Dubai Design Week 2024: Downtown Design
A Global Showcase of Innovation and Creativity at the Heart of Dubai’s Design Scene
As the Middle East’s leading fair for contemporary design, Downtown Design Dubai continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the region’s creative identity. Now in its 11th edition and set within the vibrant Dubai Design District during Dubai Design Week, the 2024 fair brought together an exciting blend of global design excellence and homegrown talent from across the UAE and wider MENA region.
At Martyn White UAE, we explore the fair through the lens of luxury, innovation, and cultural storytelling—highlighting the installations, products, and spaces that resonated with both regional and international audiences. From pop-up showcases and immersive design experiences to inspiring talks and high-level networking events, Downtown Design 2024 offered something for design professionals, collectors, affluent homeowners, and enthusiasts seeking to discover what’s shaping the future of interiors, architecture, and art in the Gulf and beyond.
Explore our curated highlights from this year’s standout showcase in Downtown Dubai below.
LASVIT
Lasvit captivated visitors with Wadi—a stunning lighting installation designed by Martin Gallo. Wadi drew inspiration from the serene beauty of desert landscapes, exploring the harmonious interplay between sand and water. Gallo’s vision translated this concept into a dynamic installation where masterful glass craftsmanship met nature’s elemental poetry, using light and reflection to evoke emotion and atmosphere.
At the heart of the installation was the Miles lighting collection by Yabu Pushelberg. These sculptural lamps, inspired by the fluidity of music and the art of glassblowing, mirrored the grace of wind instruments. Available in a variety of sizes and designed to stack elegantly, the Miles lamps enhanced the immersive environment of Wadi, adding a sense of rhythm and refinement. Together, these works created a tranquil oasis of luminosity, celebrating nature, artistry, and the transformative power of design.
Atelier Vierkant
Making its debut at Downtown Design Dubai, Atelier Vierkant presented a beautifully curated selection of its signature ceramics, showcasing the studio’s mastery in form, texture, and material. The display offered a serene and sculptural experience, drawing visitors into a world where craftsmanship meets contemporary design.
Highlights from the collection included the bold and expressive TAALO, the elegantly refined MIRA, and the sculptural TORSA—each piece reflecting Atelier Vierkant’s dedication to innovation and design excellence. Complementing the new releases were standout models from the 2023 Amphorae collection, including KTL, KRK, and KOS/KOB, admired for their timeless beauty and adaptability across diverse interior and exterior settings.
Also on view were new finishes for the iconic Model O and Anthos, offering fresh perspectives on surface and texture that further underscore the atelier’s creative versatility.
Atelier Vierkant’s installation not only highlighted the sculptural potential of ceramics but reaffirmed the brand’s place as a leader in contemporary design.
Preciosa
Preciosa captivated audiences with a trio of dazzling presentations, headlined by the immersive Crystal Beat installation. Created by Preciosa’s Creative Directors, Michael Vasku and Andreas Klug, Crystal Beat transformed the heart of the exhibition into a multisensory oasis—uniting light, colour, and sound in a dynamic celebration of craftsmanship and innovation.
Crafted from 144 hand-cut crystal cubes—each acting as a luminous pixel—the installation pulsed with rhythmic energy, synchronised to music through a 3D sound system and powered by 720 individually programmable LED chips. The result was an evocative interplay of RGBW colour and movement, inviting viewers into an unforgettable, interactive experience that embodied Preciosa’s ethos: lighting as an emotional catalyst.
Alongside Crystal Beat, Preciosa also showcased two of its Signature Designs: Crystal Pixels and Crystal Grid. These refined, modular systems reflect the brand’s fusion of heritage Bohemian crystal artistry with state-of-the-art lighting technology, further reinforcing Preciosa’s role as a leader in lighting design innovation.
femm
FEMM Amsterdam made a striking debut at Downtown Design, presenting a vibrant and emotionally charged showcase that celebrated the transformative power of colour. Founded in 2020 by Femke Hofhuis, the studio is known for its intuitive approach to art and design, creating pieces that act as “jewellery for the space,” energising and elevating interiors through carefully curated hues and materials.
Drawing on her background in set design, Femke brings a cinematic sense of atmosphere and emotion to each of her creations. At the show, the Exclusive Collection took centre stage—an elegant series of glass artworks and metal objects first unveiled at the Zaha Hadid-designed ME Dubai Hotel. These striking pieces are tailored for high-end hospitality environments and private residences, offering refined colour stories and sculptural forms that shift the energy of a room.
Visitors to Downtown Design were able to experience a curated selection of bespoke mirrors, sculptures, and wall objects, all designed to make a powerful impression, whether as stand-alone centrepieces or harmonious additions to broader interior concepts.
Haberdashery
At Downtown Design Dubai 2024, Haberdashery presented Sand & Sea—an immersive installation that invited visitors to experience light as both material and story. Nestled within an intimate setting, the showcase revealed the poetic interplay between delicate sculptural forms and ethereal light projections, elevated by architectural lighting from John Cullen Lighting and a handcrafted rug by Holland Cassidy.
Renowned for their emotionally resonant light sculptures, Haberdashery views light as a universal language—one capable of telling stories that connect deeply with the human spirit. Their creative process merges design and narrative, resulting in luminous works that feel both timeless and atmospheric.
