Dubai Design Week, the region's largest festival dedicated to design and creativity, returns for its 11th edition from 4–9 November 2025. Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture, and in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), the event promises a vibrant showcase of innovation, dialogue, and cultural exchange.
© Dubai Design Week
Since its launch, Dubai Design Week has positioned itself as a global meeting point for the creative industries, drawing architects, designers, makers, and brands from across the Middle East and beyond. This year's edition takes on a reflective approach, exploring design as both a driver of innovation and a social connector, bridging heritage with contemporary practice.
A courtyard reimagined: Urban Commissions 2025
Each year, the Urban Commissions competition invites architects and designers to propose experimental ideas for public space. The 2025 winning project, When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?, was conceived by Some Kind of Practice, a UAE-based design and research studio founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas.
Inspired by the Emirati housh (courtyard), their design explores the courtyard as communal infrastructure, a flexible space of gathering, climate adaptation, and social exchange. Built from locally sourced materials and guided by field research, the project embodies a balance of tradition and innovation.
Downtown Design: The Anchor Event
Running from 5–9 November, Downtown Design will once again transform the d3 Waterfront Terrace into the Middle East's leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design. International brands including Kartell, Poltrona Frau, Roche Bobois, Stellar Works, Vitra and Venini will share the stage with regional showcases such as BEIT Collective from Lebanon, Designed in Saudi, and Tanween by Tashkeel.
The fair will also feature immersive pop-ups: Buccellati, interpreted by design duo david/nicolas, the Solaire Lounge by Veuve Clicquot with Studio Marcel Poulain, and a bold hospitality installation by Etereo Design Studio for Cosentino.
Editions: Limited-Edition Art and Design
Running alongside Downtown Design, Editions Art & Design will spotlight collectible and experimental works. Highlights include Galerie Geek Art's first regional showcase of Japanese art, AI-driven works by Dubai-based Ila Colombo, and a debut by Bureau of Innovation, presenting one-of-a-kind pieces by leading international designers.
Returning exhibitors such as Rarares Gallery, Leila Heller Gallery and Rooster Gallery will further enrich the curated selection.
Large-Scale Installations and Abwab
More than 30 large-scale installations will animate d3's public spaces, offering visitors an immersive exploration of materiality, craft, and technology. Highlights include ARDH Collective's sustainable structures made of DuneCrete and DateForm, AJZAL's reinterpretation of the majlis in local stone and camel leather, and a modular wooden pavilion by Japan's Nikken Sekkei.
The much-anticipated Abwab pavilion returns with the theme In the Details, inviting designers from across West, South and East Asia, and Africa to explore ornamentalism as a language of cultural memory and storytelling.
Talks, Workshops and the Marketplace
Education and dialogue remain central to Dubai Design Week. The Forum at Downtown Design will host international voices including Tom Dixon (in his Dubai debut), Lee Broom, and Isabelle Stanislas. Workshops will be led by professors from UAL and MIT, alongside regional makers, publishers, and collectives.
On the closing weekend (8–9 November), the lively Marketplace returns, celebrating local and regional craftsmanship with homeware, fashion, jewellery, and sustainable goods, complemented by food, live performances, and family-friendly activities.
A Platform for Global and Local Voices
"Dubai Design Week brings such a wealth of creative talent and energy to Dubai Design District each November — from here in the UAE, the region and across the globe," says Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of d3.
As Natasha Carella, Director of Dubai Design Week, puts it: "This year we're exploring design not only as a practice of innovation but also as a civic and cultural force that shapes how we live together. Ultimately, we're asking: how can design bring people together across disciplines, geographies and generations?"
Dubai Design Week 2025
Dubai Design District (d3)
4–9 November 2025
More information:
Dubai Design Week
www.dubaidesignweek.ae
