11th edition of Dubai Design Week takes stage on November 4-9 at d3
- Last updated: July 27, 2025 | 09:55
Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer
Dubai Design Week (DDW) will celebrate its 11th edition from November 4-9 under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of Dubai Council. The region’s leading design festival and an annual celebration of creativity and culture, DDW is held in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, and supported by Dubai Culture.
DDW 2025 coincides with the UAE’s ‘Year of Community’; this year’s programme therefore reflects the theme through a focus on social cohesion, participation and shared experiences. Design will be explored not only as a practice of innovation, but as a social connector and as a civic and cultural tool that can shape how we live together, communicate, and build caring systems.
Since 2015, DDW has grown into a global platform with an emphasis on cross-cultural exchange and on amplifying voices from West and South Asia, as well as the wider Global South (encompassing countries in Africa, Latin America, most of Asia and Oceania).
Through exhibitions, fairs, large-scale installations, talks and workshops, the festival engages with contemporary narratives, creating a space for dialogue, experimentation and progress, harnessing its position as a regional melting pot and creative hub.
Key venues are located across d3, the global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art. This year’s highlights include Urban Commissions, DDW’s annual competition, open to proposals from global practices, giving international architects and designers an opportunity to shape public spaces through community-driven design. Under the theme ‘Courtyard’, Urban Commissions calls on practitioners to reflect on a shared spatial form and explore its multifaceted role as a gathering place and community-led urban infrastructure.
Abwab, meaning ‘doors’ in Arabic, is a long-running feature at DDW. Newly expanded to welcome applicants from across West, South and East Asia, as well as the African continent which are often unrepresented or unrepresented on global platforms, this year’s theme, ‘In the Details’, invites practitioners to create immersive spatial experiences, engaging with historic cultural forms. Exhibitions serve as a platform for cultural organisations, educational institutions, collectives and individual designers to express cultural, social and environmental perspectives, showcasing cutting-edge design solutions across disciplines.
Outdoor installations from designers, architects, collectives, creative practitioners, and design-led brands, will explore design’s potential to foster inclusive, community-focused environments through the use of sustainable and socially responsible methods and materials. The festival’s programme of workshops will be held at Maker Space, offering visitors of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to engage and experiment with a diverse range of artistic mediums.
Alongside, the activations programme will unveil innovative and immersive projects, cross-disciplinary collaborations, pop-ups, and special presentations. Marketplace offers a curated retail experience featuring high-quality and original products by the region’s best artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses, alongside food experiences, children’s activities and live performances. Downtown Design, the Middle East’s leading fair for high-quality and contemporary design, returns to the d3 Waterfront Terrace (November 5-9), showcasing the latest collections and design innovations from around the world.
Returning exhibitors including Lasvit, Kartell, Poltrona Frau, Obegi Home, Venini, and Vitra will present new concepts alongside new participants Roche Bobois, Stellar Works, FRAMA, Porada and Desalto. Designer duo Draga & Aurel will present a solo exhibition for Collectional, and French designer Stephanie Coutas will showcase high-end interiors and collectible design pieces. The fair will feature experiential concepts and immersive installations including the Solaire Lounge by Veuve Clicquot and a pop-up collaboration between Buccellati and design studio david/Nicolas. The Forum returns with live talks and keynotes, headlined by Tom Dixon, who makes his Dubai debut.
At the heart of Downtown Design, the UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, returns with an evolved format after five editions, expanding mentorship for emerging creatives and international showcase opportunities. Following a successful debut in 2024, Editions, the region’s first fair dedicated to limited-edition art and design, will take place November 6-9, with a preview on November 5, at the d3 Waterfront Terrace. It will showcase 50 local and international galleries, design studios and collectives across a diverse range of mediums including artist multiples, ceramics, photography, works on paper, prints, editions, and contemporary design.
The 2025 d3 Architecture Exhibition, organised by d3 in partnership with Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) aligns with DDW’s theme in response to the UAE’s ‘Year of Community’ initiative and will take place in a dedicated space in the creative district. Rooted in the UAE’s values of resilience, ambition and openness, the Year of Community is dedicated to fostering a united and empowered society, aiming to strengthen family and social ties and unlock potential for sustainable growth.
Reflecting Dubai’s position as the design capital of the Middle East, DDW’s varied programmes which include installations, new commissions, exhibitions, talks, workshops, a marketplace, the leading fair for contemporary design, Downtown Design and the Middle East’s first limited-edition art and design fair, Editions, will enhance Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.
Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art, offering a variety of multi-brand boutiques, fashion brands, and art and design studios. Dubai Culture is committed to enriching Dubai’s cultural ecology based on the UAE’s heritage, and builds bridges of constructive dialogue between various cultures.