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The Magazine Shop is a first for Dubai – a café specialising in high quality independent magazines, sourcing only the most thought-provoking, inspiring, unique, and beautifully designed magazines from around the world.

This year at Downtown Design, innovation takes center stage as the Royal College of Art (RCA) brings to the UAE for the very first time the three top student projects that are among today’s most promising technological breakthroughs.

Lasvit’s “Alice” mobile glass masterpiece

The Middle East edition of the Bourgie collaborations follows from Kartell’s international initiative to celebrate the iconic lamp’s 10th anniversary, where they invited a few of their renowned designers such as Philippe Starck, Mario Bellini and Patrick Jouin to reinterpret  lamp.

The Musk and Amber and Harper’s Bazaar International Regional Design Exhibition, which will be curated by Lamia Bousnina Ben Ayed, President of Musk & Amber Heritage and co-owner of Musk and Amber Gallery in Tunisia, will feature an exquisite collection of pieces that are exhibited under the same roof for the very first time. Designers from Egypt, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran and Tunisia will present their personal reinterpretations of Arabic aesthetics, spicing up traditional motifs with a contemporary twist that promises to thrill design connoisseurs from the global design scene.

Bringing a dash of French panache to Dubai’s growing original design scene, French brands Caravane and EGO Paris will be showcasing their stylish selections of elegant, bohemian-chic furniture and accessories for the first time at this year’s Downtown Design.

According to research by American scientists, anyone making it to 80 will have spent 22 years in bed. So sleep is incredibly important and mattress quality is vital. The mattress can be traced back to the 12th century and the term itself originates from the Arabic word matrah. In 1852 a Scandinavian saddler named Pehr Adolf Janson became an unrivalled pioneer of the modern mattress, which he marketed under the brand name Hästens (meaning “of the horse” in Swedish, since the mattresses were made of horsehair).

Carrying the signature of WATG (Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo), one of the most important architectural firms in the hospitality sector, Emirates Palace is one of the most spectacular hotels ever built in the Middle East. Mosaics and decorations by Sicis give a unique sense of opulence to the swimming pools that envelop the gardens, while hand-made Murano glass installations don the interiors celebrating luxury and lavishness. Sicis’ mosaic tesserae also lend their golden glow to the dome of the Grand Atrium and several of the hotel’s restaurants.

Window-blinds that roll up at sunset, high-tech bulbs that turn themselves off, a wall-paint that changes shades to reflect your mood, glass panels that turn from transparent to opaque to allow privacy: it might sound like a scene from a futuristic film, but the technologies to make this sci-fi dream a reality are actually here.

These attributes, passed down from legendary designers such as Le Corbusier, Max Bill,  Mario Botta or Hans Bellmann, still make the country’s design industry tick. This year, Downtown Design, Dubai’s interiors and furniture fair dedicated to original design, will celebrate Swiss design with iconic and contemporary pieces by legendary design brand Vitra and creative modular furniture by USM.

“A Persian Rug is Perfectly Imperfect, and Precisely Imprecise" says the old Persian proverb. It is an old tradition that wants carpet weavers to include minor flaws to their masterful designs; and yet, Persian rugs are as close to perfection as one can possibly get.

We are delighted to announce that Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has today announced the extension of her patronage to Downtown Design, taking place at the foot of the iconic Burj Khalifa in Emaar’s flagship development, Downtown Dubai.

Dubai is set to make a lasting contribution to the performing arts and events sector with Dubai Opera, a 2,000-seat multi-format venue for opera, theatre, concerts, art exhibitions, orchestra, film, sports events and seasonal programmes, within The Opera District, the newest development by Downtown Design’s sponsor Emaar Properties, in Downtown Dubai.

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Design professionals and enthusiasts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have a unique opportunity to get an exclusive preview of this year’s Downtown Design, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.

