Dubai Design Week launches its 12^th edition today, welcoming designers, architects and creative practitioners from more than 50 countries to Dubai Design District (d3). Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), the global creative hub that is part of TECOM Group, and supported by Dubai Culture, the 2026 edition features more than 40 installations, exhibitions, commissions and activations, alongside a programme of talks, workshops and public experiences. This year’s edition introduces a new format for Abwab, presents 30 UAE-based creatives at the UAE Designer Exhibition and welcomes Downtown Design, featuring more than 300 brands and designers from over 35 countries.

Dubai Design Week continues to expand its role as a platform for creative experimentation, cultural exchange and public engagement, reflecting the depth and diversity of design practices emerging from the region and their growing connections with the international design community. This year’s programme places particular emphasis on the ways design shapes our relationships with one another and the environments we inhabit, examining how creative practice can respond to changing social, cultural and environmental needs.

Across Dubai Design District (d3), these ideas take shape through installations that reimagine shared spaces, exhibitions exploring the transmission of knowledge and cultural memory, and commissions that investigate the relationship between people, materials and their surroundings. Alongside presentations by established international names, the programme creates opportunities for emerging practitioners to develop and present new work, while inviting audiences to engage with design through exhibitions, talks, workshops and participatory experiences.

“Design has the power to shape how we live, connect and experience the world, while providing new perspectives on the opportunities around us,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group. “As a strategic partner of Dubai Design Week, d3 is proud to support its continued growth as a vibrant platform for inspiring ideas and creative visions that advance the design sector. Each edition reflects our collective belief in the vital role of design and brings together diverse perspectives and talent from Dubai and around the world. We are committed to providing platforms and initiatives that empower our creative community and strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for design excellence, in line with the Design Sector Strategy 2033.”

Natasha Carella, Director of Dubai Design Week, commented: “We are seeing a design community that has grown considerably in both its ambition and the depth of its practice. There is a greater willingness to question established approaches, experiment with materials and engage with the social and environmental conditions that shape how we live.

What is particularly interesting about this year’s programme is the attention given to the processes and knowledge behind design, whether through the reinterpretation of traditional craft, new approaches to public space or the exploration of emerging technologies. Our role is to create the conditions for these ideas to develop, giving practitioners the opportunity to experiment, collaborate and engage with audiences beyond their immediate disciplines. In doing so, we hope to contribute to a design culture that is not only increasingly visible internationally, but also firmly connected to the communities and contexts from which it emerges.”

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, CEO of the Arts, Design and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, said: “Design is a key contributor to Dubai’s creative economy, connecting creative ideas with the skills, production capabilities and commercial opportunities that help businesses grow. Dubai’s designation as a UNESCO City of Design reflects the value we place on design as a source of innovation and a means of enriching everyday life; through our support for Dubai Design Week and the UAE Designer Exhibition, we are creating opportunities for UAE-based designers to present their work, exchange expertise and build relationships with industry partners and wider audiences. These platforms help talent develop their practice and strengthen their contribution to a diverse and sustainable creative economy.”

Programme Highlights

Downtown Design

Downtown Design, the anchor event of Dubai Design Week and the Middle East’s leading fair for high-quality, contemporary design, opens today at Dubai Design District (d3), presenting more than 300 brands and designers from over 35 countries. This year’s edition features new collections from leading international design houses, ambitious multi-brand presentations and a strong representation of regional designers and emerging practices.

This year’s international showcase will feature established names alongside new participants, including Gaggenau, Kohler, Venini, Ethimo, Lasvit, LAUFEN x Kartell, Preciosa Lighting, Jaipur Rugs, Duni Lighting Solutions, La Chance, Maison Pouenat, Porada and Flaer. Large-scale multi-brand presentations by HMA Living by Alshamsi, Caspaiou, the Italian Trade Agency, Iconic Home and IF HUB will also feature prominently in this year’s showcase.

Special presentations and creative collaborations include a dedicated Memphis Milano exhibition presented by HMA Living, featuring iconic works by Ettore Sottsass and other defining pieces from the movement; Aquae Mirabiles by Italian Maison Buccellati, conceived with British artist and designer Luke Edward Hall; and the Clicquot Café by Veuve Clicquot, designed by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori under the theme Chasing the Sun. Dubai-based architecture and design studio Etereo has also conceived a new hospitality space, exploring materiality, form and spatial experience.

