Dubai design week 2025 unveiled - 11th edition of the region's premiere design festival opens-

• The region’s design festival has kicked off at Dubai Design District (d3), featuring over 30 large-scale installations that explore design as a social connector through spatial typologies, material intelligence and cultural nuance, from regional and international architects, design studios, brands and institutions.
• Downtown Design, the Middle East's leading design fair for quality and contemporary design opens today, alongside Editions Art and Design, showcasing limited-edition art and design.
• Dubai Design District (d3) presents the d3 Architecture Exhibition in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gulf Chapter to showcase works by leading international and regional architectural firms.
• The UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, expands its curatorial scope on mentorship opportunities and visibility for emerging UAE-based designers.
• The 2025 Urban Commission is awarded to UAE-based design and research studio Some Kind of Practice, exploring the role of the courtyard as communal infrastructure.
• Architecture and design studio Maraj wins 2025 Abwab commission, drawing on ornamentalism and local craft traditions to call attention to the fragile and fabled island of Nabih Saleh in Bahrain
• Ohireme Uanzekin,is announced as the winner of the first ever d3 Awards, a newly launched regional award championing emerging talent from the MENA region. 
• Over 50 expert-led workshops and masterclasses are hosted in Maker Space throughout the duration of the festival, led by regional and international professionals from leading creative and cultural institutions.
• Keynote speakers gather at The Forum and include international highlights such as Marcel Wanders,Tom Dixon, Lee Broom and David Hicks and regional leaders including Rabah Saeid, Pallavi Dean, and Omar al Gurg.
• On the weekend, 8-9th November, Marketplace - a curated outdoor retail experience - will feature more than 80 regional artisans and independent makers, dedicated to handmade, crafted goods, alongside food concepts and culinary experiences.

United Arab Emirates, Dubai, 5th November 2025: Dubai Design Week launches its 11th edition today bringing together more than 1,000 designers, architects and creative practitioners from over 50 countries. Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and presented in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC, and supported by Dubai Culture, the 2025 edition features a dynamic programme of commissions, exhibitions, installations, talks and live events.

Taking place across d3, Dubai Design Week is a catalyst for cross-cultural exchange, spotlighting diverse practices from the region and beyond while connecting them to global audiences. Its multidisciplinary programme spans disciplines including architecture, interiors, furniture, product, graphic and experiential design, acting as a platform for dialogue, experimentation and progress. Set against the backdrop of Dubai’s cultural landscape, it continues to reflect the city’s growing role as a global meeting point for creativity and ideas.

“Dubai Design District is filled with unmatched creative energy, dialogue and ideas this week,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group. “Dubai Design Week offers creatives, brands, and visitors from all over the world unique ways to engage with the ever-evolving design industry and discover new talents and ideas. d3’s strategic partnership with Dubai Design Week is part of our ongoing endeavour to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global cultural and creative hub, in line with the ‘Design Sector Strategy 2033’. We are especially proud that this year sees the unveiling of the winner of the first-ever d3 Awards and organising the fifth edition of d3 Architecture Exhibition, in collaboration with the RIBA’s Gulf Chapter.”

Natasha Carella, Director for Dubai Design Week, commented: “This year’s edition strongly reflects the aim to platform culturally rooted work while fostering cross-cultural exchange on a global level. The curatorial direction builds on a more reflective and human-centred approach that we have been nurturing in recent years, championing collaborations that transcend borders and disciplines, exploring design not only as a practice of innovation but also as a social connector, a civic and cultural force that shapes how we live together, communicate and build systems of care.   In that sense, Dubai Design Week is less about defining a trend and more about reaffirming design’s role as a shared language that can imagine and shape more inclusive and interconnected futures.”

2025 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

​​DOWNTOWN DESIGN (5-9 November)

Downtown Design, the anchor event of the week and the region’s leading fair for high-quality and contemporary design, returns to the d3 Waterfront Terrace showcasing the latest collections, innovative products and design solutions, complemented by a programme of pop-up concepts, regional spotlights, talks and panel discussions.

