Short Description
Abwab, meaning ‘doors’ in Arabic, is a programme that supports practitioners from across West, South and East Asia, as well as the African continent, through the commissioning of pavilions that are thematically remodelled each year to reflect timely global and regional contexts.
To date, over 180 designers from across the region have participated in Abwab, representing a range of countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE.
2025 Theme
This year’s theme, ‘In the Details’, invites designers, architects, researchers, archivists and all creative practitioners from across West, South and East Asia, as well as the African continent to explore ornamental details – drawing from architectural research, textiles, applied surfaces and narrative-driven aesthetics. ‘In the Details’ is a call for cultural excavation, spotlighting ornamentation’s enduring relationship to history, heritage and identity.
Across geographies and generations, ornament has served as more than decoration. Whether carved, woven, painted, or inscribed, it functions as a repository of memory embodying expression, belief systems, cultural rituals, aspirations and collective storytelling.
Ornament, whether historic, traditional, modular, experimental, or site-specific functions as a visual vocabulary that conveys memory, meaning and cultural narratives across time. Designers are encouraged to explore colour as a language of cultural continuity expressed through pigment or pattern that carries symbolic significance.
Proposals are invited to explore ornament as a primary language that transforms detail into immersive spatial experiences. Participants are encouraged to engage historical forms, motifs and textures through design. This could involve isolating, exaggerating, amplifying, shifting scale or applying fragmented details into unexpected spatial applications. We seek works that engage with symbolic detail in concept and scale the intimate into the monumental.
Eligibility
The proposal must:
- Demonstrate an evident relationship to the theme
- Explore contemporary design and architecture while maintaining contextual, cultural and geographical relevance to the Global South
- Adhere to a responsible design approach, taking into account sustainable use of materials and production processes, construction, installation and operational processes
- Incorporate suitable materials for outdoor use, taking into consideration the year-round weather conditions in Dubai
- Weight of the final installation must be less than 350kg per square metre
- Be partially or entirely produced in the UAE
- Adhere to a well-defined timeline for production with the installation ready for the opening of Dubai Design Week scheduled on 4 November 2025
- Include the thinking and planning for the afterlife and prospects of future deployment and programming
The applicant must:
- Be able to confirm ownership of all relevant intellectual property rights associated with the submission
- Be available for virtual calls with the Dubai Design Week team
- Be present in Dubai to oversee the production and installation of the proposal
Submission Requirements
- Proposal concept statement
- Relevant research, photography, documentation, video file and material pieces
- Proposed exhibition display or installation within the exhibition
- Portfolio of previous works and CV
- Approximate cost to produce and install the proposal
- Dimensions, space and technical requirements
- Timeline of project completion
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
A production bursary of AED 180,000 will support the execution of successful proposals, including project development, production and installation.
Entry Fee
None
Location
United Arab Emirates
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 20 July 2025
Website Link: https://www.dubaidesignweek.ae/participate-2025/abwab/
