Introductory visual capturing the dynamic energy and futuristic aesthetic of Dubai Design Week.
Overview of the Festival
Dubai Design Week 2025 marks the 11th edition of the Middle East’s largest design festival. Held under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and supported by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the event returns to the Dubai Design District (d3) from 4 – 9 November 2025. It transforms the district into an international creative laboratory where design, architecture and art engage with themes such as sustainability, smart materials, artificial intelligence and cultural heritage
A significant addition this year is the d3 Awards, a newly launched regional design award that champions emerging talent from the Middle East and North Africa. Through exhibitions, installations, workshops, talks and a design marketplace, the festival invites professionals and the public to explore how design can act as a tool for connection and change. Most activities are free; however, some workshops and sessions require registration
Stand‑Out Brands and Exhibitions
Dubai Design Week invites leading brands and designers from around the world to showcase their newest collections. Below is a snapshot of some of the participants and what they bring to the festival:
- Roche Bobois (France) – An international furniture company known for promoting the art de vivre, Roche Bobois builds on a heritage dating back to the 1950s. Its made‑to‑order designs highlight craftsmanship and collaborations with designers such as Marcel Wanders, Ora Ïto and Christophe Delcourt With over 250 showrooms worldwide, the brand blends French design traditions with contemporary influences
Image Courtesy Harper Bazar
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Kartell (Italy) – Renowned since 1949 for pioneering plastic and material innovation, Kartell blends creativity, technology and sustainability. The company works with a range of materials – from advanced plastics to wood and metals – and collaborates closely with designers to translate ideas into furniture and lighting It maintains environmentally conscious practices, ensuring responsible sourcing and production while delivering functional and visually striking pieces
Image Courtesy Kartell
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Poltrona Frau (Italy) – Celebrated for its luxury leather furniture, Poltrona Frau combines craftsmanship with understated elegance. Since 1912 the company has produced sofas, armchairs and home furnishings while prioritising sustainability and eco‑conscious production. Its offerings balance tradition and modernity, addressing both aesthetic appeal and environmental responsibility
Image Courtesy Poltrona Frau
- FRAMA (Denmark) – This Copenhagen‑based brand cultivates sensory connections through furniture, lifestyle objects and fragrances. FRAMA’s designs emphasise natural materials and minimalist geometry, creating warm, timeless pieces that balance imagination and functionSustainability is central to the brand’s philosophy; it uses eco‑friendly materials such as wood, marble and clay, reflecting the festival’s focus on conscious design
Image Courtesy Frama
Key Programmes and Events
Downtown Design (5 – 9 November)
Downtown Design is the fair at the heart of Dubai Design Week. Returning to the waterfront terrace at d3 from 5 – 9 November 2025, the fair unites leading international brands such as Kartell, Poltrona Frau and Venini, while welcoming first‑time participants Roche Bobois and Stellar Works The 2025 edition broadens its regional presence with strong representation from Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, alongside initiatives such as Tashkeel’s Tanween Design Programme, MAKE’s Athath Fellowship and 1971 Design Space, highlighting the depth of the local design ecosystem.
The fair’s Editions Art & Design section offers a curated journey through limited‑edition art and design, featuring works by regional and international designers. Highlights include Galerie Geek Art’s Japanese‑art presentations, Ila Colombo’s AI‑driven projects and the Bureau of Innovation’s experimental works. Visitors can also experience immersive pop‑ups such as a Buccellati showcase designed by david/nicolas and a Solaire Lounge by Veuve Clicquot realised with Studio Marcel Poulain. Speakers at the Forum range from design legends Marcel Wanders and Tom Dixon to emerging voices such as Lee Broom and David Hicks
Abwab: “In the Details”
Abwab (Arabic for “doors”) is Dubai Design Week’s showcase for designers from Asia and Africa. The 2025 edition takes on the theme “In the Details”, inviting participants to explore material intelligence and ornamental aesthetics as a cultural language. According to Monocle’s analysis of the festival, Bahrain’s Maraj Studio has woven an embroidered mesh inspired by the thobe al nashil national dress of Nabih Saleh Island, using craft to tell a story about the fragile ecology of the island. The pavilion emphasises detail as a means of cultural storytelling rather than spectacle.
Urban Commissions and d3 Awards
Urban Commissions is an annual competition that encourages architects and designers to experiment with new ideas for public space. The 2025 edition focuses on reimagining the courtyard as a shared urban infrastructure that unites tradition, inclusivity and contemporary climate strategies. The winning installation, “When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?” by Some Kind of Practice, reframes the Emirati courtyard as a living space shaped by climate, craft and community. The project emphasises flexibility, field research and adaptive design rather than rigid geometry
Complementing Urban Commissions is the d3 Awards, a newly launched regional design award championing emerging talent from the Middle East and North Africa. The award celebrates original ideas and sustainable innovation, providing winners with visibility and support within the regional design ecosystem.
UAE Designer Exhibition and d3 Architecture Exhibition
The UAE Designer Exhibition showcases emerging and established designers from South Asia, the Middle East and beyond, highlighting the depth and diversity of the region’s creative landscape. In 2025 the exhibition includes Pakistan’s mother‑son duo Saira Ahsan and Yousaf Shahbaz, the Designed in Saudi initiative, Egyptian sisters Doodle & The Gang collaborating with Hands Carpets, and Lebanon’s BEIT Collective. Local talent takes centre stage with MAKE’s Athath Fellowship debut, Tashkeel’s Tanween Design Programme featuring nine sustainable design innovators and Sharjah’s 1971 Design Space showcasing experimental works. The exhibition is curated with mentorship from design icon Nada Debs, enhancing visibility for emerging talent
The d3 Architecture Exhibition, organised with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), hosts daily talks and workshops alongside the exhibition. Sessions cover topics such as marketing, the future of artificial intelligence and discussions from the Building Brilliance book club. RIBA also launches a new Middle East Award, extending its international awards programme into the Gulf.
