Last month in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai Design Week 2024 (November 6-9) captivated the global design community with an unparalleled showcase of creativity, innovation, and cultural heritage. For its tenth presentation in the Dubai Design District (nicknamed “D3”), the event positioned Dubai on a global stage of design and artistry, yet with an inspiring, Middle Eastern spin. On view in pop-up tented structures, public spaces, galleries, and more, installations merging technique and material caught Whitewall’s attention while in town for this year’s iteration.
Dubai Design Week 2024
Courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Since its inception, Dubai Design Week has grown to become the region’s premier annual design festival, celebrating creativity, innovation, and cultural diversity. Established in 2015, the event has served as a platform for fostering dialogue between regional and global design communities, showcasing the UAE’s role as a vibrant hub for art, architecture, and design. Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and supported by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the event aligns with Dubai’s strategic goals to position itself as a UNESCO Creative City of Design.
Over the years, Dubai Design Week has hosted groundbreaking exhibitions, interactive installations, and thought-provoking discussions, drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually to D3. Highlights have included the UAE Designer Exhibition, where local talent is spotlighted; Downtown Design, the anchor event presenting global and regional brands; and a dynamic program of workshops and talks at The Forum.
Downtown Design, The Forum, photo by Thomas Trad, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Dubai Design Week 2024 expanded on the exciting week’s legacy with new and exciting initiatives. The addition of Editions, the region’s first fair for limited-edition art and design, will broaden its scope, attracting collectors and enthusiasts alike. Continuing its tradition of showcasing cutting-edge creativity, the 2024 presentation featured everything from eco-conscious installations and material innovations to masterclasses and panel discussions by thought leaders. This evolution underscores Dubai Design Week’s ongoing mission to inspire, connect, and redefine the global design landscape.
Seen at Downtown Design 2024
Downtown Design, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Anchored by the anticipated Downtown Design satellite fair, this year’s edition featured an eclectic mix of international brands and regional talent. For the largest presentation to date, filled with presentations from 330 brands from 40 countries, highlights included the inaugural “Editions” fair for limited-edition art and design pieces; the fifth UAE Designer Exhibition, curated by Omar Al Gurg, showcasing 30 local creatives; and inspiring talks from keynote speakers, like the Iranian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi.
Courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Other not-miss booths from around the world were anchored by companies like de Gournay, Serafini, Poltrona Frau, B&B Italia, Saint Louis, Obegi Home, Lasvit, Preciosa Lighting, Snaidero, Tanween by Tashkeel, among others. From large-scale floral installations crafted from recycled materials to the debut of cutting-edge works by global design powerhouses, Downtown Design offered an immersive journey into the future of design while celebrating its roots in craftsmanship and its hopeful future in sustainability.
Introducing Editions: A New Chapter in Dubai’s Design Landscape
Editions, Elsa Foulon, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Editions, Buddha chair by Delaram Bolourchi at Blooker Gallery, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Special for this year’s edition of Dubai Design Week was the introduction of Editions—the region’s first limited-edition art and design fair. Held at the Waterfront Terrace in D3, it redefined the art and design market in the Middle East through an exciting showcase of works from over 50 galleries, design studios, and collectives. For its inaugural presentation, an array of seasoned and emerging talent offered a mix of contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics, works on paper, and more. Highlights of Whitewall’s included Larger-Than-Life Flowers by Linda Nieuwstad, which anchored the entrance’s exterior; the Miles lighting installation by Yabu Pushelberg, Noor Alsuwaidi’s Dancer 1 tapestry in Iwan Maktabi’s booth; and presentations by Leila Heller Gallery, Gulf Photo Plus, Ensō Design, John Martin Gallery, Taste Contemporary, Zawyeh Gallery, Romani Home, Aljoud Lootah Design, The Rooster Gallery, Rizq Art Initiative, Tribe Dubai, New Terracotta, Ferreira De Sá, and the artist Natascha Maksimovic’s marble watercolor rug collaboration with Knots Rugs.
Pioneering Circular Design in the UAE with Design Next
Downtown Design, UAE Designer Exhibition, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Design Next also made a groundbreaking debut, positioning itself as the UAE’s first dedicated showcase of the circular economy in design. A collaboration between D3 and Isola Design Group, the innovative exhibition highlighted the potential of sustainable practices through circular furniture, cutting-edge materials, and engaging discussions.
Downtown Design, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Throughout the fair’s opening and located in an expansive courtyard building space in Za’beel Second in D3, Design Next served as a vibrant platform for local, regional, and international creatives to spotlight circular design technologies and products, fostering awareness and dialogue about sustainability’s transformative role in shaping the future of design. Creators of alternative building materials, 3-D printed furniture, tableware, lighting, phone cases, and more—including Oorjaa, Coffeefrom, EcoLattice, PlyPalm, Leukeather, WasteCraft, GyPulp, igreen, and DesertBoard—showcased groundbreaking innovations.
Seen In the Dubai Design District
Downtown Design, de Gournay, photo by Michael Clifford, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Installed throughout D3 were also an array of structures and artistic creations—like student showcases by Avani Institute of Design, the College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah, NYUAD Interactive Media, and Heriot-Watt University—and more. Huts, homes, walls, and seating arrangements made from pink salt cobblestone, mycelium, recycled refrigerator parts, reeds, and mud were positioned throughout D3, greeting guests with imaginative and innovative ideas about the future of design. Baori by Coded Lines Collective, A Present/Absent Mudhif by Ola Saad Znad, and From the Fridge by Studio Shoo were a few of our favorites.
Cultural Inspiration Experienced in Dubai
Downtown Design, Cabbage Rose by Linda Nieuwstad, courtesy of Dubai Design Week.
Beyond Dubai Design Week, we explored various inspiring spaces throughout the city, including must-visit restaurants, unmissable boutiques, and entirely new neighborhoods. First, we went beyond the design presentations in D3 to wander through other shops and eateries. From Frame’s contemporary boutique—filled with sneakers, skateboards, home goods, books, and treats from an onsite cafe—to One Life Kitchen and Cafe and the perfume mixology bar, Oo La Lab, there were plenty of flavors and sights to hold our interest.
Past D3, we ventured to Jameel Arts Center to eat at the Michelin Green Star restaurant, Teible and see the latest “Artist’s Room” solo exhibitions at Art Jameel; to the financial district to eat at The Guild and immerse ourselves in the exclusive ambiance of The Arts Club Dubai; and to Alserkal Avenue to visit Zawyeh Gallery, Sima Performing Arts, Firetti Contemporary, Gallery Isabelle, Ayyam Gallery, Kave, Leila Heller Gallery, and Courtyard—a courtyard-like concept filled with other shops, like Caravana and The Voyage. Furthermore, we explored Palm Jumeirah’s Atlantis The Royal hotel by eating Persian cuisine at Ariana’s Kitchen, viewing contemporary art at Opera Gallery, and sipping cocktails at Ling Ling; visited cultural destinations like The Frame and Burj Khalifa’s observatory decks; and even embarked on a desert excursion with Platinum Heritage.
