DUBAI DESIGN WEEK

DOWNTOWN DESIGN

The anchor event of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design, will again take place at its home on the d3 Waterfront Terrace from 6-9 November. Acclaimed as the region’s leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design, Downtown Design showcases the latest collections, innovative products and design solutions, complemented by a line-up of creative pop-up concepts, installations and networking events, alongside a line-up of talks, keynotes and masterclasses at The Forum.

A few key exhibitor highlights at this year’s fair are: the UAE launch of The Conran Shop, presented in the Middle East by Dhow Architectural Solutions Group; Poltrona Frau’s exhibit of their pieces in collaboration with Faye Toogood, Draga & Aurel, and Sebastian Herkner to mention but a few; Audo Copenhagen, showcased by The Bowery Company alongside ferm LIVING; Globally renowned designer Ross Lovegrove, now based in Dubai, will unveil his creative collaboration with Portugal’s JNF; and BEIT Collective will also participate, commissioning international designers to collaborate with Lebanese artisans to preserve regional craftsmanship.

Headlining is the de Gournay lounge, showcasing the brand’s iconic hand-painted and embroidered wallpapers with curated furnishings in an intimate setting hosting special activations as well as the large-scale floral installation by handmade from recycled materials by Dutch artist Linda Nieuwstad.

The week’s main talks programme, The Forum returns with a stunning concept by Lebanese designer Thomas Trad and featuring keynotes by renowned iconic architect and designer, India Mahdavi, as well as names including Eames Demetrios and Lina Ghothmeh.

INTRODUCING: EDITIONS

A key highlight of this year’s Dubai Design Week is the launch of Editions, the region’s first limited-edition art and design fair, running from 6-9 November. Over 50 galleries, design studios and collectives will exhibit exclusively in the fields of: contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics and works on paper. Positioned alongside Downtown Design's dynamic programme and offering pieces at a range of prices, Editions paves an alternative route to art and design collecting, opening up the opportunities to a wider audience.

URBAN COMMISSIONS

Dubai Design Week’s annual design competition, Urban Commissions, returns this year with the theme 'Tawila', meaning 'table' in Arabic, inviting designers and architects to propose innovative community furniture that explores the table beyond its form and as a facilitator of exchange, tradition and communal experiences.

This year's winner is Altqadum, a research-based design studio from Oman that specialises in architecture, interior and objects design, led by Marwan Albalushi, Najd Albalushi and Abdulrahim Alkendi. Their Bab Al Salam Mosque in Muscat is one of Time magazine’s ‘World’s Greatest Places 2024’. Taking inspiration from the musical culture of the Gulf, where communities traditionally gather around and accompany musicians, TukTuKDum is an innovative table that encourages interaction, inviting audiences to become performers and even an integral part of the table itself.

ABWAB

The 2024 edition of Abwab, the tenth year of the programme, embraces the theme of vernacular architecture and its potential to inform regenerative design through the use of local materials, climate-responsive techniques and community-centric traditions. 

This year’s winners are:

1. ‘A Present/Absent Mudhif’ by Ola Saad Znad (Iraq) that portrays the Marsh Arabs' architectural heritage in Iraq using reeds and ancient Sumerian techniques

2. ‘ReRoot’ by Dima Al Srouri (Jordan/Palestine), Andy Cartier (France), Rosa Hämäläinen (Finland) and Dahlia Hamati (Lebanon/Palestine) that explores emergency housing solutions through an ecological lens using palm waste and mycelium

3. ‘Material Witnesses and Narrating Lifeforms’ by Miriam Hillawi Abraham (Ethiopia) that draws inspiration from ‘coral stone’ found in early settlements on the East African coast.

INSTALLATIONS

Audiences can expect to engage with over 30 projects that explore ancient technologies,  modern innovations and materiality. Dubai-based architectural and interior design studio, Bone will present a pavilion made entirely from pre-fabricated earth blocks in collaboration with Fetdeterra, technical specialists in rammed earth architecture from Spain; Japanese architectural firm, Mitsubishi Jisho Design, will invite audiences to experience a traditional tea-house made from 3Dd printed waste sawdust; tech-driven multidisciplinary practice DEOND, founded by Ross Lovegrove and Ila Colombo, will explore the notion of phy-gital therapy with an AI-infused ‘second skin’ fabric that responds to the body’s state of being; as well as other installations made from various organic and upcycled materials including banana fibre, soybean wax, henna, himalayan salt, terracotta and scrap metal.

EXHIBITIONS AND ACTIVATIONS

Dubai Design Week 2024 will feature a number of curated exhibitions hosted by cultural organisations, educational institutions and design-driven brands including: the 5th edition of the annual UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture and curated by Omar Al Gurg, showcasing work by emerging UAE-based designers.

Monocle will bring the world of design, culture and business to the heart of Dubai for the month of November, launching at Dubai Design Week; celebrating creativity and craftsmanship with Monocle’s shop and café takeover of FRAME in d3, Art Jameel Shop will offer commissioned products by regional designers, and a dedicated retail space featuring social-impact driven brands including MADE 51, a global brand created by the UNHCR - UN Refugee Agency showcasing artisanal homeware and accessories crafted by refugees,  and in addition, Abu Dhabi-based community arts space 421 will present design-led products by local and regional craft makers through their shop Dukkan421.

TALKS, WORKSHOPS AND MASTERCLASSES

Hosted in a dedicated Maker Space, Dubai Design Week’s workshops programme is designed to inspire and elevate skills across design disciplines, catering to professionals and aspiring creatives of all ages, interests and experience levels. The programme is hosted by a range of facilitators including professors of educational institutions, design collectives, independent makers and cultural organisations.

MARKETPLACE

Dubai Design Week’s weekend Marketplace (9-10 November), is a consciously curated outdoor retail experience where visitors can discover the very best of the region’s designers, artisans and homegrown small businesses offering quality and original products. From handcrafted unique goods and sustainably-sourced products to a wide range of food offerings and children’s activities, the Marketplace is located in the heart of d3.