Regional participation includes Tashkeel’s Tanween Design Programme, presenting works developed by emerging UAE-based designers; the Athath Fellowship by MAKE in Abu Dhabi, showcasing furniture prototypes by its 2026 cohort; and 1971-Design Space in collaboration with SILA Collective. Iwan Maktabi presents new works by UAE-based designers Nadine Kanso and Omar Al Gurg, drawing on Arabic calligraphy, cultural symbolism and memories of the traditional majlis. Further contributions include Studio Obliq, Slō Ceramics and Contemporary Spaces, a new Dubai-based furniture studio founded by siblings Alya, Maitha and Obaid Al Suwaidi.

UAE Designer Exhibition 

The UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, returns with work by 30 UAE-based creatives under the theme Inherited Futures, conceived by architect and designer AlZaina Lootah. Exploring the materials, rituals, industries and ways of making that have shaped design in the UAE, the exhibition considers how a new generation of designers is reinterpreting these influences through contemporary practices. Visitors can explore contemporary furniture, lighting, textiles and objects that draw on traditional craftsmanship, regional customs and the UAE’s natural environment. The works reflect a range of approaches to materiality, including the use of agricultural waste, locally sourced clay and reclaimed wood, alongside interpretations of Arabic calligraphy, traditional dressmaking techniques and the majlis as a space for gathering and exchange.

Talks

Designed by Dubai-based architecture and interior design studio BONE and supported by Lutron, The Forum at Downtown Design presents a programme of keynote presentations, panel discussions and industry conversations featuring more than 30 international and regional practitioners across design, architecture and related creative disciplines.

The programme opens with renowned French interior architect Tristan Auer, who is currently leading the restoration of the Burj Al Arab, discussing the relationship between heritage, contemporary living and craftsmanship. Further highlights include acclaimed British interior designer Katharine Pooley, Laura Kohler, Fitted by Expo City Dubai and Heimtextil, with discussions examining materiality, design innovation and the evolving needs of the built environment.

Elsewhere at Dubai Design Week, Duette Studio presents Duette+, a creative clubhouse hosting talks, workshops, screenings and listening sessions throughout the week. Conceived as a shared space for the creative community, the programme encourages exchange across disciplines, complemented by creative collaborations and curated collections exploring design, culture and movement.

Abwab

Abwab, Dubai Design Week’s long-running commissioning programme supporting creative practitioners from across West, South, Southeast and East Asia and the African continent, returns in 2026 with In Other Words. For the first time, the programme moves away from its established individual pavilion format to present a curated indoor group exhibition, featuring five newly commissioned works by Dalia Rafeh, Grace Shieh, Kanaka Raghavan, UBIK and VARUSSI, founded by Owais Asif Khan and Samreen Junaid Wani.

In Other Words explores the visual, material and spatial systems through which knowledge, memory and meaning are communicated. Highlights include Dalia Rafeh’s Shhhhhhhh, a seven-metre installation of red light that transforms the Arabic letter ش into a visual expression of silence; Grace Shieh’s A Library of Paper Memories, exploring handmade paper as a carrier of memory and meaning; and VARUSSI’s Taleem, an architectural installation drawing on the coded language traditionally used in Kashmiri carpet and Kani shawl making. Kanaka Raghavan’s Cheent Devanagari reconsiders the construction of letterforms through layered textiles, while UBIK’s Non/Sense examines translation, mistranslation and the shifting interpretation of language.

Visitors can experience the exhibition through three free curator-led walkthroughs, offering further insight into the research, materials and creative processes behind the commissions. Abwab 2026 is presented in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, with Faham and Tripod Global as material supporters.

Urban Commissions

Urban Commissions, Dubai Design Week’s annual design competition for the public realm, invites architects to explore how design can shape civic life. For 2026, the theme Atmospheres considers the emotional and sensory dimensions of architecture, exploring how light, temperature, sound, material and spatial sequence influence the ways people experience and interact with their surroundings.

This year’s winning proposal, Three Gardens and a Room, is by NAO Architects, a Dubai-based architecture practice founded by Reem Nassour. The installation reimagines the garden as a series of interconnected spatial experiences, exploring four fundamental architectural conditions: the roof, mound, hearth and enclosure. Arranged around a shared central space, three distinct gardens use foliage, colour, shade, thermal comfort, materiality and filtered light to shape different environments that visitors can move between and inhabit. The composition creates a room in between, offering a shared space to gather, pause and connect, while exploring how simple architectural elements can influence the experience of place.

