Latest news with #MetteDegnChristensen
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Creativity and flair on show at Downtown Design's inaugural Riyadh event
RIYADH: Middle East design fair Downtown Design began on Tuesday at Riyadh's creative hub, JAX District. The fair, a showcase of contemporary design, has been a fixture on the calendar in Dubai since 2013 and has now expanded to the Kingdom for the first time, in partnership with the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission. The four-day event gives visitors the chance to get a close look at collectible works and ultra-high-end collections presented by international galleries, independent designers and manufacturers. 'What we're seeing here is obviously a very fast-changing landscape, very dynamic market and growing demand for access to quality and contemporary design, which is what we more or less live and breathe for,' Mette Degn-Christensen, the director of Downtown Design told Arab News. 'Our hope is to basically start by creating that kind of fundamental platform here, while thinking about the context, thinking about the local talent as well and the growth of the wider community. 'I think a lot of eyes are on this region and on Saudi Arabia. And what's happening here is there's a lot of new projects that are rising; whether it's residential or commercial or hospitality, we see a massive shift in aesthetics and longevity. There's a shift in looking at materials and for that, we need access. 'All of the different companies, developers, designers that are creating new projects here need access to what it is that we have access to worldwide, and can't necessarily travel all the time to source.' Organizers said they took a grassroots approach to the curation process when selecting the right exhibitors and speakers for the event. 'I think there's a major push to look at what design can actually do for society, for the economy, for all the different components that are all going into the direction of realizing Vision 2030 for the Kingdom,' Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, told Arab News, referring to the national plan for development and economic diversification. The role of sustainability in design was another important factor. 'Everything we look at might be visually beautiful, but also we have to understand, you know, how these pieces go into production, how are the materials procured?' Al-Solaiman added. 'How do we think about sustainability and what is the afterlife of these products? All of that brings awareness to not just the importance of design, but also the importance of making the right consumer decisions.' Downtown Design continues in Riyadh until May 23. The next Dubai event will take place in November.
Arab News
16-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Downtown Design makes its debut in Saudi Arabia
DHAHRAN: Downtown Design, a contemporary design fair that has run in the UAE for the last decade, will debut in Saudi Arabia from May 20 to 23 at JAX District, marking the Kingdom's first official event dedicated to original, high-quality design. 'Downtown Design Riyadh, with its thoughtfully curated program and blend of local and global expertise, reflects our vision to build a dynamic design community that embodies the Kingdom's rich and diverse cultural identity,' Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission, wrote in a statement. The multi-day activation will be held in partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission under the Ministry of Culture. (Supplied) Mette Degn-Christensen, director of Downtown Design, expressed her enthusiasm for the inaugural edition in the capital. 'I think you're going to experience something that's been really thoughtfully selected for this fair, with the unique setting of the location,' she told Arab News. 'I'm very excited about the venue. It's very historic, and it's just a great way to kind of juxtapose the more modern and the historic, at the same time. If you think about it, nowhere in the world has an event of our nature in that kind of venue. 'I'm really kind of overwhelmed with how amazing it is to get to do a design fair literally on the terraces of the UNESCO heritage site (in Diriyah),' she added. 'I think that's really special.' Degn-Christensen, a Danish design leader with more than 15 years of international experience, has directed Downtown Design in Dubai since 2021. She has helped expand the fair's global reach and champion regional talent. She now brings that expertise to Saudi Arabia. (Supplied) 'What excites me personally the most — and I think the team also — is this really genuine, encouraging energy in Riyadh,' she said. 'I didn't expect this welcome — it's not easy to start a fair in a new country or a new market.' For Degn-Christensen, one of the fair's main goals is to 'encourage you to maybe consider design more in your life and your work. And those are the things that we have been doing over the years. So I think (this is) almost, maybe, a fast-track version of that.' And she believes the timing of the fair aligns with a growing appreciation among general society for thoughtful design. 'I think it's the right time. There's a shift in perspective of quality and of investing value into purchasing quality, sustainable long-lasting design,' she said. '(That's true), I think, globally, but certainly in this region. I'm very excited about that kind of moment. (Supplied) 'I think that it's a good time for our fair also in terms of that there are fashion and luxury and art initiatives in the Kingdom, but when it comes to design and high quality, premium quality design, there isn't really such an outlet yet,' she continued. Downtown Design Riyadh will bring together a global roster of established brands, emerging designers and regional studios. Exhibitors include lighting innovators Tom Dixon, Brokis and Articolo, presented by Huda Lighting; Scandinavian furniture houses Audo Copenhagen, GUBI, and &Tradition, brought by The Bowery Company; and the regional debut of Scarlet Splendour, featuring bold brass pieces by designer Richard Hutten. Kuwait-based Babnimnim Studio will present an architectural installation for Cosentino, exploring heritage and innovation, while Jotun Paints will stage a color-focused experience in collaboration with Saudi creatives. French heritage brand Maison Louis Drucker will debut a digital collaboration with TRAME and Aranda\Lasch, 'merging algorithmic design with traditional handcraft.' A dedicated section of the fair will spotlight limited-edition and collectible works. Gallery COLLECTIONAL will showcase handcrafted furniture by Christophe Delcourt, sculptural lighting by Apparatus Studio, and vintage-inspired designs by Draga & Aurel. Venini's artisanal glass, produced with Michele De Lucchi and Peter Marino, will be shown alongside luxury highlights from Visionnaire and Serafini. In addition to the exhibits, Downtown Design Riyadh will also populate JAX District with pop-ups, creative interventions and a dynamic talks program. 'Strata,' a modular outdoor installation by multidisciplinary studio Karim+Elias, made from locally-sourced sand and constructed using rammed-earth techniques, will merge traditional materials with contemporary design. The talks series will bring together architects, developers, collectors and creatives to discuss 'themes shaping design in the region and beyond.' Downtown Design Riyadh reflects the Kingdom's growing investment in culture and creativity under Vision 2030. The fair is set to become an annual platform supporting the Kingdom's active interior-design market and connecting Saudi talent with global networks. 'It's been a few years that we've been looking to start an initiative in Saudi and then we wanted to make sure that we did it at the right time, but also that we did it in the right way,' Degn-Christensen said. 'There's some overlap in the Dubai (team) and then there are some just from Riyadh — and it's the same for suppliers and contractors. It's certainly not a copy of what we're doing in Dubai.'
