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For its seventh edition, Downtown Design championed the growth of Dubai’s design industry

DEC 10, 2019 | By Vedika Nair

As a part of Dubai Design Week, the region’s leading design fair—Downtown Design took place from November 12 to 15, 2019, within a bespoke property that overlooks the Dubai Design District Waterfront. The fair united international brands with the regional design community, strengthening Dubai as a meeting point for creatives. This year, the exhibit saw a fresh selection of brands and feature areas that provided a dynamic environment for design to meet opportunity. Here are our favourite picks from the fair:‘The Preservation Bench’ by American Hardwood Export CouncilA collaborative installation between Houtlander and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), ‘The Preservation Bench’ stole the show at Downtown Design Dubai. Presented at 100% Design South Africa earlier this year, the installation was recreated in American white oak for the fair, along with Houtlander’s new range of outdoor tables and chairs in thermally modified American red oak.‘Ten Tables’ by Binchy and BinchyA spectacular collection of design statement pieces, Binchy and Binchy’s Ten Tables, paid homage to the region’s lesser-known history fueled by contrasting contemporary elements. The objects showcased the beauty of heritage mixed with revolutionary materials and lead the observer back to traditional roots. The collection included pieces named ‘Grey is not Grey’, ‘Tribute Table’, Table Al Hosn’, ‘Tranquility Table’ and more. Each piece represents the palette of ideas and impressions behind Binchy and Binchy’s work.‘Pedrali’s range of contemporary furniture’With a history that goes back to 55 years, Pedrali, the Italian brand that produces contemporary furniture for contract and residential purposes, participated for the first time in the seventh edition of Downtown Design, Dubai. The brand presented a selection of its best furniture solutions for the Middle East market. Characterised by colours, the products included an elegant Bistrot in warm shades of pink with upholstered modular seating Modus, combined with Elliot tables, Vic armchairs and more.‘Carpets by HANDS’For Downtown Design, Hands, the creators of exquisite handmade carpets since 1981, collaborated with Senses Centre for Special needs to celebrate the Year of Tolerance in the UAE. The bespoke rug studio displayed a piece inspired by children’s artworks. The proceeds will benefit ‘Senses’, a charity of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.