Dubai Design Week 2025: Downtown Design
Dubai Design Week returned this year with renewed energy, and at its heart, Downtown Design, once again affirmed its position as the region’s leading showcase for contemporary creativity. Set against the city’s ever-evolving architectural backdrop, the fair brought together an inspiring mix of global brands, emerging designers, and regionally rooted talent, each presenting thoughtful innovations that reflect the contemporary design landscape and the ambitions of tomorrow.
For Martyn White UAE, this year’s edition offered a particularly compelling view into how the Middle East continues to shape global conversations around craftsmanship, material exploration, and future-focused design. From sculptural furniture and immersive installations to refined lighting concepts and reimagined cultural narratives, Downtown Design 2025 was a celebration of creativity at every scale.
In this article, I share the standout highlights from the fair: those pieces, exhibitions, and design moments that pushed boundaries, captured the imagination, and defined the spirit of this year’s show.
STRATA
This year’s standout showcase, STRATA captivated me from the moment I stepped into their space. In a fair where contemporary minimalism often takes centre stage, their presentation felt like a breath of fresh air; unapologetically unique, richly expressive, and firmly rooted in tradition while confidently embracing a modern sensibility.
A mother–son design studio with over 25 years of experience, STRATA is defined by its commitment to generational craftsmanship. Working closely with artisans who preserve centuries-old techniques, they create interiors and bespoke furniture that weave together styles, eras, and cultural influences with exceptional finesse. Their process-driven approach results in what they call strataspaces; layered, timeless, and deeply personal environments shaped by story as much as by form.
At the heart of the studio are its two creative forces:
Saira Ahsan, an interior designer with more than two decades of experience, brings a quiet, refined elegance to every project. Her work is guided by intuition, balance, and materiality, resulting in interiors that feel both understated and enduring.
Yousaf Shahbaz, architect and interior designer, provides the studio’s eclectic, contemporary pulse. His design language bridges past and present, layering history, craftsmanship, and modern design into spaces rich with texture, detail, and emotional resonance.
Together, they delivered one of the most compelling and impeccably curated presentations at Downtown Design, an immersive expression of heritage, creativity, and design integrity. In a moment when much of the industry leans toward the new and the minimal, STRATA stands proudly in its own category: distinctive, soulful, and beautifully original.
Porcelanosa
Porcelanosa’s “Crafting the Earth” installation was one of the most memorable and beautifully executed showcases at this year’s fair. Created in collaboration with Dubai-based studio VELA, celebrated for its contextual and responsible architectural approach, the space immediately drew me in. I loved the presentation of this stand: sculptural in form, perfectly suited to its surroundings, and designed in a way that felt both welcoming and self-contained. It allowed visitors to step into a world entirely its own, where the materials and design narrative took centre stage without distraction.
Conceived as a metaphor for transformation, from mineral to material, from raw earth to architectural expression, the installation invited guests on a sensory journey shaped by texture, light, and quiet refinement. It paid homage to nature and to the craftsmanship traditions that lie at the heart of Porcelanosa’s identity.
The pavilion unfolded around three key ideas. Its architectural language, defined by clean lines and honest materiality, reflected the malleability of earth. Its context, inspired by Mediterranean forms, introduced soft curves and natural light, creating an atmosphere of calm serenity. And its material story, rooted in clay and ceramics, symbolised the timeless human connection between origin and creation.
Under the guiding theme “Where Nature Performs. Where Craft Transforms,” Porcelanosa and VELA showcased how emotional design and sustainability can align seamlessly. Natural-toned flooring paired with large-format XTONE and Xlight wall surfaces, complemented by L’Antic Colonial mosaics and small-format ceramics, created a cohesive visual journey across kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom environments. Every element felt intentional, demonstrating how natural materials can be elevated into contemporary, highly considered design.
This collaboration elegantly bridged Mediterranean heritage with Dubai’s cosmopolitan outlook, resulting in a timeless, border-transcending aesthetic. It was a beautifully orchestrated celebration of materiality, craftsmanship, and architectural storytelling; one that perfectly captured Porcelanosa’s design ethos.
LASVIT
Lasvit has a well-earned reputation for captivating audiences with its sculptural, statement-making designs, and this year’s presentation was no exception. Their Desert in Bloom installation was one of the most enchanting showcases at Downtown Design, an exhibition that felt not only visually striking but deeply emotive. I was instantly drawn to its warm colour palette, refined materiality, and the inviting atmosphere that made the stand feel almost inhabitable. It was the kind of space you could imagine stepping into and never wanting to leave: welcoming, homely, and beautifully considered. The entire installation was illuminated to perfection by the UK-founded lighting brand John Cullen, whose subtle, architectural approach added depth and radiance to every detail.
