Dubai Design Week
Identity|December 2020
While many of the world’s design events went virtual this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth iteration of Dubai Design Week – a festival that has quickly become one of the most sought-after events on the arts calendar in the Emirates – presented a combination of physical exhibitions and outdoor installations, bringing together international works and regional talent in addition to an online showcase of brands and talks, making the event accessible to a global audience.
AIDAN IMANOVA
Dubai Design Week

Although many of the event’s extensions remained, this year’s Dubai Design Week focused less on beautiful distractions and more on hard realities – an approach that felt necessary in the wake of our current situation. Designers and architects responded to calls about the changing dynamics of public spaces and social interaction, the challenges of the current built environment on climate change and the environment, the social politics of the design industry and sustainable alternatives to traditional materials.

A greater focus on locally-based designers also provided a deeper insight into the development of design in the UAE, where Emirati and expat designers and artists showcased works that explored local materials and techniques as well as themes such as identity, locality and context.

At a time when the global design community is working harder to respond to social and environmental issues, the 2020 edition of Dubai Design Week further confirmed the growing influence of the Middle East on the design map, and of a community that is questioning norms and exploring its own potential.

In the following pages, identity highlights some of the most thought-provoking, exploratory and collaborative works that were showcased at this year's Dubai Design Week.

A new era

Lebanese designer and curator Ghassan Salameh speaks of the challenges behind the formation of Dubai Design Week 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic

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Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av Identity.

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Breaking the mould
Identity

Breaking the mould

A collision of forces has given birth to a new project called The Great Design Disaster. Led by a passionate duo – interior architect Gregory Gatserelia and design enthusiast Joy Herro – its aim is nothing short of shaking up the traditional boundaries of the contemporary design market. identity catches up with Herro to learn more.

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2 mins  |
June 2021
A taste for luxury
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A taste for luxury

Häcker Kitchens is on a mission to 'disrupt the kitchen industry' in the Middle East

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2 mins  |
June 2021
An Italian affair
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An Italian affair

An exclusive collection by online retail platform Artemest has been curated by Dubai-based interior designer and founder of Styled Habitat, Rabah Saeid, and combines Italian handcrafted pieces inspired by cosy nights in.

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1 min  |
June 2021
At the nexus of design and function
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At the nexus of design and function

Casamia is home to truly contemporary kitchens for lovers of elegance and understated style

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1 min  |
June 2021
DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES
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DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES

As a place for everything from cooking and eating to entertaining and gathering with family and friends, the kitchen is the heart of any home. It can be a space that invites creativity as well, not only with food but also with design. Contemporary or traditional, urban-inspired or with a countryside feel, adorned with neutral colours or noble materials, bespoke or modular: there are many options to reflect your own style.

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4 mins  |
June 2021
Contemporary heritage
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Contemporary heritage

Launched just a few months ago, new brand and gallery Don Tanani revives the past with a contemporary eye, through objects that are at the crossroads of design and art

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2 mins  |
June 2021
Distant voices
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Distant voices

The voices of 4000 Lebanese citizens have travelled to the Venice Architecture Biennale as part of Beirut-based architecture and design duo T SAKHI’s installation, ‘Letters from Beirut’. With the hope of fostering dialogue and honouring the Lebanese community, the installation shares narratives in the wake of the city’s ongoing reconstruction following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August last year.

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2 mins  |
June 2021
An urban legacy
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An urban legacy

A new book chronicling Sharjah’s modern urban landscape offers a wide-ranging view of the UAE’s third-largest city

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2 mins  |
June 2021
WEEKEND LIFESTYLE
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WEEKEND LIFESTYLE

This Sydney home achieves harmony through the perfect balance of proportions, materials and colours

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3 mins  |
June 2021
A labour of love
Identity

A labour of love

The House of Today platform has supported emerging design talent and students in Lebanon for nearly a decade. Today, in the face of ongoing challenges, their efforts remain as solid as ever.

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5 mins  |
June 2021