Downtown Design Announce Riyadh: 20-23 May 2025
The Middle East’s foremost fair for contemporary, high-quality design, Downtown Design, has extended its legacy into Saudi Arabia with its inaugural edition. Held from 20–23 May 2025 at the JAX District in Riyadh, this groundbreaking event unfolds against the historic UNESCO World Heritage backdrop of Al-Turaif in Diriyah, offering an exceptional blend of heritage and cutting-edge creativity.
A Strategic Cultural Collaboration
Partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Architecture and Design Commission of the Ministry of Culture, the fair underscores the nation’s broader cultural ambition under Vision 2030. It serves as a meeting point for international and regional design professionals, uniting global brands with Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning creative talent.
Immersive Location & Audience Reach
Situated in the JAX District—a creative hub just a 30-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport—the event benefits from world-class accessibility. This area is also home to SAMOCA, Saudi Arabia’s first contemporary art museum, embedding the fair within a vibrant design ecosystem.
A Curated Blend of Global and Local Talent
Downtown Design Riyadh brings together an expertly curated lineup of leading global design brands, including Cosentino, Huda Lighting, Natuzzi, Lasvit, and Venini, each offering exclusive presentations ranging from sustainable surface materials to artisanal glass installations.
Equally compelling is the spotlight on local and regional talent, including homegrown initiatives like Teeb Made, Designed in Saudi, alongside studios such as NWII.III, Hobal, and Lucas Barcelo. This reflects the fair’s ethos of fostering Saudi Arabia’s dynamic creative community for the global stage.
Innovative Installations & Sensory Activations
The fair’s experience extends beyond traditional exhibits. Highlights include immersive installations, such as “Strata”, a modular outdoor intervention crafted from Saudi sand using the traditional rammed-earth technique by Karim+Elias.
In addition, multi-sensory culinary pop-ups from Bompas & Parr and The Lighthouse attract attention with glow-in-the-dark treats and conceptual mocktails, blurring the boundaries between design and experiential storytelling.
Knowledge Exchange & Craft Workshops
The Forum, Downtown Design’s thought-leadership platform, hosted panels on design themes such as heritage integration, design scale, and collectable design trends. Additionally, workshops from Ithra engaged attendees in silk screening, stool-making, and exploring sustainable edible packaging, making design education both insightful and hands-on.
Economic Significance & Future Visio
With Saudi Arabia’s interior design market valued at USD 3.66 billion in 2024 and expected to rise to USD 4.63 billion by 2029, Downtown Design Riyadh is positioned as a catalyst for the Kingdom’s thriving real estate and luxury sectors, including mega-projects like Neom, The Line, and Diriyah Gate.
Downtown Design Riyadh not only inaugurates a high-calibre platform for contemporary design in Saudi Arabia—it also aligns with a national vision to weave cultural innovation into the fabric of urban development. By blending global expertise with regional creativity, the fair promises to become an annual beacon for design excellence and cross-cultural dialogue in the Gulf and beyond.
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