Design Next, a first-of-its-kind exhibition in the UAE promoting the circular economy, is
bringing an inspiring showcase of sustainable design and insight from around the world to the
10th-anniversary edition of Dubai Design Week.
The exhibition, launched by Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, and the
prestigious Isola Design Group, kicks off tomorrow, showcasing ideas and solutions to empower
the circular economy and inspire visitors to play a greater part in shaping a sustainable world.
The exhibition will run in Building 6 at d3 from 5-10 November 2024.
“Consumers want to see bold statements around sustainability transform into tangible,
accessible reality. Design Next offers businesses, creatives and the public a glimpse of how
local, regional and global brands are leveraging circular design to deliver attractive and
functional products for personal and commercial use,” said Khadija Al Bastaki,
Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3) – part of TECOM Group PJSC.
“We are delighted to work with such a prestigious brand in the global design space to
create this programme that emphasises the breadth and depth of creativity shaping a sustainable
future through displays and insightful conversations by brilliant minds. We hope Design Next
will catalyse a greater movement towards a circular economy while powering growth in
Dubai’s creative industries, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’
ambitions.”
The inaugural line-up for Design Next comprises the creativity and innovations of more than 40
local, regional and international independent designers and studios, sustainable brands, and
design tech start-ups presenting innovative, eco-conscious products to circular construction
materials. From compostable smartphone cases to plant-derived furniture, interior materials, and
homewares, the exhibition will illustrate contemporary applications of design created from
innovative technology and alternative materials. Among the talents presenting are Aga Blonska,
Chinara Darwish, Eleonora Rombolà, Grob Design and IOUS Studio, amongst many more.
Design Next will also include a dynamic and engaging platform of panel discussions hosted by
industry thought leaders and live performances that bring the values of sustainable design
thinking to life. These discussions start on 6 November, with Fahad Ahmed Al Obaidly, Acting
Director of Doha Biennale, Samer Yamani, Founder and Director of design consultancy Creative
Dialogue, and Wael Al Awar, architect and founding partner waiwai design studio among the
line-up of panellists.
"We are pleased to bring our international design community and years of dedicated research
in circular design, innovative materials, and cutting-edge design tech solutions to Dubai. We
are confident that our partnership with d3 and Design Next will contribute meaningfully to
advancing the regional design dialogue, setting new standards in environment-conscious practices
and industry collaboration. Through this initiative, we aim to inspire the design sector in the
region and to share the tools needed to shape a more resilient and forward-thinking
future," said Gabriele Cavallaro, CEO and co-founder of Isola Design
Group.
Announced in October 2024, Design Next marks the first joint initiative between d3 and the
innovative Isola Design Group. The Milan-based design company, renowned for providing visibility
and opportunities to independent designers, design studios, and brands worldwide, recently
expanded to the Middle East with a new regional headquarters at d3’s global creative
ecosystem.
Promoting homegrown and regional talents
Among the homegrown UAE-based talents on show will be Generation 3D, Desert Board, Sulmi, NYXO
and the region’s first purpose-built digital material library, Colab. Sulmi designs
scalable and sustainable systems, combining energy generation and storage with their electric
motorcycles for maximum environmental impact, which will be available for viewing. Colab joins
to showcase its online database of materials that enables design professionals and businesses to
discover innovative, commercially available materials and directly engage suppliers. Alongside
Colab, d3’s own community will be represented by Andreu World, the global
sustainability-focused furniture design brand from Spain, which opens its first UAE-based
showroom in d3 on the first day of Dubai Design Week.
Representing regional talent are Egyptian furniture designers Aya Moug and Shell Homage. Moug
masterminded Byblos, an innovative plant-based material that transforms papyrus plants from
along the Nile’s shore into versatile biomaterials. The plant is an eco-friendly
alternative to wood, stone, and marble to create attractive furniture products that combine
Egyptian heritage with modern applications.
