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LaCividina’s extensive know‐how is built on long‐standing traditions, embodying the most quintessential values associated with the ‘Made in Italy’ label. Together with its first-rate services and production capacity, this enables the company to stand out on a global scale.

Designers Pallavi Dean & Ana Carreras from Roar have launched the “Metamorphosis” carpet range at Downtown Design 2020 - a collaboration with Zuleya, the newly created retail brand by the Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative - FBMI, which sells sustainable handmade carpets and lifestyle products made by women in Afghanistan. The profit from Zuleya’s sales is invested back into FBMI, supporting thousands of women and their families in Afghanistan.

Founded in 2017 by Reem Olyan and Jumana Qasem, Rejo is a contemporary design studio with roots in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Palestine Known for their unique and bold pieces that combine the simplicity of the abstract lines and shapes with artful gestures and fine material, Rejo’s collections are rooted in concepts of identity and influenced by their environment.

Collaborating with international galleries, brands and clients, our panelists are known to juggle tech-driven production processes and cooperation with master craftsmen and artisanal skills with equal ease. As they bridge the gap between the past and the contemporary, how do these exchanges of culture, skill, knowledge, experience and exposure propel us towards a more diverse and inclusive design scene?

The collection takes the idea of the negative space as its starting point, reimagining the concept as the common element between materials and surfaces. The studio uses this abstraction to create four sculptural products: the Core and Remnant seats, Vestige tables and Dividual poufs.

Internationally recognized for their eclectic and multi-faceted approach, Studio Pepe adopts an imaginative and multidisciplinary approach towards the world of design. The studio’s distinctive signature is eloquently expressed in all the heterogeneous projects in which it has been engaged: large-scale projects in the hospitality field, the creation of displays for showrooms, boutiques and fair booths, or the interior design of private homes.

As our interaction with our built environment continues to evolve at a rapid pace, so do our expectations; how can design solve problems that the recent pandemic has brought to light and create opportunities to build more resilient communities?

Founded by Rama Akel in Amman, Jordan, Kawn Designs brings to life unique and imaginative pieces, connecting the past to the future through contemporary and nostalgic styles.

Born in 1959 from the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza, Artemide is still today a company specialized in the lighting sector which represents one of the many Italian design excellence.

This year, the Italian brand known for their expressive designs for the contract and residential sectors introduced new furniture products, family extensions and collaborations, both for the indoors as well as outdoors.

Featuring some of the Middle East’s most inspiring architecture and interior design studios - from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon, the conceptual exhibition demonstrates the innovation and expertise of the region’s design talent.

Creating artistic pieces that reflect their core values of quality and craftsmanship, Hands’ latest collection, One Love is a creative response to the impact of the global pandemic.

Kutleh (arabic: block, mass) is a project that repurposes the surplus produced from cladding tiles used in everyday construction projects and attempts to create blocks out of the discarded. These new kutleh blocks emerge as a new medium.

Calling them the ‘most daring textures on the market’, Cosentino released their latest innovations under the Dekton range, titled ‘The Collection’.

With technology intermediating our lives like never before, how has our human-centric profession adapted to this hyper-digital age? Can this intersection of tech and design deliver a more equitable world?

With three complementary product lines reflect the high standards of modern-day leadership, Ports is designed for not only people but also ideas and work processes that come together in a post-pandemic workplace.

One of the most coveted outdoor design brands, Ethimo’s ethos is rooted in interpreting the romantic Mediterranean lifestyle for contemporary living around the world. As a result, they invest heavily in both material innovation, as well as collaboration with leading international design stars, ensuring a diverse collection that is always ahead of the curve.

The first collection to be wrapped rather than woven in 834 meters of DEDON special Fiber Touch, Kida it features a cradle-like organic form that's open, airy, light and inviting. Once inside, users can luxuriate in Kida's comfy cushion, which covers the entire seating area.

At the Downtown Design 2020 Digital Fair and onsite at d3 during  Dubai Design Week this year, ‘Tanween by Tashkeel’  featured three new pieces conceived and produced by talented UAE-based emerging designers that include product designer Lina Ghalib, architect Neda Salmanpour and interior designer Nada Abu Shaqra as part of the rigorous 2020 edition of the programme.

Designed to provide the homeowner with the luxury and quality of a Tai Ping rug without the cost or extended process of bespoke rugmaking that they are coveted the world over for, each piece from the Home collection is available in pre-defined sizes and colours with the option of customization.

