Dubai Design Week: 9th edition looks set to become global creative hub

The 9th iteration of Dubai Design Week – the largest festival of its kind in the MENA region – is set to begin from Tuesday (November 7) at the Dubai Design District (d3). Pakistan’s ‘ALEEYA. design studio’ is also gearing up to make its regional debut at Downtown Design, which is part of the larger event.

This year, the event is looking to attract more than 150,000 visitors, higher from the 135,000 it saw in 2022. The number of participants has also jumped to 500 participants compared to 250 last year.

Dubai Design District will convert into a global creative hub, welcoming architects, designers, influencers and the general public, cementing further Dubai’s position as the design and creative capital of the Middle East and a UNESCO City of Design.

The Dubai Design Week will also feature over 20 large-scale outdoor installations with a focus on how design, science and technology can converge to reclaim materials of our past, as well as how to foster sustainable practices.

Dubai Design Week: eclectic crowd, cutting edge designs do not disappoint

“Dubai has forged a formidable platform fuelling creative innovation, collaboration and opportunities,” Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District, was quoted as saying in a press release issued prior to the opening.

“Through Dubai Design Week, we look forward to providing a platform for extraordinary talent hailing from d3 and the UAE, the broader region, and beyond, to exhibit their work and influences globally.”

Marking a decade of quality design, the 10th edition of Downtown Design – the mercantile anchor event will be held by the waterfront at d3 from November 8-11.

Dedicated to contemporary and high-quality design, the trade fair will showcase the latest collections and products from over 300 international and regional brands and designers across 40 countries.

Pakistan will be represented at the fair by Karachi-based ‘ALEEYA. design studio’.

Columbia University-trained architect, Aleeya Khan, founded the practice in Karachi in 2020, as well as ‘A* alittlemore studio (A*)’ in 2023, a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Lahore.

Together, the design house will be exhibiting a selection of their products at Downtown Design.

“It’s our first time at Dubai Design Week and we are very excited to be exhibiting our work at two separate exhibitions - Downtown Design & Isola’s ‘Nothing Happens if Nothing Happens,’” Khan told Business Recorder during an interview.

“It’s a great opportunity to put Pakistan on the global map and shine a light on local talent, and we are looking forward to it.”

Additionally, Downtown Editions will showcase works by independent designers, studios and galleries from all corners of the world, with a focus on the region.

Fresh off the Venice Architectural Biennale, Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Jisho Design will present ‘Arabi-An’, the UAE iteration of their sustainable tea house made from food-waste-based materials.

French perfumer Frédéric Malle is partnering with Dubai Design Week for a commissioned exhibition of three Middle Eastern female photographers as they interpret one of Frédéric Malle’s signature fragrance, ‘Portrait of a Lady’.

Bahraini designer Sara Al Rayyes will use mother of pearl oysters, a typically discarded material in the pearling industry in her installation ‘Blessings of Iridescence’.

Parisian luxury lifestyle brand Assouline will also set up a pop-up concept, while the UAE Designer Exhibition: ‘Future Living Spaces’ will shed light on young regional designers.

Natasha Carella, Programming Director for Dubai Design Week said, “Building on the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, this year’s Dubai Design Week has evolved into the most innovative edition of the festival to date,” according to the press release.

“Our programme has been developed in partnership with d3 for both the design community and the general public alike.”

“We aim to foster a dialogue around sustainability through engaging and thought-provoking initiatives and focus attention on how different practices can converge to look at sustainability, which we see as pivotal for the future of the design industry,” according to the press release.

Dubai Design Week: immersive installations and a sustainable future

Dubai Design Week is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and a member of the Dubai Council.

d3 will also host The Forum – a series of live talks, panel discussions and keynotes, by a diverse line-up of regional and international designers, creatives and thought-leaders.

‘Design week’ cements Dubai’s status as new culture capital of the world

A Maker Space powered by IKEA will be offering an extensive programme of hands-on workshops for attendees, while The Marketplace - an artisan fair from Nov 10-11, will showcase consciously curated design and businesses.