Returning exhibitors include Huda Lighting, Kartell, Kohler, Poltrona Frau, Obegi Home,  Venini and alongside new participants Roche Bobois, Stellar Works and Calico Wallpaper, Porada, Desalto as well as French designer Stéphanie Coutas, and designer-duo Draga & Aurel, presented by Collectional. Regional highlights include BEIT Collective's objects crafted in Lebanon, the debut of 'Strata' by Pakistani designer Yousaf Shabaz, the 'Designed in Saudi' showcase by the Design & Architecture Commission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, Sharjah-based 1971 Design Space’s showcase of material innovation designers Lina Ghalib and Nuhayr Zein, this year’s cohort of the annual Tanween Design Programme by Tashkeel, and the Athath Fellowship by MAKE in Abu Dhabi, debuting at the fair this year.

The UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, expands its curatorial vision to focus on mentorship opportunities and increased visibility for emerging UAE-based designers, and Nada Debs features as the headline mentor, providing direct insights to the early-career participants.

The fair’s immersive environments feature the Solaire Lounge by Veuve Clicquot, an elegant social space for networking and relaxation, and an exclusive lounge from Buccellati designed by david/nicolas, is a refined exploration of craftsmanship and contemporary design.

The Forum at Downtown Design features global and regional thought leaders. Tom Dixon  makes his Dubai-debut with a keynote on material innovation and design evolution, joined by Marcel Wanders, Lee Broom, David Hicks, and regional leaders like Rabah Saeid, Pallavi Dean, and Omar al Gurg.

The Forum space this year is conceived by Lebanese architect and designer Roula Salamoun and reflects her tactile, intuitive approach to combine material experimentation with the exploration of organic forms, often inspired by landscapes and natural morphologies.

EDITIONS (5-9 November)

A highlight of the fair, Editions Art & Design showcases limited-edition art and design from regional and international creators, spanning photography, ceramics, prints and editions, works on paper, contemporary design, and artist multiples.

Editions spotlights the intersection of contemporary design and collecting through a diverse mix of regional and international talent. Highlights include Bureau of Innovation’s global launch of collectible furniture from designers like Corpus Studio, Tim Vranken, and Tom Fereday; Latina Dsgn’s refined presentation of Latin American craftsmanship; and Lebanese-French architect Badih Ghanem’s regional debut, Remember Love?, an installation where raw construction blocks meet polished metallic objects.

From the region, Asateer reinterprets Emirati heritage for modern living, AASSTTIINN presents sculptural works by Iranian designers, and Wadi Finan Art Gallery brings acclaimed textile and paper works from across the Arab world. Activations during the event include Swiss artist Tobias Gutmann’s Sai Bot, an AI twin creating live algorithmic portraits of visitors; Maseer Collective’s Arabic Sign Language jewellery and workshops marking the UAE’s Year of Community; and the Art Jameel Shop’s curated selection of artist-made prints and design objects.

SPECIAL COMMISSIONS: ABWAB AND URBAN COMMISSIONS

Abwab

Abwab is Dubai Design Week’s highlight programme that supports designers from across West, South and East Asia, as well as the African continent, by commissioning installations or pavilions each year thematically remodelled to reflect relevant global and regional contexts. Since its inception in 2015, Abwab has showcased the work of more than 180 designers.

The 2025 theme, In the Details, explores  Ornamentalism as an aesthetic language of meaning, symbolism and embedded knowledge that has influenced architecture, objects and textiles across cultures.

The winning project, entitled Stories of the Isle and the Inlet is curated by Bahrain-based architecture and design platform Maraj, founded by architects Latifa Alkhayat and Maryam Aljomairi, explores the ecological and cultural layers of Nabih Saleh, a Bahraini island located between Tubli’s wetlands and Sitra’s industrial zone. Combining ornament and oral histories, Stories of the Isle and the Inlet reflects on a disappearing ecology while raising awareness of environmental preservation and cultural memory.

