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When you take a look at Laokoon’s shading systems or wall art, it is of little surprise that the company began as a collaboration between a Hungarian textile artist and an industrial designer. Zsuzsanna Szentirmai-Joly started out designing bags before moving on to unconventional lighting made of woven fabric. Organic in structure, her Laokoon lamps resemble iridescent scaly skin in brilliant Technicolor.

v2com is the international newswire specializing in the distribution of design, architecture and lifestyle press kits to the media, by providing them with high-quality text and images through a reliable and efficient, free-to-use platform for the media.

Studio HBA is a young, growing, dynamic brand within the HBA group. With an expansive portfolio encompassing hospitality, residential, food and beverage, wellness and workplace, Studio offers the same levels of innovation, creativity and professionalism associated with HBA across a broad spectrum of design disciplines and with a keenly focused local context.

“Bringing the growing community of design professionals together to recognise excellence is something we echo during our fair in October, and it’s this synergy that has prompted us to sponsor an award for the first time this year,” says Kothari, adding: “This year, we’ve had unprecedented demand for space, selling out all stand positions in April. To see so much enthusiasm from international brands looking to enter the market has been hugely encouraging. The UAE represents for many an opportunity to be commercially active. With so many projects on the horizon and the help of organisations like Dubai Design Fashion Council, there is a strong commitment to providing an infrastructure to support the industry.”

There are certain milestones on the international design calendar that are truly worth looking forward to months in advance. And for the fourth year in a row, from October 25-28, these include the always surprising and innovative Downtown Design trade fair in association with Dubai Design District (d3).

T Design’s showroom is dedicated to the most exclusive design brands as this extraordinary piece of filigree by Marcel Wanders for Christofle testifies. The 2.1-metre high grandfather clock in steel and black lacquered wood, with intricate engravings of interlacing leaves and flowers set against a geometric matrix is from the Jardin d’Eden collection, and limited to 12 pieces.

Shades of blue, gleaming greens and the various degrees of white have all emerged as top interior design trends for 2016.

Re-affirming Downtown Design’s position as a fair of global discovery and entry point into the worldwide design scene for both the local and international talents of tomorrow, the popular ‘Destination at Downtown Design’ returns in October with a fresh selection of international design weeks and their emerging design brands.

NEO is a design studio that was established 11 years ago by the Portuguese industrial designer Rodrigo Vairinhos in Germany, with a mission to create contemporary design pieces that merge functionality and aesthetics without lacking elegance and freshness.

At Zip, the mission is simple: to put the pleasure back into drinking water; their methods, on the other hand, are far more complex. Now able to provide instant boiling, chilled and sparkling filtered water on tap, the Australian born company may have started out by producing instant boiling water systems for kitchens, restaurants and bathrooms but it is now a multinational that is sold in over 70 countries because of its world-class filtration technologies that have allowed the company to evolve from just hot water to all kinds of drinking water. The basic premise may still be the same but the product has radically changed and Zip has become the world’s most forward-thinking company for drinking water appliances.

From Elica to Zip Industries, these are intuitive aspiration systems, innovative lighting, hidden sensors and temperature regulators, which all the while being at the forefront of technology, incorporate beautifully handcrafted natural materials as well.

Expormim is a Spanish company with a great tradition of furniture production, starting in the 1960s when it first began making artisanal wicker furniture. Designing primarily for comfort, the brand specializes in highly functional outdoor furniture that is well-suited to Mediterranean lifestyles.

Present in 50 countries and with a network of over 1,000 retailers, Lema has distinguished itself during the past four decades due to the high value it places on customisation, which forms the core of its business. Known for its iconic wardrobes and versatile shelving systems; in 1981, the company was the first Italian manufacturer to design a custom-built wall system in an endless range of finishes and the first to create the ‘Armadio al centimetre,’ a made-to-measure closet.

