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of Afghan weavers and their families. The company is based on a model of social entrepreneurship that seeks to break the cycle of poverty by providing women steady income and access to basic services by sourcing and selling the rugs they weave. See the designs!

Arzu’s most creative project yet, “Masters Collection,” is now available in a variety of beautiful designs, featuring creations from Hadid’s computer-generated mesh of lines to Grave’s colorful arabesques to Stern’s Ionic capital-inspired curlicue patterns. The rugs can be custom ordered through Arzu Studio Hope. Arzu has created more than 700 jobs for Afghan women and spearheaded programs that improve access to better life conditions, such as education, health care, clean water, and shelter.

Read the full Architectural Digest story here.