MILAN — The wave of new design events to accommodate the Middle East’s real estate and hospitality boom shows no signs of slowing down.
After a six-year hiatus, Amman Design Week will return for its fourth edition in October 2026, organizers told WWD.
“Amman holds a unique opportunity to become an oasis for creativity, presenting a critical cross-section of design in the region and highlighting the diversity of Jordan’s rich cultural tapestry,” Amman Design Week organizers said.
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The past three editions were held in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and brought local, regional and international designers and innovators to Amman, providing free and open access to a series of large-scale curated exhibitions, student and community programs, workshops and talks, and citywide cultural programs.
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Organizers said they are dedicated to delivering a program that engages a wide and diverse audience of designers, students, businesses and the general public. The work on display during Amman Design Week is the result of year-round learning programs, commissions and mentorship opportunities.
The event was founded in 2016 by Queen Rania of Jordan, who has been an ardent supporter in bringing the nation’s artisan and craft capabilities to the international fore. In recent years, Amman-based art and design studios like Naqsh Collective and Fadaa, have emerged onto the global scene for their contemporary visions that pay homage to the region’s past. So have the nation’s innovative methods in the fields of sustainable textile manufacturing and experimental materials incorporating bioplastics.
Government investment into cultural initiatives, especially in Saudi Arabia, which is in the throes of its economic diversification plan, Vision 2030, is also propelling new talents onto the international scene. As a result, the Middle East design scene is burgeoning with new events.
Downtown Design Dubai, the Middle East‘s leading contemporary design fair since 2012, cut the ribbon on Downtown Design Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s first design trade show in May. Salone del Mobile.Milano will also host its first Saudi event in Riyadh from Nov. 26 to 28, ahead of larger event planned for 2026. Design Doha, a biennial event emerged onto the international calendar in 2024.
Saudi Arabia will also see the return of the design event Tanween at The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture’s (Ithra) in the city of Dhahran Nov. 17 to 22.
For the first time, Tanween will partner with Dubai Design Week, reflecting Ithra’s efforts to strengthen regional collaboration and dialogue within the design ecosystem. As part of the partnership, Ithra will present “Community Seating” by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects, a project that mirrors shared values of accessibility and creative participation. “Through this collaboration and its growing international network, Tanween continues to serve as a platform for learning, experimentation and exchange,” the event’s program lead Shahad Alwazani told WWD.
World Culture (Ithra). Courtesy of Ithra
Dubai Design Week director Natasha Carella said there is a spirit of collaboration throughout the region and an effort to highlight regional voices and engage an international audience.
“We can only thrive if we work together. We all have the same kind of endeavour at the end, which is to kind of represent regional voices and engage with an international audience and international voices to help a larger ecosystem,” she said.
The upcoming Dubai Design Week 2025 is expected to be the largest ever. Under the aegis of a “Community” theme, the 11th edition of the event will take place Nov. 4 to 9, with a global roster that will include Italian jeweler Buccellati and industrial designer Tom Dixon.