Editions<\/span><\/a><\/strong> 6-9 November<\/em> New for this year is the region\u2019s first limited-edition art and design fair, with more than 50 galleries, design studios and collectives exhibiting design, photography, prints, ceramics and works on paper. The pitch is that \u201cEditions paves an alternative route to art and design collecting\u201d. Opening hours: 12am-8pm <\/em><\/p>\n Urban Commissions<\/strong> <\/span>DDW\u2019s annual design competition this year invited designers and architects to propose innovative community furniture that took the idea of \u2018the table\u2019 beyond its basic form. It was won by Altqadum, a research-based design studio from Oman that specialises in architecture, interior and objects design. Taking inspiration from the musical culture of the Gulf, where communities traditionally gather around and accompany musicians, Altqadum<\/strong>\u2019s TukTuKDum is an innovative table that encourages interaction, inviting audiences to become performers and even an integral part of the table itself.<\/p>\n Abwab<\/strong> <\/span>Abwab (‘doors’ in Arabic) is a programme that supports designers from the SWANA region by commissioning installations or pavilions each year reflecting relevant global and regional contexts. Since its inception in 2015, over 180 designers have participated in Abwab; for 2024, practitioners were invited to propose designs with a focus on vernacular architecture and how community-centric architectural methods can intersect with new environments.<\/p>\n Installations <\/span><\/strong>DDW visitors will find more 30 projects that explore ancient technologies, modern innovations and materiality. Highlights include the Dubai-based architectural and interior design studio Bone<\/strong> with a pavilion made entirely from pre-fabricated earth blocks, a collaboration with Spanish rammed earth specialists Fetdeterra; a traditional Japanese tea-house made from 3D-printed waste sawdust, a creation of the Japanese architectural studio Mitsubishi Jisho Design<\/strong>; and an AI-infused \u2018second skin\u2019 fabric that responds to the body\u2019s state of being, shown by the tech-driven multidisciplinary practice DEOND<\/strong> (founded by Ross Lovegrove and Ila Colombo). Other installations promise various organic and upcycled materials including banana fibre, soybean wax, henna, Himalayan salt, terracotta and scrap metal.<\/p>\n Exhibitions and activations <\/span><\/strong>Curated exhibitions include the annual UAE Designer Exhibition<\/strong>, now in its fifth edition. Supported by Dubai Culture and curated by Omar Al Gurg, this is an effective showcase of work by emerging UAE-based designers. Other craft\/design retail opportunities include an Art Jameel<\/strong> shop, 421\u2019s Dukkan421<\/strong> shop, and Monocle<\/strong>\u2019s shop and caf\u00e9 takeover of FRAME in d3.<\/p>\n Talks, workshops and masterclasses<\/strong> <\/span>DDW\u2019s workshops programme is apparently \u201cdesigned to inspire and elevate skills across design disciplines, catering to professionals and aspiring creatives of all ages, interests and experience levels\u201d. It\u2019s housed in a pop-up Maker Space<\/strong> in d3 and there\u2019s usually something for anyone \u2013 the workshops do tend to fill up quickly, not least because most are free. DIDI<\/strong> (which is based in d3) has a collection of workshops and student-led tours, all free \u2013 sign up here<\/a>. The talks programme tends to be centred on Downtown Design and takes place in The Forum<\/strong>, the amphitheatre-style space within Downtown Design.<\/p>\n Marketplace<\/span><\/strong> 9-10 November<\/em> (below) A weekend outdoor \u201cretail experience\u201d where \u201cvisitors can discover the very best of the region\u2019s designers, artisans and homegrown small businesses offering quality and original products”. It\u2019s \u201cconsciously curated\u201d, so in theory there should be no dross.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/magpie.ae\/staging4\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/ddw-1.jpg\")
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