Installations and Activations
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Light and Technology
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AIM Shared Dreams – Hybrid Xperience’s installation turns personal imagination into a collective visual experience. Participants’ thoughts and emotions are translated in real time into dynamic projections and sound using AI. The work explores collective dreaming and community through technology.
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Light That Moves – iGuzzini’s interactive space invites visitors to explore the innovation of light. The Light Experience allows guests to engage directly with light and witness its dynamic effects, while a Workshop Lab reveals the brand’s heritage and craftsmanship. Registration is required via email to participate
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ProArt × Blender: Rendering Masterclass – ASUS Middle East hosts a technical workshop for 3D artists on mastering product rendering in Blender. The session focuses on lighting, setup and render optimisation using the ASUS ProArt P16 laptop. Participants learn about environment and studio lighting setups and gain practical tools for photorealistic and stylised renders.
Cultural Heritage and Storytelling
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Woven Conversations – Ajzal Studio reimagines the modern Emirati majlis by reviving Emirati heritage through a collection of products informed by conversations about crafts and design. Ten elements from Emirati culture—including the Mangrove Bench, Sadu Façade, Da’an Stools and Ghaf Lighting—are woven into a contemporary spatial experience. Materials such as solid wood, camel leather, handwoven Sadu textiles and locally sourced stone evoke the tactile warmth of Emirati craftsmanship.
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Ilé Griot – Bootleg Griot transforms the concept of a library into a living library that weaves together shared stories and collective memory. Rooted in the Yoruba word for “home,” the activation reimagines reading as a communal act and hosts programmes exploring storytelling, migration and community through dialogue, film and performance. Events include panel talks on documenting spaces in transition, storytelling evenings about migration in Dubai, film screenings and moonlight tales.
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Open Studio – Fahed+Architects opens its D3 studio, offering an immersive exploration of Slow Living through architecture, sustainable materials and clay 3D‑printing experiments. Visitors can engage with live demonstrations, tactile materials and informal conversations with the design team
Design Icon Reinterpretations and Sound Experiences
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Farfalla, 50 years +1 – True Design presents a contemporary reinterpretation of the 1974 Italian design icon Le Farfalle. Industrial designer Folco Orlandini restyles the historic armchair designed by Roberto Lucci and Paolo Orlandini, preserving its visual lightness while introducing refined details. The installation, accompanied by a rug from Moooi Carpets, highlights the chair’s sculptural form and the balance between memory and innovation.
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The Tone Room – Raw Music Store offers an immersive sound and design experience centred around a world‑class Hi‑Fi system. Guided listening sessions invite visitors to appreciate tone, texture and space; workshops on hardware music production explore tactile sound creation; and vinyl culture workshops introduce the basics of vinyl care and playback Live vinyl sessions with local DJs celebrate analog sound.
New Features and Highlights for 2025
Sustainability and Material Innovation
Dubai Design Week 2025 places a strong emphasis on sustainable materials and innovative fabrication. Over 30 outdoor installations transform d3 into an open‑air museum. Notable projects include ARDH Collective, which experiments with DuneCrete and DateForm—low‑carbon materials made from desert sand and date palm by‑products. EDGE Architects’ installation pushes 3D printing in cement and plasticwhile hybrid craft‑technology approaches appear in Ajzal Studio’s majlis and Fahed+Architects’ 3D‑printed clay experiments.
Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Experiences
AI and digital technology play a prominent role. The AIM Shared Dreams installation uses artificial intelligence to turn participants’ thoughts into collective visual narratives. Ila Colombo’s AI‑driven art projects appear in the Editions section, demonstrating how AI can augment creative processes. Interactive light experiences like Light That Moves further explore the intersection of technology and sensory design.
Expanded Regional and Global Participation
Downtown Design’s expanded roster demonstrates Dubai’s growing stature as a global design hub. In addition to established brands, first‑time participants Roche Bobois and Stellar Works join the fair. The event also deepens regional participation with designers from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and multiple emirates, International collaborations include Japanese architects Nikken Sekkei working with Emirati woodworkers on low‑carbon structures and Buccellati partnering with Lebanese design duo david/nicolas on an immersive pop‑up.
Human‑Centred and Relational Approach
As noted in Monocle’s coverage, festival director Natasha Carella emphasises quality over spectacle and treats design as a civic act as much as a creative one. The programme encourages dialogue between cultures and between emerging and established practitioners Workshops and talks led by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the American University of Sharjah’s College of Architecture, Art and Design facilitate knowledge sharing and mentorship
Dubai Design Week 2025 underscores the maturation of Dubai’s design scene, shifting focus from mere scale to perspective and substance The festival harnesses the city’s investment in cultural infrastructure and positions Dubai as a bridge between regional heritage and global innovation. With its expanded fair, newly established d3 Awards, sustainable materials, AI‑driven installations and rich educational programmes, the 2025 edition demonstrates how design can foster community, reflect cultural identity and imagine resilient futures.