Close

Downtown Design places spotlight on regional talent and inspiration

Fair is hosting work by local and locally-inspired designers, studios and collectives.

This year’s edition of Downtown Design, which is running from 12 to 15 November, is continuing to place the spotlight on new regional initiatives, young designers and up-and-coming brands.

Designers presenting works inspired by the culture and traditions of the Middle East include emerging designer Hajar Abdallah, whose debut installation celebrates the region’s equestrian culture.

Sharjah-based Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council is presenting present an outstanding collection of objects developed in collaboration with Emirati craftswomen and leading contemporary designers.

Award-winning architectural studio Binchy & Binchy is launching ten new tables inspired by architecture, challenging themselves to determine a design language that is truly Emirati.

Returning to Downtown Editions, Aljoud Lootah, Roudha Al Shamsi, 1971 Design Space and Jeel are all presenting their latest limited-edition work, whilst Taskheel will unveil the outcome of the 2019 Tanween Design Programme featuring designers Abdulla Al Mulla, Lana El Samman and Yara Habib.

Bringing his designs to the Middle East for the first time, Brooklyn-based sculptor and designer Fernando Mastrangelo is launching a collection of mirrors inspired by the geographic features of Dubai.

New pieces are on display from Japanese collectible furniture studio Tasca 4D, known for using the latest manufacturing methods in its designs, and from South Korean brand Arijian, which specialises in handcrafted goods and regional materials.

Guest Curator of Dubai Design Week, designer Ghassan Salameh is curating ‘MADAR’ within Downtown Editions, focusing on regional design and shedding light on the current movements in the design market of the region today. Ghassan’s curation will also highlight the latest productions and innovations of emerging regional designers.

Public visitors to Downtown Design can gain complimentary access through the Dubai Design Week app.

The Latest

An Integrated Approach

At DLR Group, collaboration across teams is key. We speak to Henrique Dias, Principal and Middle East Hospitality and Mixed-Use Director, and Vaida Buchrotaite, Principal and International Interior Design and Operations Director, on how the group shapes hospitality projects across the region

Motif, Centrum Spaces Abu Dhabi

Motif Interiors completes Centrum Spaces’ Abu Dhabi coworking space

The UAE design-and-build studio delivers a Japanese-inspired coworking destination at Reem Mall, spanning 22,000 sq ft

An exploration of wood in Chattels&More’s latest collection

Chattels&More explores the timeless elegance of wood in its latest collection

Endless possibilities with the Laser Evo by iGuzzini

The brand's latest Laser Evo offers over a million design options.

Read Shaping Destinations in Design – Note from the editor

Read identity magazine's June 2026 edition on ISSUU or grab your copy

Gaggenau reveals the full range of the new Vario Cooling Expressive Series

The brand continues the evolution of the Vario cooling Expressive series with 11 new refrigeration models

Boffi|DePadova Opens in Alserkal Avenue

The brand opens a pop-up ahead of its opening

Beyond Green Walls

Noeline Conradie, Co-Founder and Lead Interior Designer of SharpMinds Consulting Engineers, shares how biophilic design actually works in offices and schools

Fountains of Mercy

E+A Studio designs an urban bird feeder designed to support biodiversity where nature and city intersect

id most wanted – May 2026

This unique piece is designed by Isidro Ferrer

An Oasis of Expression

A new coffee-table book about Dubai’s beloved cultural space, Courtyard, resists neat categorisation. Part memoir, part architectural study, part visual archive, it traces the evolution of one of the city’s most enduring creative enclaves

Rhythms of Light

This villa designed by archiSENSE studio in Dubai is a masterclass in restraint, proportion, and architectural expression