Under the title of ‘Around The City’, Dubai’s local retailers, design brands, galleries, universities and institutions design community will showcase the best of the city’s creativity through an extensive programme of design-dedicated events.
Under the title of ‘Around The City’, Dubai’s local retailers, design brands, galleries, universities and institutions design community will showcase the best of the city’s creativity through an extensive programme of design-dedicated events.
Surprise, insight and creative expression await at every turn: from Ras Al Khor where design collective DRAK is highlighting the neighbourhood’s value as both a creative district and wildlife sanctuary through projects in architecture, fashion, jewellery, food and product design, to Al Quoz where Caravan’s performance piece blending human gesture and origami-generative design
1971 – Design Space, De.Fash.Struction
October 7-December 26, The Flag Island, Sharjah
1971 is a multi-functional design space dedicated to exhibition, display and discussion on all forms of contemporary design. De.Fash.Struction will explore ways of documenting the UAE’s rich cultural heritage through the medium of contemporary fashion, as designers employ techniques of deconstruction in specifically commissioned exhibition projects.
Alserkal Cultural Foundation, Gallery Launch
October 26-29, Al Fahidi District, Building No. 13
Alserkal Cultural Foundation promotes the arts, with a focus on visual arts from the region, and to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates. During Dubai Design Week, Alserkal Cultural Foundation opens its modern Gallery space. As well a shop of design products and a library dedicated to art, architecture, design, fashion and history of UAE. Workshops and tutorial courses will also be held.
American University in Dubai - AUD, Swedish Wood Meets Arabia
October 26-29, Dubai Media City, Al Sufouh Road, Building A, School of Architecture, Art and Design
The American University in Dubai (AUD) and Swedish Wood presents an exhibition of AUD students work, having designed and developed a piece of furniture or decoration made of Swedish softwood and adapted to Arab traditions and culture.
American University in the Emirates, Education, Teaching and Learning in 3D
October 28, Dubai International Academic City
The world’s first international research conference about incorporating 3D design concepts throughout art and design education. Scholars, learning technologists and practitioners from across the globe will share insights into teaching practice and student learning in an interdisciplinary and collaborative exchange of experience.
Authentique Art & Design, Gallery Exhibition
Jumeirah 1, Al Wasl Road, Villa G2U5
Authentique Art & Design is a French art gallery, representing a number of French artists in the GCC. The gallery will be exhibiting a collection of wood and glass sculptures, lighting fixtures and furniture - AMARANTE by Frederique Domergue, SPIDER TABLE by Guillaume Piechaud and DESK SET by Guillaume Piechaud.
Ayah Al Bitar Design, Form + Function
October 28 & 29, Dubai Design District
Ayah Al Bitar Design creates limited edition contemporary products and furniture. Form + Function is an interactive exhibition of brand’s winter collection of Wisada, a sculptural cushion set, unique in its concept and aesthetic. The exhibition aims to invite people to interact with the Wisada to create social dialogues.
Canadian University Dubai, Urbanic
October 26-31, Sheikh Zayed Road, 1st Interchange, 308th Street
Urbanic is a competition open to all Canadian University Dubai students, who are encouraged to design something that utilises the use of outdoor public space. Student submissions will be displayed at the university and the winning entry will be invited for an internship at architecture and interior design firm, Design Work Portfolio.
Caravan, ORI-GEN (generative-origami-performance)
October 26 & 29, Alserkal Avenue, The JamJar
Caravan is a design collective that takes a multidisciplinary approach. ORI-GEN explores that fact that in nature nothing is lost, nothing is created and everything is transformed. The performance, which mingles body gestures and origami generative design, aims to involve the audience in an interactive setting that continuously transforms and evolves.
Cities Design, Art & Lifestyle Store, The Power of Colour
October 26-31, Al Wasl Road, Galleria Mall
The Cities’ exhibition shares the power of colour as an integral part of self expression in design and décor. Included in the Cities exhibition are pieces from French artists Dominique Capocci and Alain Salomon, Duffy London of the UK, and Polart from the United States and Mexico.
Comptoir 102, Nature in the City
October 26-November 14, Jumeirah 1, 102 Beach Road
Comptoir 102 is a lifestyle concept store focusing on design, fashion, accessories and a healthy café. The exhibition creates a link of organic forms and nature through the works of designers, Nathalie Khayat, Arnaud Rivieren and Tory Waller.
Ethan Allen, Book launch & new collection presentation
October 28, Sheikh Zayed Road
Ethan Allen’s Muse book takes a fresh look at an iconic American brand through the inspiration of ten muses. The coffee table book is a distillation of Ethan Allen’s design DNA and history. It’s all about inspiration, showing the versatility of products.
