- Design Next, a first-of-its-kind exhibition in the UAE on the circular economy, is a significant new addition to Dubai Design Week programme this November
- Design Next advances dialogue in sustainable design and collaboration, in line with Dubai’s Creative Economy Strategy, the UAE’s Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries and Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33
DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dubai Design District (d3) and Isola Design Group are launching a forward-thinking exhibition focusing on the circular economy, expanding Dubai Design Week’s 10th-anniversary programming with a glimpse into the future of sustainable design thinking. Entitled Design Next, the new exhibition will be the first joint initiative between d3 and the innovative Isola Design Group. The Milan-based Isola Design Group recently announced their expansion to the Middle East with a new regional headquarters in d3, a global design hub by TECOM Group PJSC.
Design Next will run as part of the Dubai Design Week programme, which is set to take place in strategic partnership with d3 from 5-10 November 2024. The first-of-its-kind exhibition in the UAE will present ideas and concepts by an inspiring mix of independent designers and studios, innovative sustainable brands and design tech start-ups. The showcase aims to inspire a new mindset in sustainable design and be a platform for promoting environmentally positive changes in lifestyle and consumption habits, presenting sustainable design products, circular furniture, design technologies, and innovative materials.
Beyond the concepts on view to the public, the event will also present a dynamic and engaging platform of panel discussions and live performances to raise awareness for the circular economy and inspire visitors to play a greater part in shaping a sustainable world.
“Great design should prioritise bringing innovative solutions and pathways to the fore,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3) part of TECOM Group. “We are always looking to take our design offering at d3 to the next level and growing our contribution to Dubai’s Creative Economy Strategy, the UAE’s Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries and Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33. This new exhibition, in collaboration with our esteemed d3 partner Isola Design Group, does just that. This exhibition will elevate world-class design concepts and perspectives to on such an urgent topic as the circular economy. We hope the ideas presented will inspire a reset of mindsets and behaviours and contribute to protecting the future of our planet while advancing Dubai’s contribution to the global sustainability agenda.”
“The many initiatives set by the UAE government clearly show its strong commitment to achieving ambitious sustainability goals. Companies need to come together to imagine a better future, finding practical solutions and working to implement a concrete change in their modus operandi. This collaboration with d3, which has a broad network in both the public and private sectors, especially in the design industry, aims to inspire the design community and beyond on what’s needed—and possible—to build a better and more conscious future. Design Next highlights the important role that design can play in this journey of innovation and pioneering approaches to projects,” said Gabriele Cavallaro, Co-founder and CEO of Isola Design Group.
The exhibition will highlight five key areas: Circular Design and Innovative Craft, Material Hub, Future of Urban Living, Design Labs, and The Stage.
International participants presenting include Arper (Italy) and Armourcoat (UK), alongside a diverse range of designers and design studios from around the globe, such as Aga Blonska (Netherlands), Anett Papp (Hungary), Chryssa Kotoula (Greece), Ethan Streicher (USA), Grob Design (Turkey), House of Piranesi (India), Jordan Keaney (UK), KeepLife (Italy), Maki Ozawa (Japan), Mattice Boets (Belgium), Masquespacio (Spain), Shape & Shade (Kosovo), Shell Homage (Egypt), VANK (Poland), WKND Lab (South Korea), and many more. The UAE will be widely represented by well-established brands such as Generation 3D and Desert Board. Design startups NYXO and Sulmi and the region’s first purpose-built material library, Colab, will also showcase innovative works.
Design Next will be the first of many initiatives launched between d3 and Isola Design Group, who will continue to collaborate on an array of events and services to further cement the region’s flourishing design scene and support exciting local and regional design talent. Design Next will be a biennial event with the d3 Architecture Exhibition running in the intervening years.
Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem that aims to foster growth in the local creative economy. It represents a dynamic design community of more than 1,000 businesses, ranging from multinationals to start-ups, and is a strategic partner of Dubai Design Week.
