The Dubai Design Week, returns 7 – 12 November with a focus on designers from region. The Middle East’s design platform brings together established and emerging designers from the region to exchange ideas, inspire audiences and present the possibilities of what can be achieved through design. (Here all our posts about Design)
An immersive experience
The event will bring to the design community and general public an immersive experience featuring exhibitions, pop-ups, panel discussions, hands-on workshops and large-scale outdoor installations. Downtown Design, Dubai Design Week’s anchor event and the leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design, will mark its 10th edition.
Each year, Dubai Design Week provides a unique opportunity for designers from across the region to showcase their work to an international audience and is a platform for critical discourse, promoting responsible and impactful design and encouraging designers to consider the broader implications of their work.
Dubai Design Week: downtown design
Marking a decade of contemporary design, Downtown Design will showcase more than 300 international and regional brands and designers from over 40 countries, reflecting Dubai’s influence on the regions burgeoning design industry.
In its 10th edition this year, the fair will welcome some of the most sought-after brands globally, presenting their latest collections and innovative products, such as Cassina, showcasing its stand-out, inimitable Italian designs, Cosentino, unveiling a Roman bath concept in collaboration with Kristina Zanic Consultants,
Dedar featuring a creative collaboration titled ‘Reverie’ in collaboration with Popus Eduitions and 1.6.0 Editions; Flexform, presented by Obegi Home, making their debut with a large outdoor showcase at the heart of the fair; world-renowned industry design brand Kartell, returning to Downtown Design after 10 years; and Poltrona Frau, a leader in ‘made- in-Italy’ design which fosters an exquisite blend of tradition and innovation.
In the fair’s section dedicated to limited-edition design and bespoke design, Downtown Editions, visitors can explore works by independent designers, studios and galleries from all corners of the world, with a spotlight on the region. Highlights include Dubai-based Fadi Saridienne Studio launch his new pieces; Apparatus presented by Dubai-based Collectional Gallery; Arkivio from South Africa alongside coveted new brand Don Tanani from Egypt and the unveiling of four projects by the designer cohort of the annual Tanween programme by Tashkeel.
Exhibitions
Over the course of the week, Dubai Design Week will host a number of curated exhibitions, including:
UAE Designer Exhibition is an annual platform for the local creative community, showcasing emerging talents and young practitioners. Hosted at Downtown Design, this year’s exhibition is curated by Fatma Al Mahmoud under the theme ‘For Future Living Spaces’, with a focus on designers committed to crafting living spaces that embrace social impact and eco-consciousness.
Colab, Dubai’s first purpose-built material library will present ‘RETHINK’, showcasing ground-breaking materials that inspire new ways of thinking about sustainability, design and production processes. Housed in a modular, zero-waste exhibit, ‘RETHINK’ will feature UAE-made materials alongside a host of other innovative materials from around the world.
Royal College of Art, one of the world’s leading universities of art in design based in London, will showcase over 20 projects which explore sustainability, design and emerging technologies, such as AI, linked to various themes, including fashion and textiles, healthcare, cities and infrastructure as well as environmental rehabilitation.
Dubai Design Week: sustainability
Sustainability – Past, Present and Future’, the d3 Architecture Exhibition; organized by Dubai design district in partnership with RIBA Gulf Chapter on the sidelines of Dubai Design Week activities, will present a compelling narrative through time and the ever-evolving ethos of sustainable architecture in the Gulf region, whilst underscoring the critical role of architects in this journey.
The exhibition will feature works by students and emerging architects alongside leading architectural firms including Foster + Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects and UN Studio. A series of talks and workshops will run as part of the exhibition.
