UAE: Learn how to grow mushrooms on books during Dubai Design Week

One of the region’s most popular cultural events, Dubai Design Week, is back with its eighth season from November 8 to 13. The annual event showcases the work of some of the region’s top creative designers in a city that doesn’t shy away from bold, innovative designs. Visitors can look forward to installations, workshops, exhibitions and much more in the artistic extravaganza that never disappoints.

The theme of the installations program this year is “Design with Impact” – focusing on designing a sustainable future. Walking through the buildings of the Dubai Design District (d3), visitors will see several installations that offer food for thought and explore alternative eco-friendly options for construction and design.

The highlights include ‘Palm Renaissance’, which showcases the transformation of date palm waste into screens to offer a natural sunshade. The installation proposes the ‘palm’ screens as a green alternative to traditional bus shelters. In another installation, ‘From the Dunes and Trees’ sand-based concrete, solid surface material made from date seeds and the region’s first plant-based vegan leather are proposed as sustainable building materials.

From the desert to the sea comes the Al Gargoor installation from Bahrain. Traditional fishing nets are upcycled and combined with traditional palm tree weaving and textiles to create creative spaces. Also not to be missed is the Future of Fashion installation – showcasing curated fashion items from Stella McCartney’s collections over two decades. The installation showcases sustainable fashion pieces such as the Frayme Mylo™️ bag – the world’s first-ever luxury bag crafted from mycelium.

A thought-provoking installation is “How much does your debris weigh?”

“What if the world becomes engulfed by its waste?” is the question which onlookers are asked as they are invited to reflect on social practices while they walk under the inverted wave of waste.

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In another installation, ‘Kin’ bricks made from discarded shellfish from restaurants and natural low-carbon lime is another exploration for alternative building material options, symbiotic living with nature and an invitation for humans to rethink their relationship with the environment.

Visitors who feel inclined to try their hands in some design work will be delighted to learn that Dubai Design Week offers an intensive workshop program. From growing edible mushrooms on old books to sustainable printing on textiles, documentary filmmaking, coding and embroidery, there’s a workshop to suit every creative preference.

Design Market by FLTRD is the retail family experience of Dubai Design Week. It features art vendors selling collectable pieces, accessories and items of unique designs.

lamya@khaleejtimes.com