Dubai's First Architecture Festival In November 2020 To Showcase The Middle East's Contributions To The Sector The festival will showcase regional architecture projects and emerging new generation of talent and firms, but also highlight the significance of bringing the Middle East towards a more sustainable future.

Dubai's first architecture festival is set to make waves this year. The inaugural d3 Architecture Festival, organized by Dubai Design District, in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects Gulf Chapter (RIBA Gulf Chapter), will showcase regional architecture projects and emerging new generation of talent and firms, but also highlight the significance of bringing the Middle East towards a more sustainable future.

The event is set to run from November 11-13, 2020, on the sidelines of Dubai Design Week, an annual festival held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.

Curated by Juan Roldan, Associate Professor at the College of Architecture, Art & Design at the American University of Sharjah, the festival's theme is centered under "Identity, Context and Placemaking in the Gulf'. The event will cater to a series of a talks by industry experts on sustainable development, while designers, architects and the general public are welcomed to join in daily workshops.

The festival is aligned to d3's priority to becoming a hub for the Middle East's architecture community. Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director of d3 comments, "While offering a platform for critical reflection on social, cultural and economic issues, it will also provide opportunities for new talent and bring the design community together to champion Dubai and the UAE as a hub for knowledge, creativity and innovation."

The RIBA Gulf Chapter's goals also aligns with d3, RIBA Gulf Chapter Chair and Managing Partner of AMA, Andy Shaw notes, "The past six months have shown us all how important the cities and buildings we build for ourselves are, and how we must come together and move forward. Architects have the skills to craft beautiful spaces that can be sustainable and innovative as Gulf countries look forward to how the future could be."

Some of the firms and universities that have confirmed to participate in the event consists of AGi Architects, American University of Sharjah, Dabbagh Architects, Foster + Partners, Nyxo Visionary Design, Woods Bagot, Zaha Hadid Architects, and more.

Related: Designs On The Future: Developing A Robust Ecosystem For Sustained Innovation In The UAE