How deep-pocketed Dubai is turning itself into global centre for design
Dubai is no stranger to reinvention, having gone from desert to hypermodern commercial centre to tourist destination in space of a few decades. Dubai Design Week, now in its second year, presages 2020 World Expo
It may not have the allure or heritage of London or Milan, but Dubai nevertheless appears determined to assert itself as a significant new hub of innovative design.
This is not as strange as it may seem at first glance: the city is no stranger to reinventing itself, having emerged from the desert sands as a busy commercial centre and holiday destination in just a few decades, and having recently been appointed host city for the 2020 World Expo.
The combination of cash and commitment is a powerful one, especially in the face of Europe’s struggling economy. Last year’s inaugural Dubai Design Week included the unveiling of a new Foster and Partners-designed Design District, called d3, which combines contemporary retail, dining and design.
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Next to come for the same area is a waterfront and marina designed to attract the public, and a design school that is hoped will draw students from as far afield as Africa and China.
While celebrating international design, this year’s Dubai Design Week showcased a number of Middle Eastern designers whose creative work is inspired by traditional crafts.