After its lauded debut last year, Downtown Design will return to Dubai from October 28 to 31. For 2014, the theme of the fair is "original" – a clear statement of intent from an event committed to championing high-quality, contemporary design in the region.
“We chose ‘original’ as this year’s theme because it reflects Downtown Design’s mission – to help create a culture that fosters original design and recognises its value both aesthetically but also as an investment,” explains Cristina Romelli Gervasoni, the fair director of Downtown Design.
“An original piece carries with it a brand’s heritage and ethos. It is the thought that goes into designing that perfect glass; it is the robust fortitude of a couch that envelops you in comfort; it is how a light suggests a mood; it is all that cannot be replicated and it is important because it is what defines our experience in the end.”
The event will once again take place in the custom-built exhibition space that first appeared at the foot of the Burj Khalifa when Downtown Design’s sister event, Design Days, was launched in 2012.
A total of 46 companies are due to present their wares this year. Among those are brands that are behind some of the world’s most iconic design products. Fritz Hansen, for example, was responsible for the Egg Chair, one of the most recognisable seats ever made; Vitra was behind the ever-popular Eames Lounge Chair and the sinuous Panton Chair; and Hansgrohe, the German sanitaryware company behind the Axor brand, has been responsible for revolutionising the bathroom, working with big-name designers such as Philippe Starck to transform the most utilitarian space in the home into a spa-like haven of relaxation and restoration.
While all facets of the design industry will be represented – from furniture, kitchens and carpets to home technology, sanitaryware, beds and lighting – the exhibitors are united in their commitment to quality, says Romelli Gervasoni.
“It is essential for us to have quality-driven brands participating in the fair,” she says. “This year, we have many new brands that are debuting at Downtown Design or showcasing for the first time in the GCC, such as Elica in new technologies and Lasvit in lighting, and we have a showcase of brands from Latvia this year demonstrating the superior craftsmanship from there. Several brands are coming back, such as Fritz Hansen, Vitra, De Castelli, De Vecchi, Theodore Alexander and Gaggenau.”
Another standout exhibitor is the furniture brand Emeco, which, in collaboration with Coca-Cola, has used soft recycled PET plastic (originally intended for short-lived fabric and textiles) to build a tough, one-piece, scratch-resistant chair that’s suitable for heavy-duty use. The Emeco 111, which is named for the number of bottles used to make a single chair, is an interesting case study in creating innovative design out of recycled, seemingly unsuitable materials.
“Although re-engineering a core product was a significant investment for us, I was excited about the impact of using the recycled PET from millions of bottles each year. We’ve turned something many people throw away into something you want and keep for a long, long time,” says Gregg Buchbinder, the owner of Emeco.
Downtown Design 2014 will be a treat for any design fan – but it’s also an important reflection of the region’s growing thirst for interesting, high-quality design and of the buoyancy of the GCC’s property market. The construction sector in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar is expected to record an average growth of 9 to 10 per cent in 2015, with US$1.53 trillion (Dh5.62 trillion) of real-estate projects under construction in the GCC between now and 2025, according to industry experts.
The UAE tops the list, followed closely by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Much of the growth will come from upscale developments, and, as investment in luxury hotels and residential projects grows, so too will demand for innovative, original interiors. Which can only be a good thing, according to Romelli Gervasoni.
“Original design is very closely linked with innovation; it refers to things that are beautiful and functional, things that have been created with passion and thoughtfulness, that are designed to withstand the test of time and, ultimately, become part of a legacy carried down from generation to generation, their value enhanced as time goes by.”
sdenman@thenational.ae
