Flair Magazine
It opened its doors in 2015 and it was a big success. In 2016, it built an even bigger reputation for celebrating top notch design so it’s no wonder that all bells are ringing this year as Dubai celebrates its third Design Week. Running from November 13th to 18th, the event anticipates a footfall of more than 50,000 visitors including architects, designers and public audiences from local regions, as well as from afar.
Dubai Design Week (DXBDW) is the Middle East’s most important design event and as with previous years it will be the most comprehensive and accessible celebration of design and creativity ever staged in the region, establishing a new benchmark for the city’s reputation as a vibrant and diverse platform.
The calendar at this year’s DXBDW 2017 will have everyone jumping for joy whether you are an industry guru or a mere passer-by with an eye for design. With over 200 activities staged in locations across the city there is something for everyone to get their eyes immersed in this fabulous trade show.
The free-to-attend six-day event will attract designers, architects, thought-leaders and creatives drawn to Dubai Design Week through a high-calibre design programme including:
- The fifth edition of Downtown Design, the Middle East’s leading, high quality design trade show featuring 150 contemporary design brands from 25 countries, doubling its size.
- Global Grad Show, with twice the number of universities taking part; 200 of the brightest ideas brought to Dubai from 90 universities across 40 countries
- Abwab, returning with an impressive pavilion designed by Fahed + Architects using recovered bedsprings to create a showcase structure for 45 products by designers from across the region
- A programme of over 90 events taking place at d3, the hub of Dubai Design Week
- Original content staged by over 80 businesses, designers and organisations across the city including venues such as Etihad Museum, DIFC and Hamdan Bin Mohammad Heritage Centre
- Talks programme led by Sir David Adjaye, one of the world’s most influential architects, Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo Chief Design Officer, and Elmar Mock, co-inventor of the Swatch Watch
With so much going on FLAIR has decided to highlight a few key projects:
Downtown Design is the commercial heart of Dubai Design Week and the region’s leading design trade show held at the new d3 waterfront event space. In 2016, the show attracted 12,500 visitors; over 80% of whom were trade professionals. Doubling in size this year with over 150 exhibitors from across 25 countries, the 2017 edition of Downtown Design features 70 new high-end international and regional brands and debuts eight emerging design brands from the UAE region.
Global Grad Show, the “Oscars” of graduate design and technology, is the world’s largest and most diverse meeting of design and innovation graduates. 200 projects showcasing the best in progressive thinking on the future of design, science and innovation will be exhibited from 90 of the world’s elite universities.
Abwab, Dubai Design Week’s exhibition of regional design talent selected by a high-profile international editorial board including Joy Mardini, Max Fraser and Sheikha Lateefa bin Rashid, will be situated at the heart of d3. Living up to its name – Abwab translates as doors – this year’s exhibition will host 45 designs from 15 countries selected through a process requiring creatives to nominate another designer upon submission; coined as a ‘design dominos’. The innovative structure, designed by Dubai-based Fahed + Architects using repurposed bed springs sourced from waste management company Bee’ah, will encapsulate Abwab’s emerging, regional designs.
DRAK (Design Ras Al Khor), a collective initiative established by three UAE-based designers, returns this year with ‘Industry To Luxury’. DRAK has partnered with ECAL University, a renowned Art & Design University in Switzerland as its official Educational Partner and for the second consecutive year, Eyes on Talent, a Paris-based, invitation only, digital platform that connects innovative brands with creative talents will be an Official Partner.
DRAK, co-founded by Khalid Shafar, a product designer, Khulood Thani, a fashion designer and Nadine Kanso, a Jewelry designer, aims to be a design movement that encourages design research, innovation and material exploration. Khalid Shafar, Co-founder of DRAK commented, “DRAK highlights four very talented designers this year. Together with ECAL University, the participating designers will enjoy professional mentorship, a short course and insight during the exhibitions taking place. The designers will also be invited and profiled on The Eyes Of Talent platform, offering them great exposure to a global audience. We expect more products this year than installations and more personal objects than public works. The products that will be created will carry historical references to luxury and will be designed to facilitate a luxury-lifestyle and made for luxury use regardless of the materials they are made of. We are excited to see the final products this year.” The week-long exhibition explores the design topic of ‘Industry To Luxury’ and brings light to industrial and mass-produced materials sourced from the Ras Al Khor area that have been recreated to produce product for luxury use.
d3 will host a series of indoor pop-ups: Features of Dubai Design Week’s pop-up programme of activities for all ages include the Super Design Market, featuring a carefully selected range of design brands for visitors to purchase high-quality design products, and award-winning watchmaker, RADO who will invite visitors to discover the latest collections with their “Portraits of Design” exhibition. The line-up will also emphasise design-led activities for weekend visitors at d3, welcoming all ages to the popular Ripe Market brining weekend atmosphere to d3 with carefully selected hand-made products, and IKEA’s engaging exhibition ‘Let’s Play for Change’ that aims to bring out the child in every visitor and inspire people to integrate play into their everyday routine. Alongside this there will be opportunities for everyone to get involved at the Makers Space hosted by Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, Maska, Urban Sketchers and The JamJar, among others.
Once Upon DESIGN: New Routes for Arabian Heritage. A curated collection of contemporary product and furniture design from the UAE and the region, commissioned by Design Space 1971 (Sharjah) and curated by Noor Aldabbagh, Once Upon DESIGN marks an important moment as the heritage of materials and process embraces contemporary design in the Middle East.
Visit dubaidesignweek.ae for the full Dubai Design Week 2017 programme
by Daniela Bonetto