Inspired by the fleeting beauty of desert flora, Desert in Bloom captures that rare moment when the landscape bursts into life, crystal blossoms rising from golden stems like plants reaching for the sun. It is a celebration of resilience, transformation, and the unexpected richness found in even the most seemingly barren environments.
At the heart of the installation was Rosa, a new lighting design by Martin Gallo. Modular and endlessly reconfigurable, Rosa can shift from a single glowing bloom to an expansive, vine-like composition. Its elegant forms echo the instinctive reach towards sunlight, embodying growth and determination with luminous grace.
Beside it, Grain of Sand by Jana Růžičková offered a poetic counterpoint. Its textured surface played with light much like desert winds shaping the dunes, turning sand’s transient patterns into something eternal. The piece reflected the desert’s quiet beauty and its ability to surprise, shimmer, and inspire.
Together, these works formed a cohesive narrative; one that blended craft, storytelling, light, and landscape into an immersive, sensory experience. Lasvit once again demonstrated its unparalleled ability to combine artistry and innovation, delivering a space that felt both sculptural and soulful.
Nordic Homeworx
This year, Nordic Homeworx truly felt like the heart of Downtown Design. Positioned centrally and buzzing with curiosity, their Nordic Cabin became one of the fair’s most inviting and talked-about spaces. Visitors were instinctively drawn in, intrigued by the warm glow from within, the rich scent of real wood, and the unexpected presence of a Scandinavian retreat in the middle of Dubai’s desert heat. While a Nordic cabin may seem worlds away from the city outside, this installation proved how powerfully design can transport, ground, and connect.
Created in collaboration with Styled Habitat and inspired by the traditional cabins scattered across Sweden, the Nordic Cabin wasn’t just a stand; it was a story. A place designed to slow you down. To breathe. To reconnect with your surroundings. Built with honesty, warmth, and material integrity, the cabin embodied the core values of Nordic Homeworx and their long-standing partnership with Kährs of Sweden, the world’s oldest wood flooring manufacturer still in operation.
What made the cabin so compelling was its authenticity. Many of the exterior planks carried a history of their own, repurposed from past installations, offering an honest expression of sustainability and respect for the material. Modular in construction, the cabin is designed to live many lives, with its next chapter unfolding at Downtown Design Riyadh. It may even, one day, become someone’s playhouse. An idea that beautifully reflects the brand’s belief that design should have longevity, purpose, and heart.
Earlier in the year, founder Pauline Madani and Rabah Saeid of Styled Habitat travelled to the forests of Nybro, Sweden, where Kährs flooring begins its life. That trip, to the source of the wood, to the craftsmanship and careful forestry practices, shaped every decision behind the cabin. The result is a space that captures the calm of the Swedish landscape, grounded in the principle of Allemansrätten, the right to roam. Nature isn’t a theme here; it’s a way of life.
Inside, the cabin is clad in Urban Brown from the Beyond Retro collection, the same flooring found in the Nordic Living showroom. Rich, warm, and honest, it shifts beautifully with the light, creating the exact atmosphere Nordic Homeworx wanted: a moment of pause amidst the energy of the fair. Through the cabin window, a film of the Småland forest, shot during their summer trip, acts as a quiet reminder of where each plank begins, and of Sweden’s philosophy of planting at least two new trees for every one harvested.
The installation represented a full-circle moment for Nordic Homeworx, from an early conceptual cabin in 2018 to a fully realised architectural piece at Downtown Design, complete with a permanent counterpart in their showroom. It was an exceptional demonstration of what Nordic design stands for: warmth, craftsmanship, sustainability, and a profound connection to nature.
Preciosa
Preciosa has long been a name that commands attention on the global design stage, consistently delivering showcases that blend heritage, innovation, and an unmistakable sense of grandeur. This year at Downtown Design, the brand once again impressed, yet in a way that felt beautifully restrained. Their presentation carried a quiet, deliberate elegance, allowing the spotlight to fall entirely on the installations themselves. The stand felt almost gallery-like, with each niche acting as a frame that celebrated the craftsmanship within.
Rooted in a legacy spanning over three centuries, Preciosa continues to blend traditional Bohemian glassmaking with contemporary design and cutting-edge technology. Their 2025 Downtown Design presentation introduced three Signature Designs: Crystal Links, Raw Crystal, and the debut of Drifting Lights, each displayed in dedicated architectural niches that heightened their sculptural presence. The simplicity of the space only amplified the intricacy of the crystal compositions, inviting visitors to slow down and appreciate the detail, the technique, and the poetry of light.
The interplay between digital innovation and centuries-old craft was central to the showcase. Under the idea of “Drafted by code, crafted by hand,” the installation highlighted how modern design tools elevate, rather than replace, artisanal expertise.
