Dubai Design Week: immersive installations and a sustainable future

Dubai Design Week is back for its eighth season, giving visitors a chance to see a variety of installations and exhibitions between November 8 and 13, cementing Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design.

This year’s event will showcase a series of immersive large-scale installations that highlight the festival’s theme – Design With Impact – using materials that will spark conversations around how design can have a positive impact on the environment.

In a statement, Kate Barry, Director of Dubai Design Week, said: “Design With Impact is a number of short design stories on sustainability."

"We have engaged with regional and international architects and designers, asking them to showcase an exclusive work that has a positive effect on the environment. Impact can be driven through the innovation of new materials, recycling and/or upcycling. Design With Impact expresses the different facets of how we can design a better future.”

Meanwhile d3, in a statement, said, “The annual event is one of the region’s most significant cultural occasions ... this year’s programming will have a focus on designing for a sustainable future that will be integrated across the week’s activities in a range of disciplines including architecture, product design, interiors and multimedia."

Khadija Al Bastaki, Vice President of d3, said: “We look forward to fortifying Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design and further growing the profile of the creative industries in our city.”

Things to look out for include 'The Musical Ring’, by Sharabassy featuring lasers, video projection and three-dimensional imagery. The installation will light up d3 with a live DJ on site from 6pm daily.

A prototype of the world's largest handwoven carpet will also be on display.

Visitors will also be able to see an installation called 'RI-BBORN' that embraces the power of sustainability and has been designed by students from Ajman University.

One of the highlights is sure to be 'The Future of Fashion: An innovation conversation with Stella McCartney', the world renowned fashion designer.

Taking centrestage at Dubai Design Week will be architecture firm OBMI’s structure 'Once Upon A Forest' which centralises on the UAE’s natural and resilient nature, while honouring the UAE’s stunning mangroves.

At the heart of the event is Downtown Design (9-12 November), a fair for contemporary and high-quality design, that will again take place at the Waterfront Terrace at d3.

A series of exhibitions will be hosted within the core of d3 that will include an exploration on how metaverse technology is pushing the boundaries of design.

Meanwhile, workshops will provide visitors of all ages and levels the opportunity to experience and learn from a range of professionals.

For the first time, the d3 Design Market by FLTRD, a vegan, sustainable, and ethical fashion brand, will offer a retail experience of homegrown offerings.

For panel discussions and opportunities to interact with other design professionals, The Forum at Downtown Design will host experts within the design industry to discuss the latest trends and innovations.

Dubai Design Week 2022 is a free to attend event and has something for all ages.

In parallel to Dubai Design Week, d3 will also be running its annual d3 Architecture Exhibition, from November 8.