Axor has worked with leading product designers, architects and interior designers to explore individual lifestyles in the bathroom. To date, Axor collections have been created by Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Jean-Marie Massaud, Patricia Urquiola as well as Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. At Downtown Design, Axor will unveil an exciting new specification tool for architects and designers. It will also showcase its newest Axor collection for the first time in the Middle East, following the global launch in September 2014. On display will also be Axor Starck V Mixer, the newest addition to Axor’s shower products by Front & Nendo.

Already known for their work with designers and architects such as Missoni, Paul Smith and Jean Nouvel, Bolon’s latest launch features a creative collaboration of a different, exciting kind –with acclaimed choreographer Alexander Ekman, whose modern interpretations of classic dance include projects with the Boston Ballet Company, the Sydney Ballet Company and Den Norske Opera & Ballet. The result of the collaboration between Bolon and Alexander is the groundbreaking short film “The Contradiction of Silence”. A playful piece of art filled with energy, joy and beauty, it sits at the conceptual centre of the new collection’s launch.

Like a modern-day King Midas, Sicis lays its mantle of gold with magic carpets, ultrachic tapestries and stunning artwork. And of course, like an alchemist experimenting with different techniques and media, Sicis uses its medium of choice: the mosaic. This is used in all its forms, from wafer-thin nano-mosaics in gold to minute mosaics involving a high degree of dexterity and precision. The artists and craftsmen of Ravenna select, cut and set every single tile and micro-tile entirely by hand, thus contributing to create a true masterpiece.

Dubai Eye’s Richard Dean orchestrated a lively discussion on original design and how this is perceived in the region. Tareq abuRoza from Sicis, Nader Fleihan from Louis Poulsen, Mouad Benmoussa from Gaggenau and Cristina Romelli Gervasoni from Downtown Design shared their insights with the region’s foremost architects, distributors, interior designers, developers, product designers and media representatives in a dynamic debate that lasted over 1,5 hour.

The second part of this year’s Original Talks series, organised by Downtown Design in association with Dubai Design District (d3), is scheduled for Wednesday, August 27 at A4 Space in Alserkal Avenue. Moderator Richard Dean from Dubai Eye and panelists Mouad Benmoussa from Gaggenau, Tareq AbuRoza from Sicis and Nader Fleihan from Louis Poulsen will share their thoughts and insights as part of an ongoing effort to communicate the importance of Original Design to a broader audience.

Cristina Romelli-Gervasoni, Fair Director: “We wanted to get our exhibitors and some journalists together in an exclusive, relaxed atmosphere to explain the upcoming fair. By keeping the fair small and accepting only 50 exhibitors, we make sure that the quality of the products exhibited are of the highest standard, and our exhibitors get the best opportunity to meet journalists and key industry players on a personal level basis”.

Held in Dubai’s flagship development, Emaar’s Downtown Dubai, in a structure specifically built for the exhibition, the Fair will both welcome back exhibitors from the inaugural event as well introducing newcomers who will showcase their products to the region’s foremost architects, developers, contractors, professional specifiers, distributors and interior designers.

Italy’s leading silversmith De Vecchi is returning to Downtown Design for the second year with a stunning collection of thought-provoking pieces.

Joining Downtown Design for the first year, Milan-based Golran will be featuring a spectacular collection of Persian carpets with a contemporary twist.

Combining traditional Bohemian glassmaking with cutting edge technology and the innovative design of world-renowned designers, Lasvit will debut at Downtown Design. The exhibition will showcase extraordinary kinetic sculpture and breathtaking glass art installations by various design stars with different approaches and solutions.

Founded in 1990, Oikos designs and manufactures tailor-made safety doors that combine high performance with refined design.

Making their first appearance at Downtown Design this year, the company that is more than 100 years old has collaborated with some of the world’s most outstanding designers in the industry including Alexander Girard, Isamu Noguchi, George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames.

Elica joins Downtown Design for the first time this year, bringing its innovative solutions for kitchen hoods and turning them into pieces of art whose efficient functionality is undeniably a world leader. Some of their most recent lines have combined lighting and extraction into one design while offering efficiency in energy consumption and beauty to revolutionize our conception of the kitchen hood!

