Xena Kalouti is a Jordan-based architect-designer whose work explores how identity takes shape across time, craft, and place. Guided by an ongoing inquiry into local heritage, her practice looks to the ritualised use of materials, past and present, and their transformative ability to create atmosphere.
We spoke with Xena about memory in space, the emotional language of form, and the role of material as both craft and narrative.
What inspired your journey into architect-design?
My journey into architect-design emerged from an early awareness that the places we inhabit carry meanings beyond geometry, they hold memory, imagination, and emotional presence. Growing up in Amman, a layered city shaped by movement, diversity, and resilience, I became deeply attuned to how environments embody stories of belonging and transformation. I have always been drawn to the quiet power of materials, their ability to retain traces of time and to shape atmospheres that resonate on a human level.
Through architecture and design, I explore how identity reveals itself through space, craft, and ritualised material use across past and present. Encounters with historical environments from the Levant and Ottoman landscapes to Andalusian palaces, the streets of Rome and Cairo, and the intimacy of Japanese tea houses strengthened my belief that memory is spatial and alive. These experiences continue to inform a practice that seeks not only to build forms, but to create emotional narratives where heritage, imagination, and contemporary life converge.
How do you approach the relationship between space, form, and emotion in your work?
I approach space, form, and emotion as inseparable elements that shape the lived experience of design. Rather than beginning with form alone, I start by considering atmosphere, how a space feels, how light moves through it, and how materials carry quiet narratives that unfold over time. Influenced by a phenomenological understanding of architecture, I believe that the emotional depth of a project often emerges from subtle gestures: proportion, texture, rhythm, and the choreography of everyday rituals.
My work seeks beauty in the ordinary moments of life, where design becomes a framework for presence rather than spectacle. In a world defined by constant change, I aim to create spaces and objects that hold meaning and continuity, forms that feel grounded yet adaptable, capable of resonating beyond fleeting trends. Material choices, spatial sequencing, and tactile detailing are carefully considered to create environments that invite reflection, intimacy, and calm.
This approach is guided by the belief that architecture should not impose emotion but quietly reveal it. By allowing space, form, and material to work together with restraint and intention, I strive to shape experiences that remain timeless, rooted in human perception and the evolving relationship between memory, atmosphere, and contemporary life.
How does local heritage inform the way you approach form and craft?
Local heritage informs my approach to form and craft as a living source of knowledge rather than a fixed reference. I see design as an extension of collective memory, shaped by everyday rituals, cultural observations, and the subtle narratives embedded in materials and making processes. Heritage, for me, is not a nostalgic return to the past, but an evolving dialogue that connects what has been inherited with what is yet to emerge.
I am drawn to the quiet beauty of the ordinary, where the essence of culture reveals itself through gestures that are often overlooked. By interpreting heritage through a contemporary lens, I seek to create forms that feel grounded in their origins while remaining open to transformation. This perspective allows tradition to remain active and relevant, carried forward through new material expressions, refined craftsmanship, and thoughtful innovation.
Sustainability is also embedded within this relationship. Respecting local craft traditions encourages a more conscious approach to resources, longevity, and emotional value. Rather than focusing on what has been lost, my work attempts to amplify what still endures, allowing heritage to exist as a dynamic force that shapes identity, nurtures continuity, and strengthens the emotional connection between people, objects, and place.
What draws you to explore the ritualised use of materials across time?
My interest in the ritualised use of materials comes from a desire to understand how objects carry memory across time. Materials are not neutral; they hold cultural narratives, traces of craftsmanship, and the values of the societies that shaped them. I am drawn to working with elements such as solid wood, veneers, mother-of-pearl, and emerging biological materials like kombucha, where living processes introduce new dialogues between nature, craft, and innovation.
Exploring materials through ritual allows design to move beyond function into meaning. Traditional techniques and inherited knowledge offer a framework for slowing down the process of making, encouraging a more conscious relationship with resources and the environment. Sustainability, in this sense, is not only ecological but also emotional — creating pieces that invite long-term connection rather than fleeting consumption.
By weaving together heritage craftsmanship with experimental sustainable approaches, I aim to create objects that speak to past and present simultaneously. This methodology reflects a commitment to thoughtful material choices, reduced environmental impact, and the creation of works that resonate with cultural depth while contributing to a more harmonious and responsible future.
What has been a defining moment in your design journey so far?
Rather than a single defining moment, my journey has been shaped by a series of quiet transformations that continue to refine my perspective as an architect-designer. Establishing my independent practice and developing Xena Kalouti Studio marked an important shift, allowing architecture, material research, and collectible design to exist within one evolving narrative. Presenting work internationally and engaging in diverse cultural contexts has reinforced my belief that design is a long-term dialogue rather than an immediate milestone.
I see growth not only through recognition, but through the resilience required to build a practice with intention and authenticity. Each project, collaboration, and exploration of new materials has contributed to a deeper clarity about the values that guide my work, atmosphere, craftsmanship, and emotional resonance. The journey itself, with its challenges and discoveries, has become a defining force, encouraging me to continue expanding the reach of my practice while remaining grounded in curiosity and purpose.