An integral part of the Dubai Design Week’s annual program is the Downtown Design showcase held at the d3 waterfront. This time around, the Downtown Design 2023, boasting upcoming and stalwart brands is returning for its 10th year.
Downtown Design has also taken on the responsibility of shedding light on the regional designers, and will be returning with UAE Designer Exhibition 4.0 featuring niche, avant-garde professionals like One-Third Studio, Ali Bahmani and Iman Ibrahim. Downtown Editions, on the other hand, will cater to UAE’s luxury-loving audience. From Middle Eastern favourites Omar Al Gurg and Beit Collection to first-time Australian exhibitor Edward Linacre, expect the ‘exclusivity’ of design to shine through this segment of Downtown Design 2023.
Each initiative at Downtown Design 2023 will segue into eco-consciousness and target to nudge audiences towards a better understanding of sustainable practices. But, simultaneously, there’s another inconspicuous element at play. Subtly but surely, Downtown Design 2023’s agenda ties into a speculative theme of ‘reflections.’
Think about it, the past few years have been a wake-up call and forced most of us to rethink our ideologies and day-to-day lifestyle. Design is evolving and trends have seen an accelerated trajectory. Still don’t believe us?
Have a look at the four fair features at Downtown Design 2023…
Light Gazing
An On-site Rainbow
“Light Gazing” by Light & Lives and Ultra Arte will greet visitors at the entrance of Downtown Design 2023 with vivaciously-hued, geometric shapes. These modules, made of translucent materials, will offer a multitude of perspectives, inviting diverse encounters and viewpoints. What will cause visitors to stop in their tracks is the interplay between contrived design forms and the rhythms of nature. Parellely, the ever-shifting dance of sunlight and artificial illumination will conspire a dynamic spectacle.
By day, the installation will bask in the brilliance of natural sunlight, creating vivid reflections on the ground. Come evening, reflected internal lighting will concoct scintillating visuals. Not to forget, the selection of materials for the installation underscores a firm commitment to sustainability.
The Forum
In Forecast: Expect Cloudiness
The Forum is a constant at Downtown Design. Each year, the designed enclave is the premise to thought-provoking talks by a line-up of industry leaders and changemakers. For 2023, a few of the esteemed panellists include the likes of Lidewij Edelkoort, a prominent trend forecaster, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng OBE, design legend Ross Lovegrove, and the celebrated designer and architect Giulio Cappellini.
Crafted in a circular layout with amphitheatre-style seating to foster connectivity and dialogue, this year’s dreamy set-up is masterminded by Intercon, an interior design and architecture firm headquartered in Barcelona. The design takes inspiration from the cloud, a symbol of imagination and creativity. It employs fluid forms and suspended ethereal elements, symbolising The Forum as a space of open exchange, devoid of constraints.
Mohammed Adib, the Founder and Creative Head of Intercon (who is also celebrating 30 successful years of the firm) expressed his vision of creating a space where speakers and the audience can seamlessly merge and interact, branding it an ideal “pow wow” formation.
Whimsical pieces of sustainable, softly contoured furniture from The Bowery Company, an online concept store based in Dubai, were pivotal to the concept’s wellspring. A soothing palette of whites, greys, and browns envelops the area, courtesy of carpets sourced from Metre Squared. The most captivating aspects of the design lie in the subtle elements that enhance the visitor experience, such as the diffused lighting, discreet “hidden” speakers from Play, and acoustic walls from Kvadrat.
Carved in the Now
Manic Mosaics
Carved in the Now is an immersive entrance experience sponsored by Fantini Mosaici, an Italian luxury surfaces company. Designed by AB+ AC Architects, the feature will reimagine the beauty of mosaic artistry. The symmetrical entrance layout, crafted by Lisbon-based designers Arianna Bavuso and Andre Chedid, combines white walls with sound-absorbing foam panels, orange polycarbonate panels, and a nude-tinted felt carpet, leading to an octagonal pavilion. Inside, handcrafted mosaic work composed of Siena stones, Murano glass, citrine crystals, and gold leaf shards shall imbue magic.
Overall, ‘Carved in the Now’ is a kaleidoscopic chamber reflecting the spiritual qualities of joy and abundance using mirrors on the floor and ceiling. Making their intent known, Enrico Fantin, CEO and President of Fantini Mosaici, states, “‘Carved in the Now’ aims to be a unique experience set to inspire architects and designers to reimagine the use of mosaic in their projects.”
Solaire Lounge – Cellar in the Sea
Storytelling at its Wine-st
Narrating the fascinating story of the recovery of 47 perfectly preserved Veuve Clicquot bottles from a shipwreck off the Åland Islands in 2010, the Solaire Lounge – Cellar in the Sea is a marine-inspired creation envisioned by C’est ici Design. The legendary tale egged Veuve Clicquot to experimenting with ageing champagne deep in the Baltic Sea.
“Our vision was to create a pop-up that pays homage to Veuve Clicquot’s heritage, infusing it with abstractions of the sea, land, cliffs and laid-back coastal city vibes of Southern France”, explained Monica Arango, Founder of C’est ici Design. “We hope to unveil an exceptional space where guests can unwind and catch a breath as they savour the finest F&B pairings, away from the hustle and bustle of the fair.”
The indoor space features a bar with Taj Mahal quartzite cladding, while the outdoor sun terrace boasts a sandy ‘pétanque’ terrain and a pop-up oyster bar serving fresh local oysters. Operated by One Life, the lounge offers a tailored menu of healthy and flavorful food pairings throughout the day, creating a space where visitors can unwind and savour the finest offerings amidst the bustling fair.