Manufacturers of high-end contemporary mosaics for wall and floor coverings, furniture and interior decorations, Sicis combines the latest technology and quality materials with Italian style.

Returning exhibitor Gaggenau is considered to be the world’s avantguard brand of kitchen appliances by architects, designers, chefs, and many design enthusiasts across the globe. With Downtown Design's emphasis on quality, originality, and innovation, Gaggenau is a perfect match.

As part of Downtown Design's ongoing commitment to supporting original design, the first of our Original Talks took place on the 28th May at A4 Space in Alserkal Avenue. Hosted by Richard Dean with an impressive panel comprised of Khalid Shafar, Vadim Horna, Firas Alsalih and Cyril Zammit, who passionately discussed the importance of original design. A full house of design enthusiasts ensured a very lively Q&A session!

The talk was hosted by Richard Dean, one of Dubai's most experienced business journalists and radio hosts, and featured a diverse and distinguished panel who shared their individual perspectives on the importance of original design.

The awards demonstrate the growing interest in designers and commercial interior design in the region, recognizing and rewarding the most successful products, brands and designers in commercial interior design whist celebrating the most promising emerging talent both locally and internationally.

As part of Downtown Design’s on-going commitment to creating a platform for the design industry in the Middle East, “Original Talks” is a series of discussions focusing on the different aspects of originality in design.

With the theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future", Dubai's World Expo will be the first to be held in the MENSA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region. Dubai Expo 2020 will be a platform for connectivity to help pioneer new partnerships for growth and sustainability for the future.

Following the success of the 2013 event, the Downtown Design team are pleased to announce dates for the fair in 2014. To be held from the 28th to the 31st October, the fair aims to be even bigger and better than the previous year, with even more exhibitors, talks, meetings and events taking place across the four days. Again, with a core focus on quality, the fair promises to showcase brands from the across the world who embody a tradition of quality, design heritage and craftsmanship. Expertly curated stands within a uniquely developed arena will ensure that both exhibitors and visitors alike will be rewarded with a truly unique platform from which to showcase their brands and ultimately develop their business in the region.

Highlights from the final day included a keynote lecture by Dorian Pauwels, Executive Director of ikonhouse on The Role of Craftsmanship in Contemporary Design, whilst Ben Evans, Co-founder and Director of the London Design Festival, shared his thoughts on how a design festival can make a difference to a city.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the inaugural fair opened its doors this week to begin a new movement in the Middle East's design industry.

Made from steel and chrome and following an instantly recognisable modular format, USM Modular Furniture Haller have managed to create the most important element when it comes to defining yourself in the market – a strong brand. For over 40 years, the furniture which slots together to make itself functional in almost any professional or domestic situation, has been providing both quality and reliability.

Founded in the small Italian town of Biella in 1825, Serralunga has over five generations of experience in furniture design but continually manages to reinvent itself. The brand are renowned for pushing the boundaries of materials, technologies and aesthetics in order to create groundbreaking products such as The Holy All, a Philippe Starck designed clay pot sculpture, which has a hole in the centre that opens on the surface, like a porthole, to give fluidity to the entire item as well as allowing it to double up as a chair and the Zaha Hadid Flow vases. In 2011, they presented the Canisse, a sofa and armchair by the up and coming French designer Philippe Nigro. The chairs take inspiration from the irregular thickness of reeds that fold to form a seat and where four of the longer stems become the legs. Last year came plant pots by Eero Aarniolt and Naoto Fukasawa that used innovation as well as functionality, such facets continually give Serralunga the edge.

It was through a flash of insight in the late 1949s that a Swedish entrepreneur came up with the concept of combining cotton and nylon to make durable woven mats. Taking the name from the Swedish word for cotton (BOmull) and combining it with (nyLON), the Bolon brand was born.