Design made in Dubai and the new codes of its flourishing creative scene
Friday 17 January —
14:00
- 14:45
The Talks — Hall 7
Description
Explore Dubai's creative scene with a panel discussion on its evolving design landscape. Join leading architects, designers and cultural leaders as they dissect the city’s unique creative language, illustrating how Dubai is shaping the future of design in the region and beyond.
Participants
Mette Degn-Christensen Director - Downtown Design
Majid Al Bastaki Architect, Product Designer & Architectural Photographer
Elias El Hage Cofounder - Karim+Elias
Lina GhalibInterior and Product Designer & Founder - PlyPalm
Khulood KhooryProjects and Events Director - Dubai Culture Arts and Authority
Sofia Lekka AngelopoulouEditor-in-chief - designboom
Mette Degn-Christensen
Director - Downtown Design
Prior to her appointment as Director of Downtown Design, Mette Degn-Christensen spent five years as Director of Dubai Design Week at the Art Dubai Group (ADG), with over 15 years of experience in global PR and strategic communications, content creation, and leading international design events and fairs across the globe. Mette's primary responsibility is to enhance the fair's profile and increase its diversity of globally established and emerging design brands from around the world. She focuses on strategic positioning and commercial opportunities while providing a platform for regional creative talent to shine. She also oversees the creative output of the fair, including feature concepts, installations, and public programmes. Before joining ADG, Mette spent 10 years based between Paris and London, honing her skills in the design, architecture, and interiors sectors. Her wealth of experience enables her to bring a unique perspective to her role, and she is committed to driving the success of Downtown Design and establishing it as a premier global design event.
Majid Al Bastaki
Architect, Product Designer & Architectural Photographer
Majid Al Bastaki is an award-winning architectural photographer, versatile architect, and product designer. His work has been featured in international exhibitions and magazines, highlighting his unique vision. Selected among the Top 50 photographers worldwide by Xposure International Photography Festival in 2022, he also won 1st place in Urban Landscapes at the 2024 Xposure Awards. In 2023, he earned a Ministry of Culture scholarship to study “Branding in Architecture” in Venice. A two-time Dubai Design Week participant as Product Designer, Majid founded Majid AlBastaki Studio, specializing in architecture, product design, and architectural photography, blending creativity and technical excellence to deliver impactful, authentic designs.
Elias El Hage
Cofounder - Karim+Elias
Having graduated from the Lebanese American University (LAU) with a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture in 2016, Elias is a Lebanese national who has since worked as a multidisciplinary designer across various disciplines; ranging from fine arts to interior and product design, architecture, site-specific installations and digital design. In his practice, he strives to create a flow of communication between context and time, where storytelling is paramount in the creative outcome. Elias is the co-founder of ‘Karim+Elias’, a multidisciplinary studio exploring the creative possibilities of sand through art and design.
Lina Ghalib
Interior and Product Designer & Founder - PlyPalm
Lina Ghalib is an Egyptian product and furniture designer based in the UAE. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture at the American University of Sharjah in 2017, and her Master's degree in Interior design at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2023 as a recipient of the Tashkeel Scholarship Fund of 2021-2023. In 2020 during the Tanween by Tashkeel program, Lina developed a material called PlyPalm made from reclaimed Palm Tree branches in the UAE. Through her material studio, she explores the realms of applications of the material in interior and furniture design with a strong focus on product design. Her work is inclined towards fusion of different cultures she has experienced translated into a modern design language.
Khulood Khoory
Projects and Events Director - Dubai Culture Arts and Authority
Khulood Khoory is the Projects and Events Director at Dubai Culture. Her role focuses on the development and implementation of strategic and creative initiatives and establishing impactful partnerships for the Arts and Design sector to foster the growth of a sustainable industry in line with the government of Dubai’s vision and cultural strategy. Khulood has close to 15 years experience in the fields of arts, design and innovation, with a focus on nurturing emerging talents and creative startups. Khulood has worked on a wide range of projects and initiatives that have enhanced her understanding of the creative industries through her various roles at the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), in5 design innovation center and Dubai Culture where she started her career in 2008. Khulood holds a Bsc of Visual Communications with a minor in Design Management from the American University of Sharjah.
Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou
Editor-in-chief - designboom
Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou is Editor-in-Chief of designboom, based in Milan, Beijing, Zurich and Berlin, with a global team of collaborators. Established in 1999, designboom.com is the world's first online cultural magazine for art, architecture, design and technology, with a global reach of 3 million readers monthly. Born in Greece, Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou studied Architecture in London (UK) and Interior Architecture, Research and Design in Rotterdam (NL). She has worked as an editor on print and digital publications, as well as on interior architecture and design projects in Europe. In 2018, Sofia joined designboom and is currently leading the editorial section and activities of the magazine.