24/10/2016 - 29/10/2016

This year doubling in size with over 150 events across the city and over 550 designers participating in a six-day celebration of design. This annual event allows audiences to discover and engage in diverse exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops and satellite events.

Highlights Include...

Downtown Design

A trade fair showcasing original, high quality design from the Middle East and around the world, this year sees 100 brands participating from 28 countries presenting quality, original products from furniture and fabrics to lighting. Along with six international Design Weeks (Addis Ababa, Barcelona, Beirut, Reykjavik, and Taipei) bringing together an eclectic mix of indigenous materials, skills, industrial techniques and craftsmanship to highlight each country’s individual cultural context (25 - 28 Oct, www.downtowndesign.com).

Global Grad Show

An exhibition of innovation, inventions and technology from students across the world, as the largest international gathering of design graduates, showcasing 145 projects from 50 leading universities in 30 countries (24 - 29 Oct).

ABWAB

Dedicated to exploring the design narrative of countries within the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region. Meaning doors in Arabic, ABWAB presents a gateway for six countries – Algeria, Bahrain, India, Iraq, Palestine and UAE – to showcase a range of special commissions revolving around the theme ‘The Human Senses’. Six purpose-built pavilions by UAE-based architects will be integrated into the walkways of d3, taking visitors on a design journey across the region.

The Royal College of Art

The world’s leading art and design university will host a series of three design workshops that will touch on Interior Design Pop-Ups, Curating Design and Products for Spaces (25 -27 Oct).