Design for the senses
The adrenalin is continuing to rise as everybody rushes to do as much as possible before the onset of Ramadan…
The lavish displays of new hotel, aviation and recreational projects displayed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is proof that the popularity of Dubai and the other emirates is expected to continue growing.
Left, right and centre, developers from Emaar to Meraas were proudly unveiling their models and plans for an array of new hotel and aparthotel projects.
Emaar is continuing to roll out more stylish Address and Vida Hotels to satisfy the demand for luxury properties.
The Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC) has been the talk of the town since officially launching its membership programme. Aimed at bringing the community together and fostering relations, the membership initiative will help fund the council’s activities and promote Dubai as a rising design capital. Speaking at a presentation in d3, Dr. Amina Al Rustamani said that as part of this new initiative they also hope to foster internships and the like. A unique element of the DDFC membership programme is that it is open both to students and professionals…
Top Italian designer Marco Piva – head of the identity Design Awards jury – made a brief stop in town to oversee the plans for his new project on Palm Jumeirah.
And recently, leading US ergonomic furniture company Humanscale converted Purobeach Urban Oasis at the Conrad Hotel into a sort of pop-up store-cum-mini-Milan Fair stand, to present its latest collections – previously shown at Workspace (Milan) and Orgatec – as part of the brand’s annual road show… Tim Hutchings, President, Humanscale International, flew in for the occasion.
Those in search of some of the best outdoor furniture may want to head to the annual Desert River sale in Al Quoz later this month, where Claudia and her team have an emporium of bargains waiting to be discovered. The warehouse is also a great place to meet and mingle with like-minded design aficionados. See you there!
Cityscape Abu Dhabi appears to have firmly put the capital on the international property market scene. As investors and buyers tap into the unique offerings to be found south of Dubai, major developers are claiming that some of their new developments are sold-out, despite the market being not as buoyant as it once was.
Many will be heading to the upcoming INDEX show (22-25 May), which promises to be even more inspirational than usual. The organisers have put together an interesting array of exhibitors, as well as some top speakers – including London style icon Henry Holland, Welsh award-winning designer Bethan Gray and leading interior designer Jo Hamilton – who will be sharing their insights during the Design for the Senses talk series.
Meanwhile the id team is getting ready for the June launch of the annual id Design Awards. Please follow us on Facebook for more details…
The gala celebrating the best in regional design will be on 15 October… We look forward to receiving your latest projects from June onwards!
See you at INDEX…