What stood out most was how intentionally the stand was curated: minimal in form yet rich in impact. By stripping back unnecessary elements, Preciosa directed all emphasis toward the artistry of their lighting. It was a masterclass in how understatement can be powerful, how simplicity can be luxurious, and how true craftsmanship shines brightest when given the space to breathe.
Roche Bobois
Roche Bobois made its debut at this year’s Downtown Design, delivering one of the most vibrant and visually compelling showcases of the fair. Their stand stood out for all the right reasons: a confident, colourful expression of the brand’s creative spirit, transforming a series of interconnected spaces into a visual feast where artistry, materiality, and craftsmanship converged to redefine luxury living in the Middle East.
Marking an important milestone in the brand’s expanding regional presence, Roche Bobois used Dubai Design Week as a platform to communicate its vision of Art de Vivre: a philosophy rooted in individuality, emotional connection, and exceptional craftsmanship. The installation, designed by the brand’s in-house team, unfolded as a floating architectural structure wrapped in mirrored panels. These reflections amplified the vivid palette and sculptural forms within, creating a dynamic, immersive environment that felt both bold and meticulously choreographed.
What made Roche Bobois’s presence so compelling was not simply the furniture on display, but the atmosphere they created; a complete living environment that celebrated dialogue, connection, and the expressive potential of design. As Fawzia Hassani, Head of Marketing for Roche Bobois UAE, noted, the brand’s first participation in the fair was about embracing Dubai’s dynamic design ecosystem and engaging directly with the architects, designers, and enthusiasts shaping the region’s creative landscape.
Through this vibrant debut, Roche Bobois demonstrated that luxury today is not defined by restraint, but by personality, by bold ideas, rich craftsmanship, and the courage to bring colour and character into contemporary living. Their stand was an uplifting reminder that design can be both playful and sophisticated, sculptural yet inviting, and always rooted in a deeper cultural conversation.
Jagdish Sutar
Among this year’s most compelling showcases was Jagdish Sutar Design Co., where craftsmanship took centre stage in the most authentic and visually captivating way. The stand presented a collection defined by exquisite detail, refined materiality, and an unmistakable sense of legacy, with each piece carrying the imprint of skilled hands, a rich history, and heartfelt design. What stood out was the consistency of craft across the entire collection; a visual language of carved lines, subtle textures, and sculptural silhouettes that came together to form truly impactful, memorable pieces.
Rooted in Rajasthan's woodworking traditions, the brand reflects a lineage of artisanship that spans generations. Founder and designer Jagdish Sutar grew up immersed in this world, surrounded by the tools, techniques, and tactile nuance that define Indian carpentry at its finest. His early training ignited a passion not just for making furniture, but for preserving and elevating the cultural stories embedded in each material and form.
This passion led him to Italy, the global heart of design refinement, where he absorbed the principles of European aesthetics and contemporary design thinking. Now based in Milan, Jagdish seamlessly merges these two worlds: Eastern craftsmanship and Western modernity, creating furniture that feels both deeply rooted and refreshingly global. His pieces carry the soul of traditional workmanship yet speak fluently in the language of international design.
The creations serve as a reminder that true craftsmanship is not just a skill, but a story, and in the hands of designers like Jagdish Sutar, that story continues to evolve with grace, intention, and unmistakable artistry.
COVER
COVER Interior Showroom delivered one of the fair’s most visually striking experiences. Their Halo Edition installation stopped visitors in their tracks; an elegant study in how light shapes perception, defines mood, and transforms even the simplest space into something quietly mesmerising.
Soft gradients, glowing circular forms, and a warm, atmospheric palette made this installation one of the most photographed scenes of the show. More than a lighting display, it unfolded as a sensory environment; an exploration of colour, emotion, and spatial depth. More than just illumination, it became an immersive experience that explored perception, emotion, and colour.
Exclusively represented in the Middle East by Cover Interior Showroom, the brand continues to champion premium craftsmanship and future-driven design. From bespoke interior solutions to carefully curated furniture and décor, COVER’s presence at this year’s fair affirmed its commitment to bringing globally celebrated design narratives to the region and showcasing just how transformative lighting can truly be.
This year’s Downtown Design proved once again why it remains a cornerstone of Dubai Design Week and a must-visit destination for the region’s design community. From immersive installations and sculptural furniture to lighting that transformed spaces and craftsmanship that celebrated heritage, the fair offered a rich tapestry of creativity, innovation, and dialogue. What stood out most was the way each showcase, whether bold and vibrant, understated and refined, or deeply rooted in tradition, told a story, inviting visitors to pause, explore, and connect with design on both an emotional and intellectual level. Downtown Design 2025 was not just a showcase of products, but a celebration of the ideas, talent, and ambition that continue to shape the Middle East’s growing role in the global design landscape.
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