Dubai Design Week 2025

The region’s leading (only significant?) design festival returns for its 11th edition with the usual hectic mix of commissions, exhibitions, installations, talks and live events.

Natasha Carella, DDW’s Director, said this year the programme was taking a more reflective approach – “exploring design not only as a practice of innovation but also as a social connector, a civic and cultural force that shapes how we live together, communicate and build systems of care. From spatial typologies rooted across cultures and climates to a focus on material intelligence, detail and cultural nuance, the programme is intentional and human-centred, bridging heritage with contemporary. Ultimately, we’re asking: how can design bring people together across disciplines, geographies and generations?” That sets the bar quite high …

The highlights:

Downtown Design 5-9 November The region’s leading fair for high-quality and contemporary design, returns to the d3 Waterfront Terrace. This is the B2B part of Design Week, showing collections, innovative products and design solutions for the interiors busness; the show, which includes this year’s cohort of the Athath Fellowship by MAKE in Abu Dhabi and the annual Tanween programme by Tashkeel, is complemented by a programme of “pop-up concepts”, regional spotlights, talks and panel discussions. Its website is here; admission is AED 80 (one day pass; a four-day pass is AED 150) which gives access to both Editions and Downtown Design.

Editions 5-9 November, 12pm – 8pm The second outing for the limited-edition art and design show features prints, photography, works on paper, ceramics, contemporary design, and artist multiples. It has its own website and charges for admission (one day pass AED 80, four-day pass AED 150 – access to both Editions and Downtown Design)

Exhibitions and activations The usual diverse mix of exhibitions, pop ups and activations includes the always-interesting UAE Designer Exhibition; the d3 Architecture Exhibition in partnership with RIBA; Design You Can Feel by technology brand ASUS, an exploration of materiality, craftsmanship and AI; and Bootleg Griot, an independent public library project for works by artists, collectives and writers of African descent that celebrates creativity, cultural exchange and accessibility.

Talks, Workshops and Masterclasses Hosted in a dedicated Maker Space, DDW’s workshop programme is aimed at just about anyone – professionals and aspiring creatives of all ages, interests and levels of experience. And The Forum at Downtown Design returns with live talks and keynotes, headlined by Tom Dixon in his Dubai debut.

Urban Commissions Dubai Design Week’s design competition for architects and designers to experiment with ideas for the public realm centred on the courtyard for 2025. This year’s winning proposal, When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?, is by UAE-based design and research studio Some Kind of Practice, founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas.

Abwab The annual commission for designers from across Asia and Africa has showcased the work of more than 180 applicants since its inception in 2015, Abwab. For 2025, designers were invited to respond to the theme In the Details; the winning pavilion is Stories of the Isle and the Inlet by Maraj, a Bahrain based architecture and design platform founded by architects Latifa Alkhayat and Maryam Aljomairi,

Installations More than 30 large-scale outdoor installations will transform d3 into “an open-air space of design innovation, where public spaces become interactive works that invite exploration and engagement”.

Marketplace 8–9 November This weekend outdoor market for homegrown businesses and independent makers offers products from homeware, jewellery, fashion and lifestyle items to F&B, experiences, children’s activities and live performances.

Dubai Design Week runs 4 to 9 November, apart from the specific dates above. Opening is 10am to 10pm.