Dubai Design Week 2025 Overview
Dubai Design Week (DDW) returned in its 11th edition from November 4 to 9, 2025, held at the Dubai Design District (d3), cementing its role as a vital platform for creative dialogue and experimentation in the Middle East. The event showcased a multidisciplinary program spanning architecture, interiors, furniture, graphic design, and major activations featuring both regional and global talents including British designer Tom Dixon, who made his Dubai debut alongside other internationally recognized figures like Lee Broom and David Hicks.
Festival Highlights and Collaborations
The festival featured powerful collaborations and installations such as the BMW Middle East’s project with Jeddah-based BrickLab and a pop-up by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre exploring the design and history of the Reverso timepiece. Another notable installation was the IQOS Curious X platform partnering with Italian design brand Seletti, which reimagined the traditional Italian piazza through multisensory art, soundscapes, and scents.
Key Programs and Initiatives
- Downtown Design (DTD): The Middle East’s leading design fair returned with high-quality contemporary designs, limited editions, and bespoke commissions, fostering innovation and craftsmanship.
- d3 Awards: Launched in 2025, this new award celebrates emerging talent in the Middle East and North Africa, focusing initially on conceptual architecture for community-driven spatial design with a prize of AED 100,000.
- Abwab Program: Supporting designers from West, South, and East Asia and Africa through annually themed installations, highlighting cultural nuance and material intelligence.
- Maker Space: An educational hub offering over 60 workshops and masterclasses by international professors and regional creatives, aimed at inspiring across various design disciplines.
Winning Proposal for 2025 Urban Commissions Theme
Addressing the theme "Courtyard," the UAE-based studio Some Kind of Practice, founded by Omar Darwish and Abdulla Abbas, proposed "When Does a Threshold Become a Courtyard?" It features a courtyard design enclosed by palm fronds, built on concrete blocks with a roof of corrugated metal sheets that allows light and air.
'Our fieldwork focused on places that have so far remained untouched by development; in the mountains, along the coast, and in the desert,' said Omar Darwish.
'We wanted to recreate the regionally important courtyard space using off-the-shelf and natural materials, combined with traditional techniques such as the stacking systems we observed in the desert,' added Abdulla Abbas.
In Dubai, the native Ghaf tree is protected and often integrated into constructions, its roots deeply nourishing the environment, symbolizing a reconnection with natural heritage amid urban growth.
Design's Role in Shaping Dubai's Identity
Dubai Design Week serves as a crossroads where global creativity meets local heritage, encouraging innovation while honoring the roots of a city often known for its towering skyscrapers. The event reflects a vibrant dialogue between tradition and modernity, highlighting sustainability, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling within the rapidly evolving metropolis.
Author's Summary
Dubai Design Week 2025 brilliantly merges innovative design and regional heritage, showcasing emerging talent and cultural narratives that redefine the city's creative identity in a global context.