Acclaimed architect and designer Aline Asmar d’Amman, Meaad Hanafi, co-founder of the Saudi multi-disciplinary firm Sibyl Design Studio, Dubai and London based architect Jonathan Ashmore and the Paris based author and curator Marion Vignal are, through their own lens and their work, contemplating the role of culture in design.

For the designer, it was the never-ending feature of naturally occurring fractals that moved him to design a chandelier with the flexibility to develop into a variety of compositions.

Visually attracting, sensory and mysterious; Saccal Design House aims to evoke emotion and instill a sense of wonder and ambiguity that is explored at different scales and in different media and materials.

Creative Problem Solvers

Curated with Juan Roldan, Assistant Professor in the College of Architecture, Art & Design at the American University of Sharjah the exhibition will explore the theme ‘Identity, Context and Placemaking in the Gulf’.

The AHEAD MEA shortlist has been announced, with the nominated projects ranging from a new farmstead in the heart of Greater Kruger National Park – from the same owners who brought us 2018 winner, The Silo Hotel – to the Opus building with an ‘eroded’ centre, home to Dubai’s ME Hotel.

SANCAL

Mindful of the current challenges and as part of Downtown Design’s hybrid 2020 programme, this year’s talks will be presented virtually, premiering daily during the entire duration of Dubai Design Week (9-14 November 2020).

The recent pandemic challenged not only the way people connect with each other, but also how they experience and interact with their built environments. As part of the hybrid programme for 2020, Downtown Design invited the region’s architects and interior designers to conceptualise solutions for the residential, urban, commercial and hospitality sectors of tomorrow.

At the forefront of sustainable design, Indian architectural design studio NUDES has designed a net-zero energy observatory tower that addresses issues surrounding climate change.

After dabbling in interior concepts for premium real estate developers, the Lebanese designer recently launched his furniture and home accessories collection that masterfully captures the Maison’s signature of timeless elegance.

For the first time since their inaugural cycle in 2015, the Identity Design Awards will split their coveted trophies across two sections: Interior Design and Architecture, creating a holistic platform to celebrate design excellence in the MENA region.

Continuing to support the objectives of brands and buyers in these challenging times and in consultation with its network of design professionals, this year Downtown Design will present its brand showcase digitally.

Globally, architects and designers are exploring new creative languages to design mosques that not only represent a place of worship but also highlight their unique localities and the teachings of Islam to a wider community.

Located in Dubai’s pioneering business district, One Central, Roar’s 23,000 sq ft project - the new Middle Eastern headquarters of leading Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda - blends traditional Japanese aesthetic with modern data-driven solutions to create a stunning contemporary office, anchored in its local environment.

At once functional and authentic to the brand’s signature, Hermès’ latest home collection conjures images of bustling cities, lush forests and journeys to far-away lands. Conveyed through clean lines, geometric patterns and vibrant textiles, the French Maison’s 10th collection for the home also nods to simple, everyday acts of creation with designs developed through the use of ballpoint and felt-tip pens, colored pencil and watercolor, among other mediums.

For the debut of a new chain of Emirati-owned Acai bars, Grapes and Dates, the award-winning design team behind Italian studio Niu - architects Elena Gregorutti and Giorgio Palermo - created an enticing interior with a bold reference to the region.

In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in keeping with physical distancing measures, the event will take place at the Design Quarter in Dubai Design District (d3) across the entire duration of Dubai Design Week.

Inspired by the anatomy and adaptability of desert organisms, Mexico-city based Aidia Studio have designed an adaptive desert pod complex with a retractable structure that can transform itself according to the time of day, the climate and the needs of its guests.

An advocate of authentic and honest design, Gerges puts the site firmly in the spotlight. Taking cues from its topography, landscape and native architecture, his projects bring a refined sensibility that elevates the project brief and beautifully frames its context.

As our approach to education evolves, so must the environments dedicated to imparting knowledge. Gone are the days of brownstone buildings and whiteboards – educational buildings today serve as much to nurture a sense of community and individuality, as they are intended to inspire and empower future generations.

Since the launch of their Middle East headquarters in Dubai, in 2018, LWK + PARTNERS, under the leadership of Managing Director Kerem Cengiz have been collaborating with the region’s leading developers and authorities to support urban and infrastructure development across the Middle East.

Since it was founded in early 2018, Bone Studio has remained a two-person practice. Coming from complementary frameworks of architecture and interior design, the duo prefers to remain invisible, allowing their work to be recognised for itself. A keen sense of collaboration prevails throughout their projects across the UAE, where clients become family and craftsmen become teachers.