Dubai Design Week kicks off today, bringing six days of exhibitions, installations and creative events to Dubai Design District. Running until the 8th of November, the annual festival brings together international practices, regional studios and emerging designers for a programme exploring the relationship between design, architecture, culture and contemporary life.
This year’s programme includes everything from experimental architectural structures to collectable design and installations rooted in regional heritage. Among the highlights are a contemporary interpretation of the Bedouin tent, a Japanese-inspired timber gathering space and a showcase of emerging UAE talent. Here are five highlights to look out for.
Three Gardens and a Room – NAO Architects
Dubai-based architecture practice NAO Architects, founded by Reem Nassour, takes this year’s Urban Commissions title with Three Gardens and a Room. Developed around the theme of Atmospheres, the project brings together interconnected garden environments arranged around a shared central space. Foliage, colour, shade and filtered light shape the experience, creating spaces for visitors to gather, pause and connect.
CHATAI 2.0 – Nikken Sekkei x SOBOKUYA
Japanese architecture practice Nikken Sekkei collaborates with SOBOKUYA on CHATAI 2.0, an expanded timber structure that brings traditional Japanese craftsmanship into a contemporary architectural setting. Designed around gathering and communal making, the installation explores how material and spatial design can encourage interaction and shared experiences.
InBetween: What Was and What Will Be – ae studio
Palestinian-Turkish creative practice ae studio presents InBetween: What Was and What Will Be, an installation that transforms reclaimed concrete rubble into new architectural forms. Exploring the relationship between material reuse and reconstruction, the project considers how discarded building materials can take on a new purpose through design.
The Desert Dweller – Ethr
Making its Dubai debut, design platform Ethr presents The Desert Dweller, a contemporary interpretation of the traditional khaima, or Bedouin tent. Designed by architect Omar Darwish and curated by Shaheer Akbar, the installation centres on the cultural ritual of Arabic coffee, with a dedicated qahwa bar alongside Aseeda, curated furniture and Bedouin-inspired objects. Sandalwood, rose and frankincense add a sensory dimension to the experience.
UAE Designer Exhibition: Inherited Futures
Supported by Dubai Culture, the UAE Designer Exhibition returns under the theme Inherited Futures, with architect and designer AlZaina Lootah serving as its 2026 Design Collaborator. Bringing together UAE-based designers, the exhibition explores how inherited materials, cultural rituals, technologies and traditional methods of making can be reinterpreted through contemporary design, offering a perspective on the country’s evolving creative identity.
