Dubai Design Week concludes, announces awards; releases MENA study

UAE and Saudi Arabia are by far the largest overall design markets in the region, totaling $ 27.6bn and $ 21.9bn in design revenues in 2014.

1 November 2015

AS THE FIRST Dubai Design Week (DDW) concluded yesterday, the region's design and décor industry was given a spotlight throughout the city. As a part of this celebration the Second Middle East Design Awards, presented by leading luxury magazine Harper's Bazaar Interiors, was held on Wednesday night at the Emirates Towers. With a nominee list that included creative brands such as Allegra Hicks at The Rug Company, PF Emirates, Armani Casa, Cities, Christofle and Hansgrohe and a judging panel of industry experts including Award-winning Designer Lee Broom, Editor -in-Chief of Harpers Bazaar Interiors, Eleanor Joslin, Lead Tutor at London's Chelsea College of Arts Downtown Design, Rue Kothari, Creative Director of Christian Lacroix, Sacha Walckhoff and Dubai Design & Fashion Council CEO Nez Gebreel, the awards were all about design excellence.

The awards received applications from America, Latvia, Italy, Australia, the UK and France, though only awards from the region are eligible. All a sign of how Dubai is now considered one of the design capitals of the world.

D3 also released the MENA study on design in the region during DDW. The study revealed that the market value of the MENA design industry surpassed USD 100bn in 2014. UAE and Saudi Arabia are by far the largest overall design markets in the region, totaling $ 27.6bn and $ 21.9bn in design revenues in 2014.

The highly coveted Emerging Designer Award was won by Ammar Kalo, who runs Kalo Studio in Dubai. With a background in architecture and an interest in robotics and new fabrication, Kalo is all about the new direction of design. His 'Stratum' chair, with three legs, using advanced digital technologies to produce a product that has the look and appeal of handmade design, has become a signature piece at his studio.