The winning proposal was selected by a jury panel comprising Dr. Ahmed Al Mulla and Fatma Al Khayat, co-founders of ARKAT; Dominique Petit-Frère, founder and director of Limbo Museum; Manijeh Verghese, CEO of Open City and a Mayor of London Design Advocate; and Vanessa Norwood, curator, consultant and writer. Landscaping and greenery for Three Gardens and a Room were supported by Green Trends.

Installations and Pavilions

More than 25 installations transform Dubai Design District (d3) into an open-air gallery of design, inviting visitors to experience new approaches to architecture, material experimentation and public space. Developed by UAE-based, regional and international practices, the installations explore themes ranging from cultural memory and collective identity to environmental responsibility and the sensory experience of the built environment.

Among the international highlights, Japanese architecture practice Nikken Sekkei, in collaboration with SOBOKUYA, returns with CHATAI 2.0; US-based architecture firm Arquitectonica presents Peek, Pivot, Play!, reimagining public space as a setting for shared participation; and Avid Learning ME x Dakhnii Diaries explores language and cultural expression through Herding the UNHEARD: Traces of an Unwritten Language.

From the UAE and wider region, Nordic Office Architects presents The Pleated Garden, a public garden pavilion designed for occupation and interaction; Kart Group reimagines the Ghaf tree as a space for sound, play and gathering through Resonance; and Collaborative Design Laboratory x Zayed University presents ShadeForm. ae studio explores resilience, memory and reconstruction through In Between What Was and What Will Be, a fragmented architectural structure inviting visitors to pause, gather and connect. Further contributions include BAYN by Bahrain-based Palm & Palazzo Design Studio, reinterpreting the relationship between privacy and social connection in traditional Bahraini homes; Taqleem by Rasha Saffarini, exploring the use of discarded palm fronds in contemporary construction; and ROOTED by Trend Group, exploring resilience, belonging and connection.

Additional installations include Playing Field by Alter, transforming the traditional game of ludo into a participatory experience using handmade recycled cement tiles; Roots of the Future by Amity University, exploring sustainable materials and living technologies through a structure inspired by the Flame Tree; and Future Rose by Future Bedouin. BASE39 presents a modular pavilion designed by Zaina Khan, exploring adaptability and reuse in temporary architecture, while Dubai Holding Entertainment, in collaboration with Canadian University Dubai, ImInclusive and Rumett, presents A Seat at the Table, a multisensory experience celebrating the creativity and perspectives of People of Determination.

Further highlights include AT THE HAND by ISEA International, an interactive light sculpture that translates human gestures into a luminous three-dimensional form, and Everyday Artifacts by Noora Jabir and Moufida Mohideen, winners of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2026 presented by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation. The work explores archaeological interpretation through a sculptural form inspired by an ancient fishing hook  in5 Design, part of TECOM Group’s innovation platform, also presents a selection of projects by emerging designers and creative entrepreneurs from its community.

Exhibitions

Dubai Design Week 2026 presents a programme of exhibitions exploring architecture, cultural heritage, craft, emerging design practices and the evolving relationship between technology and human experience.

Woods Bagot, in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), presents Worlds Ahead: 25 Years of Design, Place and Impact in the Middle East, reflecting on the international architecture and design practice’s 25-year presence in the region. Combining a retrospective with interactive experiences, material explorations and discussions, the exhibition considers the future of architecture through themes including artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainability and quality of life.

L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, presents Recreating Gesture: Crafting a Gold Necklace from the Iron Age, opening on 5 November. The exhibition draws on experimental archaeological research to explore the goldsmithing techniques of early craftspeople from the Second Iron Age, offering insight into historical making processes and the transmission of specialist knowledge.

Regional creative platform FLTRD presents Borrowed from Earth, an evolving ceramics exhibition featuring work by regional ceramicists alongside a working studio where visitors can experiment with clay and participate in the making process. Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children presents a programme dedicated to ceramics and creative education, featuring a children’s exhibition, workshops and a pottery marketplace, alongside Our Flag, an installation by artist Nujoom Alghanem.

Academic institutions also play an important role in this year’s programme. The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) presents What remains human?, exploring the choices designers face in an increasingly technology-driven world through five themes: Feel, Remember, Choose, Connect and Care. Presented in collaboration with Dubai Culture, the exhibition is complemented by talks, debates and workshops. The College of Architecture, Art and Design at the American University of Sharjah returns with Six Degrees Offsite, extending its annual graduate exhibition into d3 with work spanning architecture, interior design, visual communication, design management and multimedia design.

