Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI)is delighted to announce its extensive programming line-up for this year’s Dubai Design Week, which kicked off yesterday and runs until13 November 2022 and which is one of the region’s most significant creative moments.  DIDI will present this year a student exhibition and a stimulating panel series led by the university’s faculty and including a number of emerging and established Emirati design figures such as Khalid Shafar of Khalid Shafar Design Studio, Salem Al-Qassimi of Fikra Design Studio and Murshed Mohammad of Drivu. The university will also host an array of workshops and classes, all of which are open to the public. Furthermore, globally renowned visionary and industrial designer Dirk Schumann is set to present his visionary space and maritime projects before joining a DIDI panel discussion entitled, “Space and maritime visions – new mobility for Dubai?”

Commenting on DIDI’s participation, Mohammed Abdullah, President of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), said: “We look forward to showcasing our most extensive and immersive participation to date at Dubai Design Week. With our commitment to the skills of the future, it is a privilege to spotlight the emerging young minds and aspiring talents at DIDI as well as like-minded individuals and trailblazers in our ecosystem. With our roster of panel discussions, student exhibition and workshops, we are keen to engage with and inspire the wider community and further strengthen the synergy and collaboration between educators, artists, designers, and students.”

The university is also presenting a series of design-focused discussions which include a number of up-and-coming and established Emirati designers. The panels delve into design’s value within the local communities as a key driver of economic prosperity and stability.

Below is the schedule of panels:

• Panel discussion on Product Design held on 9 November was led by Assistant Professor in Product Design, Gionata Gatto with Emirati panelists Khalid Alshafar from Khalid Alshafar Design Studio, Amer Aldou, trained in architecture and engineering, Richard Wilson, founder of CoLab, and Nikhilesh Mohan, DIDI Alumni, Co-Founder of ARDH Collective.
• Panel discussion on Strategic Design Management hosted by Assistant Professor of Strategic Design Management,Marina Peres, with Alessandro Ghetti, Product Innovation Lead at Accenture Song, Dima Al Srouri, Founder and Director of Biospheric City Lab, Rabih Ibrahim, Head of Design and Experience at GHD Digital Global, and Maha Abdalla DIDI Alumni (10 November at 4pm, building 4)
• Panel discussion on Fashion Design mediated byLecturerÉmilie Duval with Mahdiah El-Jed, Sustainable Fashion Professional, Marije de Roos, Founder of Positive Fibers, Leen Nizameddin, Founder and Creative Director of SOUND.ON, and Ayesha Siddequa, Founder and Creative Director of Ethical Elements (11 November at 4pm, building 4)
• Panel discussion on Multimedia Design led byDIDI Assistant Professor in Multimedia Design, Leo Rezayan, with Sheik Salem Al-Qassimi, a Multidisciplinary Graphic Designer and Founder of Fikra Design Studio, Emirati panellists Murshed Mohamed, Founder of Drivu mobile application, Esra Lemmens, Founder and Director of Esra Lemmens, and Rahmeh Alassaf DIDI Alumni (12 November at 4pm, building 4)

The world-class university, which is redefining the way that design and innovation are taught, welcomes the broader public to participate in workshops and classes run by its faculty.  These sessions offer opportunities to learn, connect and be inspired. With over 15 different classes and workshops spread across the entire week, participants can immerse themselves in design thinking through intriguing lectures and hands-on sessions discovering the history of design, design for outer space, 3D design, designing future cities, data visualization, storytelling and much more.

Sessions  include:

• Designing for Outer Space Workshop led by Assistant Professor, Raffi Tchakerian. This session held on 9 November explored design solutions that future space travellers can use to cope with the risks of monotony and boredom, and all the psycho-physiological risks their missions will present during their arduous endeavours away from home.
• Souvenirs from the Future Workshop hosted by Assistant Professor of Product Design, Gionata Gatto. This will be focused on designing a souvenir from the future and challenging participants to re-imagine the city of Dubai, and what it could become in the next 50 years (10 November 10am–11:30am, building 4)
• Innovation Thinking! Successful through Design Workshop hosted by Assistant Professor of Strategic Design Management, Elmar Schülle This will take a deep dive into how innovation can emerge and how new markets and products can be created through design. Participants and their groups will be challenged to research, discuss and illustrate how to design their own perfect mobile device (12 November 5pm–6:30pm, building 4)
• Design Your Future City Workshop will be hosted by Assistant Professor Joanne Hayek and Lecturer, Mirko Daneluzzo. In this workshop, participants will engage in the co-mapping of their neighbourhoods and brainstorming new ways to wire different areas of the city based on the intersection of different urban layers: mobility, landscape, leisure, etc. (13 November 3:30pm–5pm, building 4)

Bringing together some of the brightest minds in the design world including globally renowned visionary and industrial engineer Dirk Schumann, the university will also present a fascinating panel discussion titled, “Space and Maritime Visions – a New Mobility for Dubai?”Moderated by the university’s Assistant Professor of Strategic Design Management, Elmar Schülle, the panel will be also joined by Abeer Alshaali, the first Emirati woman in the yachting industry and the Deputy Managing Director Gulf Craft, and Raffi Tchakerian, Industrial aerospace designer and Assistant Professor at DIDI. As humans look to explore the world around them, the eye-opening panel will discuss visionary design and innovations at play on earth and beyond. Taking place on Saturday, 12 November from 2:00pm – 3:10pm, the discussion is open to the public and will tackle design beyond aesthetics, exploring critical problem solving and how to make real impact into day’s world and the future.

Dubai Design Week, which takes place from November 8-13 at d3, celebrates design and creativity in the UAE and beyond through an extensive programme of free-to-attend exhibitions, installations, pop-ups, talks and workshops, and experiential mediums accessible for visitors of all ages and levels. This year’s exciting programme will have a focus on designing for a sustainable future integrated across the week’s activities in a range of disciplines including architecture, product design, interiors and multimedia by international and regional designers.

DIDI was established to address the growing need for talented designers and innovators in the UAE and beyond and aims to future-proof the next generation. Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education, the private non-profit university boasts a curriculum created in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Parsons School of Design.

For more information and the full schedule visit our website https://didi.ac.ae/en/whats-on/events