11th edition of Dubai Design Week takes stage on November 4-9 at d3

Dubai Design Week (DDW) will celebrate its 11th edition from November 4-9 under the patronage of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of Dubai Council. The region's leading design festival and an annual celebration of creativity and culture, DDW is held in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, and supported by Dubai Culture. DDW 2025 coincides with the UAE's 'Year of Community'; this year's programme therefore reflects the theme through a focus on social cohesion, participation and shared experiences. Design will be explored not only as a practice of innovation, but as a social connector and as a civic and cultural tool that can shape how we live together, communicate, and build caring systems.

- Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Since 2015, DDW has grown into a global platform with an emphasis on cross-cultural exchange and on amplifying voices from West and South Asia, as well as the wider Global South (encompassing countries in Africa, Latin America, most of Asia and Oceania). Through exhibitions, fairs, large-scale installations, talks and workshops, the festival engages with contemporary narratives, creating a space for dialogue, experimentation and progress, harnessing its position as a regional melting pot and creative hub.

Key venues are located across d3, the global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art. This year's highlights include Urban Commissions, DDW’s annual competition, open to proposals from global practices, giving international architects and designers an opportunity to shape public spaces through community-driven design. Under the theme 'Courtyard', Urban Commissions calls on practitioners to reflect on a shared spatial form and explore its multifaceted role as a gathering place and community-led urban infrastructure.