Held 6-9 November 2024, the annual meeting point
for the creative community and anchor event of Dubai Design Week,
Downtown Design is at the centre of design in the region and brings
together established and emerging names from the international design scene to
d3’s Waterfront Terrace, featuring the latest collections and innovative
solutions by brands and manufacturers from around the world, with a spotlight
on rising talent of the region.
A highlight
of this year’s fair will be the inaugural Editions,
the region’s first limited-edition art and design fair running from 6-9
November alongside Downtown Design. Featuring
over 50 galleries, design studios and collectives, Editions will showcase
contemporary design, photography, prints, ceramics and works on paper, opening
up collecting opportunities to a wider audience.
The fair’s exhibitions and installations will be complemented by a dynamic
programme of creative pop-up concepts and networking events, alongside a
line-up of talks, keynotes and masterclasses at The Forum.
Mette Degn-Christensen, Director of Downtown Design, said: “We are delighted to unveil our exciting programme for the 2024 edition of Downtown Design. The fair offers a global showcase of vibrant design perspectives – from the range of regional and international high-calibre brands, and the cutting-edge line-up of engaging creative pop-up features, to the engaging keynote talks and panel discussions. The evolution of the design scene in Dubai has been thoughtfully refined through the lens of Downtown Design, and the fair remains at the centre of design in the Middle East. Connectivity is at the heart of everything we do, and Downtown Design consistently produces a dynamic environment where design meets opportunity and forges foundational conversations, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for creativity and design.”
Fair Highlights
Downtown Design 2024 will welcome prominent international brands, including Audo Copenhagen, showcased by The Bowery Company alongside ferm LIVING; Haberdashery will mark their regional debut with a bespoke ‘Sand & Sea’ composition; Kartell return to highlight their latest collections of industrial, contemporary designs; Poltrona Frau will exhibit their timeless designs in collaboration with renowned names including Faye Toogood, Draga & Aurel and Sebastian Herkner; and B&B Italia will spotlight iconic pieces indoor and outdoor living, presented by local partner Baituti Home.
A key highlight of the fair this year, The Conran Shop will be launching online in the UAE at the fair, and presented in the Middle East by Dhow Architectural Solutions Group. Italy’s Jacopo Foggini will present large-scale, handcrafted polycarbonate works and interior solutions; and Hands Carpets will launch its first-ever collection in collaboration with a European designer, industrial designer Nika Zupanc.
Preciosa are returning this year, showcasing their pixel concept in an immersive
experience; Atelier Vierkant, a
family business from Belgium, will make their debut at the fair; while Lasvit will present a showcase by Yabu Pushelberg; Cosentino will present a creative concept by Kuwaiti Babnimnim Design Studio,using tiles to create seamless,
monolithic walls that offer an immersive, joint-free experience; and Isola Design are back with a curated
selection of innovative designers and studios from around the world under the
theme ‘This Future is Currently Unavailable’, inviting reflection on design’s
role in shaping our collective future.
Casa Milano returns with an
immersive space featuring ‘Talking Walls’, a competition challenging eight
leading UAE-based design firms to create and build concepts responding to the
theme of a random word. Other local highlights include Obegi Home, presenting a contemporary luxury living showcase,
featuring brands including Flexform, Poliform and Antonio Lupi; and Caspaiou,
exhibiting a multi-brand showcase of design pieces from Meridiani and
Gallotti&Radice, to mention a few.Country pavilion highlights includethe Italian Trade Agency (ITA) returning
to Downtown Design with over 40 brands and makers, reinforcing Italy’s legacy
of innovation and craftsmanship; Designed
in Saudi, a strategic initiative by the Design and Architecture Commission
of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, highlighting the Kingdom’s creative talent
and this year featuring nine studios; Interiors
from Spain showcasing 10 brands in a dynamic exhibit curated and
designed by Dubai-based studio B8
Architecture & Design; and the Dutch
Collective, spearheaded by Margriet Vollenberg, which launched at Downtown
Design in 2023, returning for a second consecutive year with seven Dutch
designers.
The annual Tanween Design Programme, offering a transformative journey that hones skills and promotes sustainable design in the UAE, by Tashkeel, one of the UAE’s key cultural incubators, returns with its largest cohort to date, unveiling this year’s works of the programme’s 2024 selected emerging UAE-based designers. BEIT Collective, known for its collaborations with sculptors and designers to preserve craftsmanship in the region, will be joining the fair with a commission of international designers creating works with artisans in Lebanon.
Other regional highlights include Mosaic Factory, a business rooted in Morocco’s rich tile-making heritage; Ebb & Flow Studios, presenting bespoke table designs made in Egypt; UAE-based Mariana Piccolo, who will showcase a collection crafted in collaboration with prestigious fabric and finish brands such as Rubelli, Samuel and Sons, Zimmer + Rohde, amongst others; and globally renowned designer Ross Lovegrove, whonow has his base in Dubai, will launch a creative collaboration with Portugal’s JNF, featuring 3D-printed door handles and accessories.
Key Features & Programme
Headlines of the 2024 fair programme include a large-scale floral installation handcrafted from recycled everyday materials such as truck tarpaulins, old wool blankets and construction sheeting by Dutch artist Linda Nieuwstad, and an outdoor pavilion by Dubai-based architectural and interior design studio Bone, made entirely from prefabricated earth blocks, in collaboration with Spanish Fetdeterra, technical specialists in rammed earth architecture.
In its fifth edition this year, the UAE Designer Exhibition 5.0 will spotlight 30 designers passionate about creating emotionally resonant objects that serve as retreats in today’s hectic world. 2024 Guest Curator, Omar Al Gurg, will guide participants to explore materiality and form, under the theme of inspiring people to slow down and savour moments of tranquillity.
Other highlights include Veuve Clicquot’snew Sun Club Lounge, designed by Marcel Poulain, themed around La Dolce Vita; and the de Gournay lounge, showcasing the brand’s iconic hand-painted and hand-embroidered wallpapers with curated furnishings in an intimate space that will host special activations and events. The week’s main talks programme, The Forum, brings together a diverse lineup of designers, industry professionals and thought leaders to share industry insights, exchange ideas and engage in meaningful discussions. This year’s space has been conceived by Beirut-born interior designer Thomas Trad, who will be taking cues from minimalist, Japanese-inspired aesthetics. The programme will feature renowned figures from the design world, including Iranian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi, who will host the opening keynote offering her insights on multicultural design and the fusion of identities in contemporary space. Other keynotes by prominent figures on the global scene, include Eames Demetrios and Lina Ghotmeh.