About Isola Design Group
Isola Design Group provides visibility and opportunities to independent designers, design studios, and brands worldwide. The venture runs both Isola Design, the community platform featuring profiles, project portfolios, and direct messaging for the exchange of ideas, and the recently launched Isola Studio, a consultancy studio for future-thinking design brands and organisations.
Isola Design (www.isola.design) is the world’s first digital and physical platform bringing visibility to independent designers and design studios, by connecting them to design professionals, companies, curators, journalists, and potential clients. Its dedicated curatorial team selects projects with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and handcraft.
Founded in 2017 in Milan, Isola Design District immediately became one of the main official areas of the Milan Design Week, with special attention to international and emerging designers. Isola Design also organizes various in-person events under the umbrella of Isola Design Festival, which takes place throughout the year, hosting dozens of exhibitions, hundreds of exhibitors, and thousands of visitors.
Since 2019, Isola Design has participated in the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, becoming the first Italian design district to participate in a foreign event. Isola Design expanded its borders even further in 2022, when for the first time it led a curated group of designers to the United Arab Emirates for Downtown Design during Dubai Design Week, and in 2023 by taking part in Material Matters at the London Design Festival and Tanween, Ithra’s Conference of Creativity, the largest creativity platform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Launched in 2021 with more than 1.500 designers from 65+ countries and 2,450+ projects published, Isola Design offers a community for creative people around the globe through its digital platform, with dedicated profiles and portfolio pages. The digital platform aims to spark direct community interactions, discussions, and the sharing of expertise.
In 2024, Isola Design Group founded Isola Studio (www.isola.design/studio), the new consultancy lab for design brands, organizations, and institutions. Dedicated to creating innovative solutions, Isola Studio shares its multifocal vision with design professionals, startups, companies, and event organizers. Already active in a hybrid form across many countries that are part of the global Isola Design community, Isola Studio has initiated international calls to connect design brands, from lighting to product design, with emerging talents. It has also crafted special setups for Italian companies with branches in Europe and the Middle East, as well as international organizations such as B&T (Turkey), iGuzzini (UAE), Ithra (Saudi Arabia), Masquespacio (Spain), Monkey47 (Germany), Re-Mat (Italy) e The Good Plastic Company (Netherlands), to name a few.
Moreover, via the upcoming Marketplace by Isola, each verified designer and creative studio will get the chance to sell their physical products, digital assets, and NFTs.
About Dubai Design District (d3)
Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art. In line with Dubai’s position as the leading business destination for the region and beyond, d3 is an industry-pioneering concept that enables people and businesses to grow and co-create whilst simultaneously providing a solid platform for creativity. Strategically located in the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and business districts that challenges thousands of people to rethink the regular.
With state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the industry and a business-friendly framework, the community offers creative talent the tools for collaboration and growth, further reinforcing Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design. d3 is a cutting-edge retail district offering a variety of multi-brand boutiques, fashion brands, and art and design studios. The world’s leading luxury brands, design companies and creatives, including architects, interior designers, photography studios, product and fashion designers, call d3 home. Some of the region’s most popular events take place in d3 and attract international artists and audiences to cultural and fashion exhibitions and gatherings including Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), Dubai’s official fashion week co-founded by Dubai Design District (d3) and Arab Fashion Council, as well as Dubai Design Week and Sole DXB. The district also regularly hosts a roster of industry talks, workshops and educational programming, accessible to people of all ages.
d3 is home to TECOM Group PJSC’s business incubator – in5 Design – that aims to support the fashion and design industries by offering students and entrepreneurs the opportunity to transform their ideas into successful commercial ventures. This ecosystem is further supported by the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), the region’s only university exclusively dedicated to design and innovation, which offers a curriculum crafted with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The New School’s Parsons School of Design. The district also features the city’s first canal side recreational development, The Block. The open-air destination offers a range of different outdoor and leisure areas including a basketball and volleyball court, a skate park, outdoor gym and climbing wall.
For more information, please visit: www.dubaidesigndistrict.com
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