The Sand & Sea display highlighted the studio’s signature approach: carefully crafted sculptures composed of rich materials, informed by narrative, and illuminated with nuance. Each piece from Haberdashery’s Collection is developed with luxury residential and hospitality environments in mind, balancing visual impact with architectural sensitivity. While standard compositions offer immediate presence, a bespoke tailoring service allows for deeper personalisation and site-specific design.
Tashkeel’s Tanween
Tashkeel reaffirmed its position as one of the UAE’s most influential creative platforms, unveiling the latest works from its Tanween Design Programme within its largest-ever stand at the Editions section of the fair. This year’s collection placed sustainability and cultural reflection at the heart of the narrative, showcasing the depth and maturity of design emerging from the Emirates.
Six standout pieces—created in collaboration with local manufacturers—demonstrated how natural resources, indigenous craft, and regional identity can inform and inspire contemporary design. From the FAY Pendant Light by Khadija Almazimi, crafted with locally sourced sustainable materials, to Taleed, a sculptural cabinet in dyed palm leaves by One Third Studio, each design carries with it a story rooted in the UAE’s rich material heritage and evolving design language.
Other highlights included the BO NAJ-MA console table by Majid Al Bastaki, inspired by the bold steel doors found in Emirati homes of the 1980s, and Kashi by Rimsha Kidwai—a modular, stackable clay furniture system referencing both Emirati and South Asian geometries. KUNOOZ, by Osama Rashad, and The Sanad Collection by Samara and The Poet Studio, further exemplified how discarded or overlooked materials, such as off-cut travertine, can be transformed into sculptural statement pieces.
Beyond their aesthetic and functional appeal, each work underscored the Programme’s core mission: to empower UAE-based designers with the resources and mentorship to bring meaningful, sustainable products to life. As Tashkeel continues to support this next generation of creatives, Tanween offers a compelling glimpse into the future of regional design—thoughtful, responsible, and proudly homegrown.
Oorjaa
Another brand making its debut at the fair was India-based studio Oorjaa, which captivated audiences with its poetic fusion of organic form and sustainable materiality, titled Oorjaa. By Nature, the presentation brought together a striking collection of sculptural lamps inspired by the quiet elegance of marine life and natural textures.
Each piece was a celebration of craftsmanship and environmental innovation—handmade from unexpected, repurposed materials such as banana fibre paper, salvaged fishing nets, waste copper wire, and Lantana, an invasive shrub transformed into something wonderful. The collection not only highlighted Oorjaa’s dedication to eco-conscious design but also demonstrated how waste materials can be elevated into objects of calm, light, and refined character.
Oorjaa’s work invites viewers to consider the intersection of environmental responsibility and aesthetic sophistication, reminding us that beauty and sustainability can, and should, coexist in design.
New Terracotta
Portuguese tile atelier New Terracotta captivated visitors with a showcase rooted in heritage and handmade craftsmanship. Based in central Portugal, the studio redefines the art of tile-making by fusing ancient ceramic techniques with modern aesthetics, offering a deeply tactile experience that resonates with architects, interior designers, and material purists alike.
At the fair, New Terracotta highlighted the depth and versatility of its production: a staggering 220 tile formats and 230 catalogue colours, alongside over 1,400 bespoke glazes developed for projects around the world. From palaces and historic monuments to cutting-edge residential interiors, the studio’s work speaks to a global clientele who value material integrity and custom design.
Each piece on display at Downtown Design celebrated the studio’s ethos, where clay, colour, and craftsmanship converge to create tiles and volumetric forms that are both artistic and architectural. Whether in the form of bold 3D elements or refined traditional shapes, New Terracotta’s ceramics offered a masterclass in how heritage can be reinterpreted for contemporary spaces.
Serafini
Hailing from the charming city of Chiampo in Italy, Serafini brought its signature luxury marble creations to the heart of Dubai Design Week, showcasing a stunning collection of bespoke marble furnishings and fixtures.
With over a decade of expertise, Serafini seamlessly blends refined Italian design with the region’s growing appetite for luxurious, timeless materials. Their portfolio spans elegant marble sinks, sculptural bathtubs, bespoke tables, and finely crafted cabinets—each piece a testament to meticulous craftsmanship and innovative techniques that elevate everyday living.
Visitors to Downtown Design Dubai experienced how Serafini’s customisable, high-end marble products can transform any space into a sanctuary of both beauty and function. From bold, statement-making designs to subtle, refined details, every creation tells a story, designed to resonate with discerning homeowners, architects, and interior designers seeking sophistication with a personal touch.
Kartell
A true icon of contemporary design, Kartell made a striking impression at Downtown Design with an immersive installation celebrating over seven decades of innovation, creativity, and Italian style.
Visitors were invited to explore Kartell’s distinct lifestyle approach, where cutting-edge design meets sustainability. The brand’s presence at the fair showcased the latest highlights from the Milan Furniture Fair, along with a curated selection of Kartell’s contemporary bestsellers, illustrating its ongoing evolution while remaining true to its roots.
Since its founding in 1949, Kartell has been synonymous with technological experimentation, bold creativity, and accessible luxury. Under the leadership of Claudio Luti since 1988, the brand continues to redefine modern living with products that are instantly recognisable and enduringly relevant.