Sourcing materials from Bahrain and working with local artisans, embroiderers and tailors, the work documents the island’s spatial story through a textile enclosure with embroidered depictions of the island’s flora, fauna and surrounding waters of Tubli Bay. Made from layered embroidered mesh textiles inspired by thob al nashil, the installation highlights native species and ecosystems. It builds upon conventional architectural notions of rhythm, composition, and proportion through an ornamental language inspired by the flora and fauna of the water body and land.

Urban Commissions

Urban Commissions, Dubai Design Week’s  annual competition, provides a platform for architects and designers to develop outdoor infrastructure for the public realm. Each edition responds to a specific theme, encouraging proposals that investigate how design can enrich civic life.

For 2025, the theme explores courtyard, a spatial typology rooted in the region yet resonant across many cultures. This year’s winning proposal, When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?, by UAE-based design and research studio Some Kind of Practice, founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas, draws inspiration from the housh (?????), the Emirati courtyard, which unlike the formal courtyards of Egypt, Syria or Saudi Arabia, emerges as a byproduct of necessity; shaped by shifting walls, open thresholds, and the liwan (???????), as a transitional space. Grounded in field research from across the Emirates, the installation reflects a logic of assemblage, using local materials and practical craft to create a flexible structure that invites interaction, movement and pause, a contemporary reimagining of the courtyard as communal urban infrastructure.

The winning proposal was selected by a jury panel of design experts including Dr. Alamira Reem Al Hashimi, Urbanist, Architect and GM of M_39; Noura Al-Sayeh Holtrop, Architect, Curator and Advisor at Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA); Ahmad Bukhash, Chief Architect & Founder of Archidentity; Design Consultant and Advisor Cyril Zammit; and Robert Shakespeare, Group Design Director at Cracknell, specialising in sustainable urban and landscape design.

INAUGURAL EDITION OF THE d3 AWARDS

The new d3 Awards aims to champion emerging talent from the Middle East and North Africa region.

The inaugural edition of the awards, which is focused on architecture, invited conceptual design proposals that explore community-driven spatial design, prioritising sustainable materials, passive strategies and adaptability across interior, exterior and immersive environments.

The winning designer, Dubai-based Nigerian designer Ohireme Uanzekin, receives a financial prize of AED 100,000, an online mentorship session with a jury member or industry expert relevant to their design field and a custom-designed award created by Fahed +Architects, a d-3 based multidisciplinary boutique architectural practice. 

Proposals from the winner and the other four shortlisted applicants are showcased at the d3 Architecture Exhibition throughout the duration of the festival.

INSTALLATIONS AND PAVILIONS

Over 30 large-scale installations have transformed d3 into an open-air gallery of design, where public spaces become interactive works that encourage experimentation and discovery.

From the UAE, local architectural and design studios showcase a diverse set of projects: Automotive Partner, BMW Middle East, returns presenting a new pavilion with Jeddah-based architecture studio, Bricklab, where a sleek metallic exterior opens into a serene, sculpted interior. Reflecting the refinement of the BMW 7 Series, the space offers visitors a sensory journey through comfort, craftsmanship, and contrast; UAE-based sustainable material manufacturer ARDH Collective presents a structure crafted from DuneCrete and DateForm, low-carbon materials the company has pioneered; Emirati design studio AJZAL reimagines the majlis through locally sourced materials including stone from Sharjah and leather produced by artisans; Professors Tania Ursomarzo (American University of Sharjah) and Iman Ibrahim (University of Sharjah) collaborate with students to create a modular installation from recycled LDPE and crushed seashells; Hybrid Xperience (HX Collective) presents AIM Shared Dreams, transforming the AIM Dream Machine into an AI-driven collective of visuals and sound shaped by participants’ emotions; The National Pavilion UAE presents a new iteration of Pressure Cooker, first unveiled at the Biennale Architettura 2025 in Venice. Curated by Azza Aboualam, the project examines the vital intersection of architecture and food production in regions defined by scarcity and aridity; Duette Studio (UAE) presents The Ephemeral Petunia Garden, a light installation inspired by short-lived petunias offering a lasting experience of light, scale, and reflection; Dubai Holding Entertainment collaborates with Canadian University Dubai in partnership with ImInclusive present Dome of Inclusion, a sustainable installation celebrating inclusion and the creativity of People of Determination; in5, TECOM Group’s start-up incubator, will present an open-layout pavilion symbolising accessibility and inclusivity, through startups from its dedicated vertical for the design sector, in5 Design which is based at d3.

