Dubai Design District (d3), the destination dedicated to design today announced that it is gearing up to host the fourth edition of the region’s premier annual design event, Dubai Design Week.

The upcoming edition is set to run in the Design Quarter from 12 to 17 November 2018. Following the success of last year’s event that drew the attendance of more than 60,000 people, Dubai Design Week 2018 features a packed programme agenda comprising over 230 exciting events, including design-focused lectures headlined by industry leaders, exhibitions, workshops, pop-ups, launches, installations and more.

d3’s Design Quarter has become a venue of choice for the event through convening creatives, industry professionals and design enthusiasts from all over the world for the 4^th year in a row, and further reinforcing d3’s position as the leading hub for art and design in the region.

Speaking about the significance of hosting Dubai Design Week for the fourth year running, Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Design District, said: “d3 is delighted to be partnering once again with Dubai Design Week in hosting the 4th edition at the Design Quarter. This event is a wonderful celebration of design and serves as a meeting point for creatives and design professionals from the region and internationally. This year, d3’s presence will be stronger than ever with a showcase of the final chapter of the ‘UAE Design Stories’ exhibition, which celebrates Emirati culture through various design disciplines.

“Our initiative ‘Design for Good’ will present a new art installation titled ‘The Mesh’, and we will also announce the winner of our Design 100 competition. More than 60 of our creative partners are participating in the event with many offering workshops, talks, exhibitions or pop-ups and many more participating as a part of Downtown Design. Our creative community serves as a platform that embraces cultural integration, where artistic talent can unite and co-create.”

Building on the success of its previous chapters and presentations in Milan, London and Paris, the international exhibition, ‘UAE Design Stories: The Next Generation from the Emirates’ will return home with a new and final chapter during Dubai Design Week 2018, alongside the previous Chapter which will be housed in Downtown Design

The third chapter of the exhibition will feature a competition themed ‘Design for Little Ones: Us, Ours, & Others’. Participating designers will explore the world of children and delve into their own childhood to create a product for children up to the age of 12 years. To enmesh Emirati context in the project, and to link it back to the exhibition’s origin, participating designers will seek inspiration, influence and a story idea in Majid Magazine (https://majid.ae/). Founded in 1979 by an order of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Majid was envisioned not just as a children’s magazine but as a cultural and national initiative that represented Emirati and Arab children and served as their voice.

d3 will also reveal the winning design of its ‘Design 100’ competition in collaboration with Dubai Cares and the American Hardwood Council. Part of d3’s own CSR programme “Design for Good”, the exclusive collection will be on sale and open to the public, with all proceeds being donated to Dubai Cares.

Also part of the Design For Good programme is‘The Mesh’, an installation comprising shading structures designed by renowned Emirati designer Roudha Al Shamsi and produced by Afghani women through d3’s business partner, the Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI).

d3’s CEO, Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, will also join the prestigious judging panel of the exclusive Audi Innovation Award, with the winner of the competition set to be announced during the event.

Nineteen of d3’s own creative partners will be a part of Downtown Design including Aljoud Lootah, Alshaya Enterprises, Artemide, Ayah Al Bitar, Bene Middle East, Benoy, Dewan Architects + Engineers, Fadi Sarieddine, Finasi, Foster + Partners, Lasvit, MONOGRAM, Nakkash Gallery, Pallavi Dean Interiors, Preciosa, Tinkah as well as several d3 F&B outlets such as Chez Charles, the kitchen and YUi.

Many of d3’s business partners will also present lectures and talks, host exhibitions, workshops and more throughout Dubai Design Week. Business partners set to present talks include 5+ Design, Carpets CC by Cecilia Setterdahl, Hatch Concept Studio, in5/DDFC, Mirage Project Point, SSH Design, The Lighthouse and Wilson Associates.

In addition, several of d3’s business partners will host exhibitions as part of Design Week. Apical Reform (AR Gallery), Archiade Atelier, General.3am, Hands Carpets, The Lighthouse x Nada Debs, MCML Studio, Molecule x Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Montroi, Nakkash Gallery, Posh Village and Selectshop FRAME.

A series of workshops on topics ranging from architecture to movies to sketching will be hosted by d3 partners including DIDI, Grimshaw, Sharabassy Built Environment Studio, The Gracious F and Zaro Architects.

In addition, d3’s 1Life Café will present a pop-up under the theme ‘1001 Caribbean Nights’, while other d3 restaurants such as Amorino and the Lighthouse will also participate offering a range of culinary delights.

Aya Al Bitar, the renowned Saudi Arabian product ad furniture designer, will launch a new product at the design festival, while Grimshaw, Zaha Hadid Architects and MEAN* Middle East Architecture Network will each host an open house for visitors.

Art installations will be placed around the design quarter, designed by d3’s business partners Apical Reform, Delta Light, FBMI, Grimshaw, IV (FOUR), Kohler, Masina House Design, SUPERFUTUREDESIGN*, Superstudio and Gusto Furniture.

For more information on the event programming please visit the event website:

https://www.dubaidesignweek.ae/

Interested browsers can also download the event app, available on both iOS and Android.