Dubai Design Week’s 10th edition to dazzle with rich cultural events

• Dubai Design Week 2024 will bring together over 500 designers and brands from more than 40 countries, showcasing new design concepts through installations, exhibitions, and experiential mediums.

• Downtown Design will be held from November 6-9 at the d3 Waterfront Terrace, debuting alongside Editions, the region’s first fair for limited-edition art and design with over 50 galleries and studios.

• More than 30 large-scale design installations will showcase ancient technologies and modern innovations from international architects and designers.

Dubai Design Week, the region’s premier design festival, celebrates its 10th edition from November 5-10, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bintMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture. This landmark edition features an exceptional lineup of new commissions, exhibitions, and events. As the region’s first internationally recognized design week, it is held in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), a TECOM Group PJSC member, and supported by Dubai Culture.

This year’s festival will reflect on a decade of design and its impact on the UAE and GCC’s dynamic, expanding interior design and furniture market, collectively estimated at $26 billion. The 2024 program will honor the local community, creative talent, and regional design heritage it has nurtured over the past ten years, while celebrating Dubai’s evolution as a global design hub. Dubai Design Week 2024 will bring together over 500 established and emerging designers and brands from more than 40 countries, showcasing new design concepts through installations, exhibitions, and experiential mediums.

Driven by rapid urbanization, a strong real estate market, infrastructure developments, economic diversification, and the evolving tastes and aesthetic needs of residents, businesses, and tourists, Dubai Design Week has grown from its 2015 inception into a major international design event. Its success is attributed to forward-looking programming, a commitment to innovation and local talent, and its role in shaping Dubai’s identity as a thriving global center for design and creativity in the Middle East. It has become a platform for emerging, pioneering, and established designers to present their work, connect with industry professionals, and gain exposure in the Middle East and beyond.

Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of d3, part of TECOM Group, said: “The creative industries fuel the economic engine as much as they shape identity and culture. Dubai’s dedication to nurturing creative communities with dedicated platforms has helped develop a rich, multicultural design narrative that reflects the Emirate’s ambitions, vision, and ethos. Dubai Design Week has been instrumental in building that narrative over the past decade, providing a powerful platform that promotes talent from d3, the UAE, and beyond and influences global design dialogue on themes like diversity, sustainability, and belonging. We look forward to welcoming design stakeholders to celebrate the brilliant creations and ingenuity in this year’s program—including the debut of ‘Editions’ in strategic partnership with d3—shaping the future and resilience of Dubai’s creative economy.”

Natasha Carella, Director of Dubai Design Week, commented: “As we celebrate the 10th edition of Dubai Design Week, we look forward to bringing together designers from across the globe to exchange ideas and showcase design’s positive impact. This year’s program responds to the complexities of a modern world, placing sustainable practices and the nuances of regional vernacular architecture and the global south at its center, with thought-provoking content that explores creativity in all its forms and design’s potential to improve our shared future.”

Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, said: “Design plays a key role in advancing innovation and shaping new possibilities locally, regionally, and globally and is a core pillar of our strategic roadmap. As a UNESCO City of Design, Dubai Culture is committed to fostering an educational ecosystem that cultivates fresh ideas and the individuals driving them forward. Our commitment to the cultural and creative industries in the Emirate guides the growth of the creative economy and strengthens Dubai’s position as a global culture center, a creativity incubator, and a talent hub. For the past ten years, Dubai Design Week has served as an annual celebration of the world of design and designers, and we are proud to continue supporting this inspiring initiative.”

Downtown Design returns to its home at the d3 Waterfront Terrace from November 6-9

The anchor event of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design, returns to its home at the d3 Waterfront Terrace from November 6-9.

Acclaimed as the region’s leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design, Downtown Design showcases the latest collections, innovative products, and design solutions, complemented by creative pop-up concepts, installations, and networking events.

The event also features a series of talks, keynotes, and masterclasses at The Forum, making it the ultimate destination for discovering the latest trends in interior design, furniture, lighting, and home accessories.

Key highlight of Dubai Design Week is the launch of Editions

A key highlight of this year’s Dubai Design Week is the launch of Editions, the region’s first limited-edition art and design fair, running from November 6-9. Over 50 galleries, design studios, and collectives will exhibit in contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics, and works on paper. Positioned alongside Downtown Design’s dynamic program, Editions offers pieces at various price points, providing a new path to art and design collecting for a broader audience.

Exhibitions and activations

Dubai Design Week 2024 will feature curated exhibitions hosted by cultural organizations, educational institutions, and design-driven brands. These include the 5th edition of the annual UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture and curated by Omar Al Gurg, showcasing works by emerging UAE-based designers.

Monocle to bring the worlds of design, culture, and business to the heart of Dubai

Monocle will bring the worlds of design, culture, and business to the heart of Dubai this November, launching at Dubai Design Week. Celebrating creativity and craftsmanship, Monocle will take over FRAME in d3 with a shop and café.

Art Jameel Shop will showcase commissioned products by regional designers, along with a retail space featuring social-impact-driven brands like MADE 51, a global initiative by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) that offers artisanal homeware and accessories crafted by refugees. Additionally, Abu Dhabi-based community arts space 421 will present design-led products by local and regional artisans at their shop, Dukkan421.

Dubai Design Week’s workshops program

Dubai Design Week’s workshops program, hosted in a dedicated Maker Space, is designed to inspire and develop skills across design disciplines, catering to professionals and aspiring creatives of all ages, interests, and experience levels. The program will be facilitated by professors from educational institutions, design collectives, independent makers, and cultural organizations.

Weekend Marketplace

Dubai Design Week’s weekend Marketplace from November 6-9 is a thoughtfully curated outdoor retail experience where visitors can explore the region’s top designers, artisans, and homegrown small businesses, offering quality, original products.

From handcrafted unique items and sustainably sourced goods to a wide range of food offerings and children’s activities, the Marketplace is located in the heart of d3.