Additional MENA-based brands include: Chinara Darwish (UAE), CIFRA (UAE), Cinar Fine Rugs (UAE),
Colab (UAE), DesertBoard (UAE), Faheem Khan (Qatar), Generation 3D (UAE), High Sense (UAE), NYXO
(UAE), PlyPalm (UAE), Sulmi (UAE), and YAKIN (Lebanon).
Outstanding international design representation
The exhibition will see 18 countries represented. Joining Design Next from further afield are:
International participants include: Andreau World (Spain), Anett Papp (Hungary), Armourcoat (UK),
Arper (Italy), Chryssa Kotoula (Greece), Ek Kalakaar (India), ecoLogicStudio (UK/Italy),
Eleonora Rombolà (Italy), Floris Mejer (Netherlands), Grob Design (Turkey), Halle Design
(Netherlands), Harshita Jhamtani (India), House of Piranesi (India), iGuzzini (Italy), IOUS
Studio (Netherlands), KeepLife (Italy), Maki Izawa (Japan), Martin Oberhauser (Italy),
Masquespacio (Spain), Mattice Boets (Belgium), MODedition (Turkey), Myceen (Estonia), Oorjaa
(India), Shape & Shade (Kosovo), Tectona Grandis Furniture (Turkey), VANK (Poland), and
WKND Lab (South Korea).
The exhibition will feature live performances by Masquespacio (Spain) and MODedition (Turkey).
Meanwhile, Fromm, a luxury contemporary furniture and accessories brand founded in Italy and
Qatar, will host an immersive masterclass providing designers with valuable strategies, insights
and tools to create circular products.
Insightful panel discussions by industry leaders
Alongside the exhibition, Design Next includes a packed schedule of insightful industry talks
and discussions exploring a range of subjects. From sustainable design champions addressing the
power of design in shaping the future to emerging materials enabling circular sustainable
interior and architecture design, talks on new-age Arab design and Dubai’s cementing
status as a global creative business hub.
The complete panel schedule for 6 to 9 November is available below.
Design Next will be the first of many initiatives launched between d3 and Isola Design Group,
who will continue collaborating on an array of events and services to further cement the
region’s flourishing design scene and support exciting local and regional design talent.
Design Next will be a biennial event, and the d3 Architecture Exhibition will be held in the
intervening years.
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PANEL DISCUSSIONS (6 – 9 NOVEMBER) |
Time |
Wed, 6 November |
Content vs. Form: Intersections of Design, Art and Technology: |
2 - 2:45 PM |
The Role of Design Brands in Driving the Industry Towards a Better Future |
3 - 3:45 PM |
|
Behind the project: The Award-winning UAE National Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia |
4 - 4:45 PM |
|
The Future of Sustainable Design: From Material Innovation to Circular Systems |
5 - 5:45 PM |
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Thursday, 7 November |
Waste to Worth: Circular Design in Practice |
10:30 AM – |
High-Performance Interiors: Integrating User Experience and Artificial Intelligence (AI) |
2 – 2:45 PM |
|
Designing for the Future: How the Circular Economy is Impacting the Industry |
3 – 3:45 PM |
|
From the Past to the Future: A New Perspective on Arab Design |
4 – 4:45 PM |
|
Future Cities: Micro-Architecture and Design |
5 – 5:45 PM |
|
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Friday, 8 November |
Public Art in Dubai: A Conversation |
3:30 – 4:15 PM |
Crafting Tomorrow: The Intersection of AI and Human Creativity |
4:30 – 5:15 PM |
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Saturday, 9 November |
How Innovative Materials are Shaping the Design and Architecture Industry |
2 – 2:45 PM |
Transforming Cities Through New Spaces for Creative Communities |
3 – 3:45 PM |
Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem that fosters local creative economy growth. It represents a dynamic design community of more than 1,000 businesses, ranging from multinationals to start-ups, and is a strategic partner of Dubai Design Week.