Activations

Across the festival, design-led brands, cultural organisations and creative studios present interactive experiences and special collaborations that extend the programme beyond conventional exhibition formats.

Meraas, a member of Dubai Holding Real Estate and the festival’s Creative Living Partner, presents the Meraas Space, conceived by Duette Studio. As the developer behind d3’s expanded residential masterplan, Meraas is shaping a waterfront community that brings design and culture into everyday living. Inspired by the masterplan’s five distinct neighbourhoods, the space offers a sensory exploration of this vision and hosts Duette+, the studio’s cultural platform for conversations, workshops and creative exchange.

BMW Middle East, Dubai Design Week’s Exclusive Automotive Partner, collaborates with fashion designer Rami Al Ali on Form in Motion, a special installation exploring the relationship between craftsmanship, design and movement. Curious Studio by IQOS partners with OUCHHH Collective on Oasis Beyond, alongside presentations by three regional artists, Cheb Moha, Karro and Abrar, exploring different approaches to contemporary creativity and expression. Jazeera Paints, the festival’s Exclusive Colour Solutions Partner, collaborates with Saudi architect Sumayya Dabbagh on an immersive experience exploring the influence of colour and materiality on architecture, interiors and public space.

Further highlights include Pinterest’s Inspiring Perspectives, conceived by Dubai-based artist Kav, translating digital inspiration into a physical experience through geometry, colour and materiality; M Moser Associates’ Resonance, a live audiovisual installation shaped by visitors’ participation; and Istituto Marangoni’s CREATING THE NEXT, presenting student projects across interior, visual and product design within three mirrored architectural volumes. See Play Dream presents Chorus, an interactive sound installation exploring communication between the human and natural worlds, responding to the presence and movement of visitors.

Additional experiences include The Desert Dweller by Ethr, a contemporary interpretation of Bedouin hospitality centred on the ritual of Arabic coffee, complemented by curated objects, soundscapes and sensory experiences. MANDOOS ALWULFA by The Season of Wulfa is exploring contemporary interpretations of the traditional Emirati chest and its cultural significance. Museum of the Future presents an interactive talent discovery initiative exploring communication, curiosity, imagination and adaptability.

Spotify, the Official Audio Streaming Partner, will bring music and design together through a specially curated playlist, accessible onsite, that will soundtrack the festival. Wisewell, the festival’s Hydration Partner, offers purified drinking water through dedicated hydration stations and an interactive bottle customisation experience. Kiri® presents Kiri® Sweet Bites, exploring how thoughtful design can transform an everyday snacking experience through distinctive cube-shaped bites created for playful flavour discovery.

Workshops and Masterclasses

Dubai Design Week’s Maker Space, made by MillerKnoll, returns with workshops and creative sessions led by designers, artists, educators and industry professionals. Welcoming audiences of different ages and experience levels, the programme offers hands-on opportunities to explore photography, ceramics, typography, textiles, product design and other creative disciplines.

Highlights include Developing Ideas into Objects, led by Dr Ulrike Oberlack of the University of the Arts London, alongside The Future of Design and Papermaking 101 with Abwab 2026 participant Grace Shieh. Tashkeel presents a series of risograph printing workshops, while Analog The Room introduces participants to pinhole photography and cyanotype processes. Further sessions include Imagining Future Cities by HKS Architects, Sketching the City with Nora Zeid, and Atmosphere of the Stitch by Tatreez Therapy.

Leica UAE, ATOLYË and Kaybox also contribute workshops exploring creative practices, techniques and material experimentation, while Dubai Collection presents Geometries of the Imagination, inviting participants to explore abstraction through creative interpretations of artworks from the collection.

Marketplace

The Dubai Design Week Marketplace returns on 7-8 November, presenting a curated outdoor retail experience featuring more than 80 independent makers, artisans and creative businesses from the UAE and wider region.

Spanning handmade ceramics, jewellery, fragrance, homeware, fashion and lifestyle products, the Marketplace offers visitors the opportunity to discover emerging brands and engage directly with the people behind their work. Highlights include a dedicated ceramics market presented by Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, featuring handmade works by contemporary ceramic artists, studio members and Emirati potters.

Additional participants include Boho East, offering personalised charm jewellery, and Celaeno Beauty, presenting fragrances and scent products developed through a combination of French fragrance oils and local UAE production.