Focusing on the by-product of date stoning, Sara Abu Farha and Khaled Shalkha embarked on an investigation to understand the design capabilities of the humble date seed. The design duo studied vernacular building methods across the MENASA region before setting out to identify a sustainable and low-cost process to convert raw date seeds into a cementitious design material using their home as a laboratory. The resulting material utilizes the seeds’ mechanical properties. Datecrete possesses both a smooth texture and a cultural relevance that has the potential to serve as a local alternative to Portland cement.

Academic researchers in Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan and Libya have investigated the application of date palm seeds as a suitable filler material in glass–epoxy composites as well as a coarse aggregate in concrete production (as an alternative to stone). What makes Sara Abu Farha and Khaled Shalkha’s outcome stand out is that they claim to have developed the world’s first date seed-based cementitious material with no trace of concrete or resin.

Historically, a pinch of roasted and finely ground date seeds was used in the production of organic kohl, a tradition that runs deep in Emirati societies. This gave Sara and Khaled the idea to showcase the material’s beauty, strength, and potential in the form of a console. The designed product contrasts smooth planes with coarse surfaces, which seeks to trigger conversation around the material and its place in history.