Dubai Design Week: A week of makers and makers’ work
If you’ve been in Dubai for a while, you already know how the design crowd rolls — the architects, creatives, design geeks, interiors lovers, and those who can obsess over the curve of a chair leg or the weave of a handmade textile. Once a year, they all flock to the same place: Dubai Design Week.
Now in its 11th edition, the region’s biggest design festival is back from November 4 to 9, taking over Dubai Design District (d3) with exhibitions, installations, talks, pop-up markets, and more.
This is where creativity comes alive — think sketching in real time, hands-on builds, bold installations, and ideas being brought to life right in front of you. It’s one of Dubai’s most inspiring weeks of the year.
The Fair
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At the heart of the week is Downtown Design (November 4–9), the Middle East’s flagship design fair.
Get ready for a curated showcase of top-tier furniture, lighting, textiles, and statement objects from both global and regional design studios.
The Talks
The Forum at Downtown Design is always a crowd-puller — and this year’s speaker lineup is next level. Making his Dubai debut is design icon Tom Dixon, joined by visionary talents like Lee Broom and Isabelle Stanislas, all set to share fresh takes on what’s shaping the future of global design.
The commissions
It’s the public art and design installations that give the festival its street-level buzz.
This year, Urban Commissions — the festival’s annual design competition — returns with the winning project “When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?” by UAE-based studio Some Kind of Practice, founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas.
Their work dives into the blurred boundaries between public and private space, blending research, collaboration, and bold design thinking.
This year’s headline commission, Abwab, invites designers to dive into the theme “In the Details,” spotlighting material intelligence, precision, and cultural nuance.
The focus? Ornamentalism — a rich visual language that influences everything from architecture to objects and textiles across diverse cultures.
The collectibles
Editions is where you’ll find limited-edition pieces spanning ceramics, photography, paper, and design. It’s a more intimate, low-key space — perfect for discovering hidden gems and thoughtful, collectible works.
For more info, visit @dubaidesignweek | dubaidesignweek.ae
