Gallery Collectional: new store dedicated to design opens in Dubai

A cross between gallery and design store, it focuses on collectible and limited-edition pieces

Gallery Collectional, a new space dedicated to collectible design items, has opened in the Eden House complex in Dubai. Photo: Gallery Collectional
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A new store dedicated to collectible design items has opened in Dubai. Located in the Eden House complex in Satwa, Gallery Collectional is presenting its inaugural show The Shape of Things to Come, which features a curated selection of limited-edition pieces by established designers and design houses, as well as a commissioned work by Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis.

Using the mirage as a starting point, Marcelis explores colour and light with tinted mirror works that mimic the palette of the UAE’s deserts and sunlight. Titled Mirage, the series, which also references the glass and metal of urban Dubai, includes a glass table with a reflective surface.

Known for her products, as well as her work in installation and spatial design, Marcelis has exhibited at design fairs such as Design Miami. She has also created installations for fashion clients such as Burberry and Celine.

The pieces included in The Shape of Things to Come range from home accessories to furniture, including a striking cabinet design by Pierre de Valck that is made from oxidised and waxed aluminium with a precious stone set in the centre.

The show also features the Osscile series, the result of a collaboration between French designer Francesco Balzano and Italian manufacturer Giobagnara, as well as unique and recognisable pieces by Ukrainian designer Faina, such as the Toptun armchair and Ztista chair.

Other designers featured include Michael Anastassiades from the UK, Ewe Studio from Mexico, Nada Debs from Lebanon, Niko Koronis from Italy and Alexander Lamont from Thailand.

The show’s curator, Catalina Ruiz Urquiola, who is also the space's creative director, says that Gallery Collectional aims to present “pieces that are so much more than furniture”, and that their selected displays are “meticulously crafted” by well-known designers around the world.

A cross between a gallery and a design store, Gallery Collectional has been launched by property developer H&H. It aims to set itself apart from similar shops in the UAE by focusing on limited editions and one-off pieces, targeting “keen aesthetes and design and art collectors”, Urquiola says.

“We will be further expanding the definition of collectible design and introducing it to the regional audiences with pieces that sit at the nexus of design and art."

Their opening coincides with Dubai Design Week, the annual design festival held in d3, which runs until Saturday.

Urquiola says that part of Gallery Collectional’s plans is to incorporate more regional designers and talent into the space, and to continue commissioning exclusive pieces that draw inspiration from the region, such as Marcelis’ Mirage.

Gallery Collectional has also launched an online platform with information about its products and designers.

The exhibition is open to the public and visits can be arranged by appointment through the website.

More information is available at thecollectional.com

Updated: November 14, 2021, 11:22 AM