five must-see regional highlights set for dubai design week 2019

returning for its fifth edition, dubai design week 2019 highlights the very best of middle eastern design from 11-16 november. with d3 (dubai design district) as its hub, the festival unites international media, brands and design-enthusiast with the bespoke and inspiring creations of regional artisans. their work span a range of disciplines encompassing local architecture, product and interior design, thought-provoking multimedia, and more.

with over 200 events in its diverse program, designboom spotlights five must-see exhibitions and installations.

visitors at downtown design 2018
(all images courtesy of dubai design week)

as an integral feature of dubai design week 2019, the downtown design fair also returns from 12-15 november. the leading trade show exhibits global furniture, lighting and home accessories brands alongside the bespoke work of regional designers. guest curator of dubai design week, designer and researcher ghassan salameh will be curating MADAR, an initiative supported by d3, outlining the ecosystem behind the design industry. salameh will execute this by featuring the work of experts while highlighting current trends, uniting both the latest production and innovations of independent creatives in the middle eastern region.

meshary al nassar will exhibit at downtown design 2019

as a highlight within the trade fair, downtown editions returns after the success of its inaugural exhibition in 2018. it again invites the next generation of local talent to showcase their limited edition pieces. as part of this, brooklyn-based designer fernando mastrangelo is set to display an exclusive collection of mirrors influenced by dubai’s skyline, waterways and climate. each one will be made from his signature method of casting, which intricately infuses atypical materials into his sculptural pieces.

abwab pavilion 2019 for the eastern provinces of saudi arabia by azaz architects

translating to doors in arabic, abwab is an annual architectural installation that acts as a platform for design talent across the middle east. for 2019, it challenges designers to recreate the local classroom of their cultures through the ‘ways of learning’ theme.

mumbai-based busride design studio form ‘qissa ghar’, meaning ‘home of stories’, to retell myths of creation across india – and the over 2 million indians who live in the UAE. inside, seven contemporary artists showcase their reinterpretations of the stories in khadi lamps, which are handspun from natural fiber cloth. the result resembles an immersive net of lamps, each one using old-world materials and techniques like stained glass, to create moments of connections to stories of their country.

‘WAL(L)TZ’ by lebanese-polish sisters tessa and tara sahki of T SAKHI architects, responds to the theme with an interactive wall that reflects the socio-political barriers in society, with beirut given as an example. the city is highly congested with physical walls for security and privatization reasons, but also with psychological walls imposed by religious and cultural values. the omnipresent pavilion’s face-to-face structure encourages visitors to sit, contemplate and question their society and lifestyle.

shahad alazzaz, founder of azaz architects, collaborates with local craftspeople in the eastern provinces of saudi arabia in a research-led project that aims to safeguard the palm frond weaving technique. called ‘sa’af’, the exhibition not only showcases objects crafted from this method but is also housed within a pavilion built from different woven styles too. with a giant suspended surface, the installation and its exhibits highlight how the craftspeople have innovated the very traditional material to fit modern design and architectural opportunities.

the UMBRA installation by finsa and tinkah

as a place to relax within d3 as well as also acting as a gateway to the district itself, UMBRA by finsa and tinkah is inspired by the mashrabiya patterns of the middle east. these are historically used as window or spatial partitions with geometric perforations that prevent the sun from overheating homes. the spanish wood solutions manufacturer and dubai-based design studio unite to reimagine the structures and create a space for visitors to interact with each other, the installation, and the shadows that are then painted by the sun.

the aeon installation by david harber in 2018 (see our coverage of the event, here)

barjeel by MAS architecture studio provides a place of rest while paying homage to the design identity of the region. it sources influence from the traditional wind towers of UAE homes, which acted as a non-electrical air-conditioner to catch and direct cooler breeze into the building below it. the studio creates a six meter tall installation composed from layers of reclaimed cardboard and strip lighting, showcasing the possibility to build from reused materials.

aglow by liz west for nemozena during dubai design week 2018 (see our coverage of the event, here)

breath of light by preciosa at downtown design 2018 (see our coverage of the event, here)

alya al eghfeli with her ‘host lamp’ at downtown design during dubai design week 2018 (see our coverage of the event, here)
image courtesy of tashkeel