Designing in Dubai is like "working with wet clay" says panel at Gaggenau Dubai
Dubai offers designers the opportunity to "innovate, fail fast, move on again," according to speakers at a talk hosted by Dezeen and kitchen appliances brand Gaggenau.
Dezeen teamed up with the brand to host and film the conversation in Gaggenau's Dubai showroom during Dubai design week.
The panel featured Ross Lovegrove, founder of multidisciplinary design studio Deond, Pallavi Dean, founder of Roar and Rania Hamed, founder of architecture and interior practice VSHD Design.
The discussion was moderated by Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser.
Dean discussed how Dubai offers designers unusual latitude compared to other global cities.
"In the UAE, we almost have permission to try, innovate, fail fast, move on again," she said. "I don't know how many other cities allow you that opportunity"
Hamed echoed the sentiment, noting that clients in Dubai are "tuned into design" and open to experimentation.
"You get a chance to really push the boundaries over here," she said. "The pace is very fast but this, for me, is very positive."
Dean attributed this openness to Dubai's youth as a city, describing it as almost like "working with wet clay" and suggesting that designers are actively shaping its identity.
She noted that while Dubai was once criticised as an imitation city, it is now "exporting" those design ideas and attracting global attention.
The conversation also explored how each designer approaches innovation.
"The way to push boundaries is through the design process itself," Hamed said.
She described an early "educational step" with clients to bring them along the journey.
"This way, you have the client on your side, and they're pushing the boundary with you," she explained.
Lovegrove said innovation often comes from a commitment to uniqueness, noting that designers are driven by a desire "to produce really iconographic things".
Dean argued that designers must avoid falling into formulaic approaches and questioned the idea of maintaining a single "signature style" over decades.
"How could you have a studio with the signature style and have a career that spans 30 years?" she said. "How are you then responding to the context and the client brief?"
Lovegrove highlighted the region's proximity to skilled workshops and materials.
"There are these incredible materials," he said."I think this is a place where you can investigate those ideas, because it's supposed to be a model for the world."
Gaggenau has been crafting high-end home appliances since 1683. Based in Germany, the brand is represented in more than 50 countries, with 60 flagships and showrooms worldwide.
Dezeen previously teamed up with the brand for a series of webinars on spectacular houses around the world.
Partnership content
This video was produced by Dezeen as part of a partnership with Gaggenau. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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