Three of the five are UAE projects: the Butterfly Pavilion by 3deluxe in Sharjah; the Office of the Future by Killa Design in Dubai; and, the upcoming Uptown Dubai by Design + More International. The other two are AGi Architects’ Hisham A Alsager Cardiac Center in Kuwait and Capital Market AuthorityHeadquarters by Omrania + Associates, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Debuting at Downtown Design this October, Green Road brings nature indoors and modern design to walls. Naturally preserved and organic, the products range are a great accent promoting well-being, radiates a sense of calm and uplifting mood. Green Road’s products are handmade in Germany with real plants and place emphasis on the importance of high-quality processing.

Destination at Downtown Design provides an international commercial platform for the world’s emerging design weeks who each bring three of their freshest young brands. Istanbul Design Week brought contemporary furniture brand Escapefromsofa, modern-vintage collective Halit Berker and home accessory designers,Day Studio.

First established in Egypt with the specific mission to revive and preserve the country’s fading craft, Etqaan can trace its history as far back as the 1900s.

Kohler is celebrating more than 140 years of setting standards of excellence and pushing the limits of design. Whether it’s creating kitchen and bath fittings, tile and furniture collections, engines and generators, or five-star resorts and championship golf courses, Kohler’s groundbreaking work is born from a desire to design experiences that fulfill their ultimate mission of ‘gracious living.’

Highlighting Downtown Design's role as a commercial platform for the international design industry, the Italian Luxury Interiors Pavilion returns to Dubai with a showcase of over 15 Italian brands.

DURAR, a regional research and training programme developed by Creative Dialogue, hosted ‘Dialogues between Barcelona- United Arab Emirates’ as part of Barcelona Design Week (2-12 June 2016).

Born out of her passion for painting, Swedish-born Cecilia Setterdahl started Canvas Carpets Cushions after a chance encounter with a carpet manufacturer in Mumbai, who transformed two of her original paintings into two unique, hand knotted carpets.

Of Middle Eastern descent, Tarik Al Zaharna grew up in Luxembourg and had a natural fascination towards the region. Following his graduation from the Bartlett School in London, Tarik decided to further hone his Architecture and Design skills by gaining International Professional Practice by working for Urban A&O in New York and Bolles+Wilson in Germany. Prior to setting up T.ZED Architects his work experience across Europe, North America and the Middle East further enabled him to practice architecture globally and to be invited as a critic in Architecture schools internationally.

The region’s leading quality-driven design trade fair, Downtown Design collaborates with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) on ‘Seed to Seat’, an initiative that sees seven UAE-based designers create wooden seating.

Launched in January 2016, Chattels & More setup their first store in Dubai’s Um Hurair district, close to Maktoum Bridge. Targeting the city’s mid- to high-range home interiors market, the brand features quality, modern design items and accessories for the home, all of which have been sourced from unique vendors and artisans across Europe.

This year’s Downtown Design brings to Dubai some of the most prominent names in home furnishings across Denmark, Norway and Sweden – with each brand exhibiting new collections. From Georg Jensen to Kährs, here are a selection of what visitors have to look forward to from the Nordics:

Tuscan bathroom manufacturer, antoniolupi has stood out for over fifty years for their innovative design and manufacturing of bathroom furniture, both in Italy and abroad. The brand is known for choosing and lately even manufacturing materials that highlight its function, making the end-product easier for consumer use. Pieces in their latest collection feature the use of the newly introduced Ceramilux material, which is light, natural and highly resistant to heat and dirt and Flumood – a non-porous new generation material that was created and manufactured by antoniolupi.

With over 20 years’ hands-on experience as owner and operator in the hospitality industry, Marcos has worked across Asia and the Middle East. A natural entrepreneur with strong passion and vision, it came as no surprise to those who knew him when he founded his own company, Stickman Design, in 2009 with his Scottish business partner Karen Hay. Marcos now heads the main office in Dubai while Karen runs the Hong Kong branch. Within the first 8 successful years of founding Stickman, the company has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious brands like Conrad, Shangri-La, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Kerry Hotels, Sun Resorts and Zaya to name a few and managed to complete full scope hotels in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Beijing and the Maldives as well as a string of award winning restaurants and bars all around the globe

Atelier Swarovski’s latest incarnation Atelier Swarovski Home features a range of collections designed in collaboration with luminaries from the worlds of design and architecture. From the late Zaha Hadid to Tord Boontje, Atelier Swarovski Home works directly with designers to translate its forward-thinking design DNA and technical expertise into collections of covetable Swarovski crystal table top objects and home accessories. The offerings range from pieces which embrace Swarovski crystal as a design medium in its own right to objets d’art which juxtapose crystal with other materials such as resin, metals, marble and Corian. Atelier Swarovski Home is a vivid reminder of the infinite creative possibilities of crystal in design and leverages the company’s most recent innovations. The collections use technologies developed by Swarovski’s experts, including crystal printing and the revolutionary Wave Cut technique.

