Through a line-up of talks and masterclasses, experts will shed light on the latest topics in the global design scene during Dubai Design Week 2021, while a new programme of daily gatherings will bring the local creative community together in a series of dialogues.
The Forum at Downtown Design will host a series of compelling live interviews and discussions between leading regional and international architects, interior and product designers on each afternoon of the fair, with international speakers including design studio founders Sebastian Herkner, Elliott Barnes, Gregory Gatserelia, Massimo Iosa Ghini and Adrien Gardère set to engage audiences in industry-led discussions.
In addition, Micael Calatrava, CEO of Calatrava International LLC, will discuss the current flow of their global projects with particular emphasis on their creation of the UAE Pavilion and the Qatar Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
More than a dozen areas of key importance to the broad spectrum of visitors to Downtown Design will be addressed in panel discussions, with contributions from leading lights of the regional architecture and interior design community including Jonathan Ashmore, Founder & Principal Architect, ANARCHITECT; Laura Bielecki, Group Design Director, Ellington; Pallavi Dean, Founder & Creative Director, Roar; Andy Shaw, Managing Partner, AMA and Chair, RIBA Gulf Chapter; Diane Thorsen, Design Director, Gensler and Isabel Pintado, SVP Design & Innovation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Associate Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design Cristina Mateo will provide a free face-to-face masterclass titled Third Spaces in the Digital City, which will explore traditional third spaces, such as libraries or cafes, that have been key for the enhancement of human interaction and community building.
New to the Dubai Design Week programme, an engaging modular programme of dialogues and design stories will highlight UAE creative talent and thought leaders, offering insight into the work carried out by key stakeholders of the community
Curated by Fatma al Mahmoud, the daily ‘Meet the UAE Creatives' programme will provide designers and creatives based in the UAE with a platform to explain their work in the local creative scene with sessions throughout the festival.
‘Meet the UAE Creatives’ will be hosting esteemed creatives from the design led community, who pioneered and impacted the local creative scene such as Khalid Shafar, Abdalla Al Mulla and Layth Mahdi alongside emerging creatives entering the scene, the likes of graphic designer Ayesha bin Haider.
Click here or download the free Dubai Design Week 2021 appto see the full programme of talks and masterclasses.