Dubai Design Week explores Dubai’s industrial heartland with architect Tarik Al Zahara
Dubai Design Week will showcase the best of the city’s creative expression throughout the city, with one particular launch - Design Ras Al Khor (DRAK) – taking visitors deep into the city’s industrial heartland.
DRAK is a new design collective founded by four UAE-based designers: product designer Khalid Shafar, fashion designer Khulood Thani, jewellery designer Nadine Kanso and architect Tarik Al Zaharna.
With the aim of putting Ras Al Khor, the oldest industrial district in Dubai, on the design map, the collective’s inaugural exhibition during Dubai Design Week will highlight the neighbourhood’s wildlife sanctuary through projects in architecture, fashion, jewellery, food and product design.
DRAK member, architect Tarik Al Zaharna of T.ZED hopes to draw people to the district through the exhibition and its environmental theme so that they can experience first-hand the potential of the industrial area as a new grassroots driven creative community.
“As much as possible, we want people to experience Ras Al Khor. In spending more time in the area and at the exhibition, guests are really able to take in the area. We also felt that by offering food designed and tailored to the environmental theme of the exhibition, visitors can then spend more time at the event and find a level of consistency in all that is being served and displayed.”
As an architect working in the city, Tarik says Dubai Design Week is a seminal showcase for Dubai and its creative community, adding that he has already seen its positive impact in the international interest that the event has sparked.
“Design Week will be an opportunity for local designers to showcase their skills, as well as demonstrating the city's potential to be a main contender in the design world,” he comments.
“It is also a chance to shed light on the local craft skills and give international and regional designers the opportunity to meet. The city will come to life with events taking place across different areas that are diverse in content and context and some of my friends and colleagues in the field are making the journey from the UK, US and Germany to visit Dubai during Design Week and DRAK’s inaugural showcase.”
@designrasalkhor
Image credit: Made.ae