Complementing this, regional and international firms and institutions introduce installations that expand the dialogue. Among prominent architectural practices, Japan’s Nikken Sekkei in collaboration with Sobokuya, unveil CHYATAI, a modular wooden structure employing traditional sashimono joinery, Creative studio Designlab Experience, showcase a sculpture made of intricately woven baskets, paying homage to the region’s weaving traditions, while multidisciplinary studio DEOND present a geometric pavilion compose of recycled polymer panels offering a contemplative space that shifts with changing lights.

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) reveals a new commission by Spanish-based Studio Izaskun Chinchilla Architects; Boo Design Studio x Maryam AlHomaid create #MAJLIS, which reimagines the traditional Arab gathering space as a contemporary hub for storytelling, dialogue and cultural exchange; Swiss-born, New York-based experience designer Annabelle Schneider x ArtKōrero presents INTERLUDE: In Between is Now, an innovative wellness initiative that blends art and design to create immersive, multi-sensory spaces focused on enhancing mental and physical well-being; ANA Design Consultants present Traces of Musafir - a pavilion that draws inspiration from the idea of the musafir - a traveller, or temporary guest, in this world. Conceived as a circular, earth-like structure, it invites visitors to reflect on the impermanence of existence and the subtle marks each person leaves behind; Trend Group in collaboration with architect Joe Tabet of JT+Partners and the historic Orsoni Venezia 1888 factory, present a mosaic installation using eco-friendly Venetian Piastrina smalti glass tiles; WCI Lab by WeCreate International presents Breath Print, an installation that transforms the act of breathing into a visual and sensory experience through the use of patented interactive thermal technology.

EXHIBITIONS

Dubai Design Week 2025 presents a diverse mix of exhibitions, pop ups and activations, spanning immersive brand experiences, cultural collaborations and independent initiatives including: the UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, returns with an expanded curatorial scope to bolster mentorship opportunities and visibility for emerging UAE-based designers; the d3 Architecture Exhibition in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gulf Chapter showcases works by leading international and regional architectural firms centred on the theme of community; L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts supported by Van Cleef & Arpels unveils a world premiere exhibition at their campus in d3, presenting a unique dialogue between the West and East through the art of jewellery, alongside local heritage and museum artifacts; Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children presents a children's ceramic exhibition taking visitors on a journey from the first spark of an idea to the finished masterpiece, inspiring imagination and self-expression.

Academic institutions also play a key role in the programme. New York University Abu Dhabi presents student work from two Interactive Media courses at NYU Abu Dhabi - Digital Matter: Parametric Design Lab (Prof. Aya Riad) and Future Punk (Prof. Nimrah Syed); The College of Architecture, Art and Design, American University of Sharjah (CAAD) showcases Six Degrees Offsite, an extension of the graduate show by recent graduates and alumni connecting academic innovation with professional dialogue; Academic Partner Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) will present the exhibition TOGETHER/ ???? ,a showcase that reflects an ecosystem where academia, industry and society converge, growing through dialogue and experimentation. Throughout the week, DIDI’s campus transforms into a living platform of collaboration with exhibitions, workshops, talks and discussions that place co-creation at the heart of design practice.