The definitive German luxury kitchen company, Hacker (est 1898), launches its new concept for 2016: ‘Kitchen in Motion’, combining colour, texture, movement and with its signature sleek design.

This week we are in conversation with H2R, a London & Dubai based design studio that designs destinations, environments, brands and experiences.

Leading home furnishings dealer Iconic Home set to open new Baker monobrand showroom at Dubai Design District (d3) October 2016.

Images of her first furniture and accessories collection, ‘Tension’ will be released in the lead up to the fair (25-28 October) but in the meantime Pallavi explains to the Downtown Design team the rationale behind the collection and its name.

Bringing together over 100 brands from 25 countries, the event has become an important fixture in the design calendar for both international brands and buyers from the MENASA region. Held at the Dubai Design District (d3), the creative hub of the city, Downtown Design provides design buyers and influencers with a curated selection of innovative contemporary design from established and emerging brands.

The project’s 121 villas will all have customized SieMatic kitchens to suit each client’s individual needs, tastes and preferences. Highly individualized, designed and built to best-in-class international standards including quality control by Bureau Veritas, these villas stand apart in Dubai's competitive market.

The contemporary bathroom is no longer the utilitarian space yesteryear but a sanctuary of luxury and convenience. From wellness solutions, to luxury materials, high-end technology, even fashion experiences and the ultimate in bespoke, Downtown Design’s world-class brands are at the forefront of bathroom trends and environmental impact and efficiency are central to considerations.

At the heart of Klove are its light sculptures and installations with a signature style that flows from neo-classical to contemporary design. Having executed lighting installations in several world-class projects like the Mumbai International Airport, Pune’s Ista Hotel, Harvey Nichols, Hard Rock Café in Delhi and The Grand Hyatt, Klove has bagged several national and international awards including Best Talent and Young Talent Award at the Elle Deco International Design Awards.

Founded in 1904 by master silversmith Georg Jensen, the Danish design house is renowned the world over for its artistic boldness, superior craftsmanship and creative collaborations with leading designers such as Constantin Wortmann, Aldo Bakker, Tod Bracher, Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe and Henning Koppel.

Brands around the globe now aim to drive consumer experience, to create an environment that tempts consumers to spend longer and spend more in store. Here are the top 5 retail design trends to keep consumers coming back for more:

Here she shares her top 6 from over 350 events and shows scattered all over the city:

Here we speak to Agata Kurzela, Head of Interiors at AK Design about the benefits of sourcing international design locally, the sourcing process and recent projects.

For a hotel brand, ensuring guests stay loyal has never been a greater challenge than it is today. The variety of options for travelers are near endless:  from luxury to technology to theme-based hotels, not to mention home-rental companies such as Airbnb and the proliferation of design-led hotels in cities the world over leveraging collaboration between artists, designers and the local community.

Fire, Water, Air and Earth- the classical four elements is a concept that was proposed by the Ancient Greeks to explain the nature and complexity of all matter in terms of simpler substances. Greek philosophers dedicated themselves to this concept and since then, the four elements have been the subjects of allegoration and inquiry at various levels – as well as of many artistic interpretations.

In current times work is continually changing and so is the workforce meaning the workplace needs to incessantly evolve to keep up. Designing for an office in the past was more straightforward than it is now with considerations on the impact of mobile technology, implications of culture on workplace design and employees’ choice over the type and location of their work.

This year, acclaimed Spanish brand, Sancal, debuts at Downtown Design with the new Majestic Collection, that revisits the brand’s origins, inspired by the past four decades.