Fadi Sarieddine Design Studio, The Workplace Revisited
October 26-29, Dubai Design District
Fadi Sarieddine Design Studio offers architectural and design services with a focus on furniture design. The studio will showcase its own work desks; pods/cocoons on wheels, where one can sit inside. With no fixed position they can be nested together or combined with a larger meeting pod. A new collection of small furniture and accessories will also be exhibited.
The Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI), Weaving Workshop & Artists for Change
October 26-31, Dubai Design District
Alongside weaving workshops, FBM launches a new program of collaboration between UAE artists and underprivileged artisans in Afghanistan called Artist’s For Change. Six artists have been invited to participate in the Artist’s For Change program, donating their artworks to be woven into hand-knotted carpets.
Gafla Jewellery, Official Launch
October 26-31, Dubai Design District
Gafla Jewellery
Inspired by nomad traders in the East, Gafla, which means ‘Caravan’, embodies the rich heritage and nature of the Gulf. Entitled, Nomads in Arabia, Gafla’s launch event sees layers of modernised stretched tents spanning the exhibition space, creating panels for the projection of graphics, animation and short videos to present four collections from Gafla.
Galeries Lafayette, Kartell: An Exhibition of Iconic Pieces
October 26-31, The Dubai Mall, Galeries Lafayette, 2nd floor
Kartell, a historical and renowned Italian brand in the field of product and industrial design, will be exhibiting a showcase of iconic pieces from its private collection in Galeries Lafayette.
KASA, DRAK
October 26-31, Ras AlKhor Industrial Area,
DRAK design collective was founded by UAE-based designers; Khalid Shafar, Khulood Thani, Nadine Kanso, and Tarik Al Zaharna with the objective to highlight the potential of Ras AlKhor Industrial Area as a further creative district for Dubai. DRAK presents five design projects spanning product, fashion, jewellery, architecture and food design under an environmental theme to shed light on a key element of Dubai’s creek, Ras AlKhor Wildlife Sanctuary
NAKKASH Gallery, Tribute to Origami
October 26-31, Sheikh Zayed Road
Founded by Wajih Nakkash in 1983, Dubai-based NAKKASH GALLERY is at the forefront of interior design. Tribute to Origami is an installation focusing on the art of transformation. Designed by Luisa de Los Santos-Robinson and entitled The Dragon Tail, the piece transforms the auspicious power of dragons into a unique lighting creation.
O Concept Store, Pop-ups
October 26-29, Jumeirah 1, Hudaibah Street
O-Concept Boutique in Dubai is a unique fashion destination combining fashion, art and cafe. Across four evenings, at O Concept’s pop-ups Khalid Al Shafar will showcase an exclusive furniture collection and window installations, while Andre Meyerhans will exhibit individual works, such as table stools and lights.
o’de rose, Reinventing the table / stool
October 29, Umm Suqeim 2, Al Wasl Road
Inspired by the diversity of the Dubai design scene, o’de rose sees East meet West in reinventing this mainstream piece of furniture. Sacha Walchoff and Iyad Naja will showcase at o’de rose their exclusive Table/Stool designs in new and innovative material on October 29th and will talk to guests about their designs.
MONOGRAM, Escaping Flatland
October 26-30, Dubai Design District, Building 7, R02
MONOGRAM is a design firm proudly made in UAE and will present its jewellery collection. Inspired by Edward Tufte’s quote of ‘Escaping Flatland’, MONOGRAM has designed a series of jewellery collections that explore the theme in search of its effect on Arabic letters.
S*UCE, Things [Extra] ordinary by Paige Smith for S*uce
October 26-31, Around the City Jumeirah, Hadiqa Street Al Wasl Square Building,
LA’s Paige Smith is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer, who together with s*uce will transform a series of ordinary and accessible objects into extraordinary design installations across the city.
THE DESIGN SHOP by S*uce, Retail reimagined
October 27-30, d3
The Design Shop by s*uce curates a mobile design shopping experience at d3, featuring a carefully edited selection of design pieces from a host of regional and international designers, as well as an exclusive collaboration with LA based installation artist, Paige Smith.
superstudio / Moooi, ‘The Unexpected Welcome’
October 28, Al Quoz 1, superstudio
‘Embrace the Chaos of the Unexpected Welcome’ is a showcase of furniture and lighting, hosted by GAJ and superstudio, with support from Dutch design brand, Moooi. Designed to present a light hearted and unexpected welcome that delights the senses and plays with expectations, the showcase includes design pieces from Marcel Wanders, Studio Job and Jaime Hayón.