ACTIVATIONS & POP-UPS

Audiences can experience various activations, pop-ups and special presentations by cultural institutions and design-driven brands including: Exclusive Colour Solutions Sponsor, Jazeera Paints, presents an activation showcasing its range of paints and innovative building solutions. Visitors are able to explore the brand’s approach to color, design, and sustainability, and see how its technologies and finishes can transform spaces; Design You Can Feel by technology brand ASUS is an exploration of materiality, craftsmanship and AI, offering audiences a deeper connection to design and technology;  in collaboration with Selleti, IQOS Curious X reimagines the traditional Italian piazza, with immersive soundscapes, digital art and varying scents; an immersive pop-up by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, traces the history of the Reverso through the lens of design, architecture, and the culinary arts, in collaboration with Lily Catan (Olive Coat) Webcomic designer, Abdulla Almula Emarati architect-designer and French Pastry Chef Nina Métayer; Bootleg Griot, an independent public library project, highlights works by artists, collectives and writers of African descent through a satellite library format that celebrates creativity, cultural exchange and accessibility; A Design Wish invites conversation, experimentation and reflection in a colorful modular interactive installation; Le Labo blends global ingredients with artisanal craftsmanship, emphasizing sustainability and mindful production, featuring Pots and Pines, showcasing landscaping and handcrafted paper pots that highlight the brand’s connection to nature and design; Iris Ceramica explores new frontiers of material innovation, elevating ceramics beyond their traditional form at their new space in d3; Occhio introduces Dreamagination, a collective showcase from five renowned German brands, Occhio, Schotten & Hansen, Janua, Freifrau and Qlocktwo, that merges material purity, masterful craftsmanship and luminous design; The Tone Room by Raw Music Store presents a series of activations centered around a world class Hi-Fi system.

WORKSHOPS AND MASTERCLASSES

Dubai Design Week features expert-led workshops and masterclasses throughout the six-day festival. Hosted in Makers Space, made by Mart®, the programme is designed to inspire and elevate skills across design disciplines, welcoming professionals and aspiring creatives of all ages, interests and levels of experience. Sessions are  led by professors from leading institutions as well as UAE-based, regional and international creatives and cultural institutions.

Programme highlights include: Designing Your Professional Path, a career focused workshop hosted by Chapter54; photography and film development workshops with Analog The Room; Design for Longevity-Unlocked, led by MIT and Northeastern University professors Sheng-Hung Lee and Sofie Hodara; Clay Handbuilding with OUM Ceramics; and zine-making workshops with TwoThirds Design Bureau, where participants explore layout, sequencing and folding techniques to create a personalised zine; Digital Storytelling in AR by Chidi Nwaubani will explore digital preservation, augmented reality and culture reclamation.

Emerging creatives can also gain practical insights on career growth and creative presentation through workshops such as Portfolio: Concept & Application, hosted by University of the Arts London (UAL), supporting participants from concept to final portfolio; and a hands-on workshop with Zinka Bejtic, AUS Professor and Head of the Department of Art and Design, offering tactical tools for presenting work and approaching interviews.

Workshops are open for registration via the Dubai Design Week website, with some sessions available on a walk-in basis; early arrival is recommended.

Maker Space Dubai Design Week’s dedicated workshops programme is hosted in a pop-up space, made by Mart®. Mart® platform offers access to one of the most comprehensive collections of contract furniture worldwide.

TALKS

The Forum, taking place at Downtown Design, the week’s flagship talks programme, once again brings together global and regional thought leaders for keynote presentations, panel discussions, and masterclasses. This year’s programme includes Marcel Wanders, the internationally acclaimed designer celebrated for his human-centered design philosophy, and Tom Dixon, one of the most influential voices in contemporary design, making his Dubai debut with a keynote reflecting on material innovation and the evolution of global design narratives. He appears alongside other globally-acclaimed voices including Lee Broom and David Hicks, and  leaders from the region's design industry including Rabah Saeid, Nebras Aljoaib, Pallavi Dean, Meshary al Nassar and Omar al Gurg, among many others.

The Forum space this year is conceived by Lebanese architect and designer Roula Salamoun and reflects her tactile, intuitive approach to combine material experimentation with the exploration of organic forms, often inspired by landscapes and natural morphologies.

MARKETPLACE

The Dubai Design Week Marketplace (8-9 November) is a curated outdoor retail experience set within d3 that platforms homegrown businesses and independent makers from the UAE and across the region, dedicated to handmade wares and crafted goods. Showcasing over 90 brands, visitors can explore products ranging from homeware, jewellery, fashion and lifestyle items to sustainably made goods. This year, the Marketplace once again brings together design, culinary experiences, children’s activities and an exciting lineup of musical performances, creating a vibrant community space that celebrates creativity and craft while connecting audiences of all ages.