Dubai Design Week turns its spotlight on the regional design scene under the theme of redefining and reimagining the way we will live in the near and distant future. Within a safe open-air setting in Dubai Design District (d3), the 2020 edition of the creative festival will stage a series of installations and urban interventions and outdoor experiences.

Downtown Design’s exhibition ‘The Shape of things to come’ will present interior design and architecture concepts of the future. A world-first exhibition of the best social impact innovation projects from the region, the inaugural MENA Grad Show will present university projects that make the world a better place.

Iraqi designer Hozan Zangana has been awarded this year’s Abwab commission for his proposal ‘Fata Morgana’, a conceptual framework in an open-plan arrangement featuring focal pillars representing each of the seven Emirates. The winning concept for Urban Commissions 2020, supported by A.R.M. Holding, has been awarded to Emirati and Saudi architects Reema Almheiri and Lujain Alatiq, for their design of an innovative outdoor retail experience.

In view of the challenges created by the ongoing pandemic and the repercussions on the local creative sector, a new UAE Designer Exhibition will act as a platform to highlight 20 local and UAE-based creatives.

Engaging experiences and initiatives will be staged by country-specific organisations, including the Embassy of Switzerland, the Institut Francais and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Staged in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), with the support of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (DCAA) and A.R.M. Holding, Dubai Design Week returns 9-14 November 2020 with a diverse programme of events and activities including exhibitions, installations and pop-ups at its main hub in Dubai Design District (d3), alongside new online elements accessible globally, such as a digital fair for design brands and a series of virtual talks programmes.

Responding to the current reality of travel restrictions and physical distancing, the festival will offer new opportunities to the Middle East’s creative community, giving centre stage to local and regional talent and reflecting on the role of designers in redefining the way we live in a COVID-impacted world.

Khadija Al Bastaki, executive director of d3, said: “2020 has presented us with a rare moment to pause and reflect on the role of design. Dubai Design Week will establish a dialogue around these critical social, cultural and economic issues. It will offer new opportunities for the Middle East by providing a platform for local and regional talent. We look forward to deepening our support for the industry and have high hopes for the inaugural d3 Architecture Festival in partnership with RIBA Gulf Chapter, which will provide an important reflection point for Dubai, the UAE and the regional creative ecosystem.”