BAAL Design at Dubai Design Week: The future of design through biodigital technologies

We participated in the jubilee, tenth edition of Dubai Design Week, one of the most innovative and influential events in the world of contemporary design. During a week filled with new discoveries, meetings with colleagues and inspiring workshops, we had the opportunity to explore new directions in architecture and design that connect technology, natural resources and sustainability.

The event began with a gala dinner at a hotel that bears the distinctive mark of Zaha Hadid’s architecture. The main program took place in the Dubai Design District, the center of the city’s creative scene, where we visited exhibition pavilions dedicated to experimental practices, innovations in materials and the future of sustainable construction.

We were particularly impressed by the application of biodigital technologies – from 3D printing of sugarcane and recycled concrete, to the world’s first composite materials made from fully biodegradable ingredients such as date pits, olives and eggshells. The focus of this year’s program was sustainability, but not as a trend, but as a new reality of building and shaping space.

At the grand opening of the fair, in addition to exceptional examples of experimental and commercial design, we were particularly intrigued by the possibilities of processing natural stone, presented through contemporary, but also traditionally inspired approaches.

We also met numerous new design brands from the Middle East region – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries – who bring freshness, different aesthetics and authentic narratives to the global design dialogue.

The end of our stay was reserved for creative workshops on the ship, during which we exchanged ideas and experiences with colleagues from all over the world, with panoramic views of Dubai’s futuristic architecture around us.