INDEX, the international interior design trade show, is set to take place between 31 May and 2 June in Dubai World Trade Centre, reconnecting the industry’s top professionals for the first live interiors event since 2019. The fair will offer valuable access and insights to the latest industry trends and developments, as well as free seminars, networking opportunities, product showcases and engaging experiences.
Visitors can expect the best design concepts to be showcased from the full spectrum of furniture, lighting, technology, accessories, surface materials, décor and art, catering to the full scope of any interior project across home, hotel, office, retail, leisure, restaurant and more.
For a remarkable and productive experience, here is a curated list of the top 10 things to look forward to at the 30th edition of INDEX, from designer installations to industry talks and exclusive exhibitions.
- The INDEX Design Talks
A must-attend feature of the regional design calendar in recent years, INDEX Design Talks, in association with GEBERIT, brings the most talented, creative and successful design leaders together to share candid insights into key issues being faced by the industry in this challenging time. Chaired by Esra Lemmens, design strategist and a global design consultant, the talks will feature 15 distinct sessions and discussions between 50 expert speakers.
From Monday 31 May –Wednesday 2 June
Top name speakers include: Paul Bishop, Pallavi Dean, Kevin Mclachlan, Andy Shaw and Kate Instone
- Designer Installations at INDEX
This year’s edition will see the region’s leading design firms collaborating with INDEX to envelop, inspire and impress the visiting audience more than ever before. Tasked to inspire and amaze visitors as they enter the event, the design teams of Kristina Zanic Design Consultants and Brand Creative have developed dramatic installations staged at the entrance of the show.
The creative concepts will make visitors think and reset as they physically walk through towering design archway installations to enter the show.
- RETHINK – A Materials Experience
Colab, the first purpose-built material library in the UAE based in Dubai Design District, will exhibit an experiential space called ‘RETHINK’ featuring 150 unique, quirky and creative materials in the format of a materials library pop-up at INDEX. With an aim to educate and inspire the design and build community to expand their material palette, RETHINK highlights ways to work with new and existing materials with a focus on responsible material usage, consumption and waste.
Architects and interior designers will be invited to explore a range of both commercially available and innovative materials while being able to connect with a global selection of suppliers.
- TANWEEN by TASHKEEL
From dhow builders that hail from South Asia to khoos artisans living on the border with Oman, camel leather tanneries in Al Ain to Al Sadu weavers based in Abu Dhabi, this exhibit will feature products that are true and unique to the melange of cultures and traditions that constitute the UAE. Merging the very new with the ancient, drawing on ambitious, future-facing approaches and suited to contemporary environments, Tanween is proud to present products that are innovative, relevant, desirable and functional – an embodiment of all that design in the UAE can be.
Tanween is an intensive development programme introduced by Tashkeel, bringing together emerging designers based in the UAE to build products inspired by the country. Established in Dubai in 2008 by Lateefa bint Maktoum, Tashkeel provides a nurturing environment for the growth of contemporary art and design rooted in the UAE.
Show highlights include seminars, product showcases and engaging experiences
- Zero Waste Masterpieces
This zero-waste exhibit by The University of Sharjah for Fine Art and Design Arts invites guests to explore furniture pieces created from recycled materials collected by students in collaboration with Bee’ah Waste Management. The art pieces are inspired by the local sand dunes of the Emirates and showcase how waste can be repurposed as furniture that can be used in daily life, aiming at encouraging and inspiring whole generations to go green and become more sustainable.
The College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) at UOS is committed to promoting sustainable practices, leading initiatives to challenge the interiors community “to creatively adopt the three Rs: to reduce consumption, reuse what still can be used, and recycle waste into a resource for further use”.
- Work Design Summit
The first edition of the Work Design Summit, which will take centre stage within Workspace at INDEX, will feature three days of real-world case studies and research-based insights and discussions. As most companies return to their office environments throughout 2021, the summit will shed light on the dramatic need to reconceive and redesign all aspects related to how modern workspaces look, feel and operate in order to enhance productivity and wellness.
The commercial design community is invited to enjoy five distinct sessions staged each day, featuring prominent designers, corporate end-users, real estate developers and analysts, FM experts and psychologists.
- Christy Lee Rogers, presented by A Gallery
For the first time in Dubai, A Gallery will exhibit contemporary photography and film by the award-winning visual artist Christy Lee Rogers. Commissioned by brands such as Apple and Lavazza and counting two of the biggest film directors in the world as her collectors, Christy is considered one of the most prominent underwater photographers of our times.
Christy Lee Rogers is known for her obsession with water as an artistic source and for breaking the conventions of contemporary photography with her use of it.
- MOOG by Dina Khataan
Aiming to amuse viewers with her creations, @dinakhataan known as the ‘Queen of Resin’, is launching her new brand @moog.ae. This artistic design house reflects her approach to bespoke artistic life: one that celebrates the ideology of living around masterpieces that communicate. Visitors will be introduced to MOOG, as the brand will preview furniture pieces paying homage to solid wood and the artistic craftsmanship of epoxy casting.
To celebrate the 30th edition of Index, Sahzade Sedir will bring back the tradition of a very specific form and style of majlis
- The Funun Arts Creativity Hub
Funun Arts, the largest art community in the UAE, will showcase, in partnership with INDEX Dubai, an immersive experience featuring global artistic demonstrations, inviting visitors to meet its creative geniuses and to explore abstract modern art, photographs, wall art, paintings, sculptures and live paintings. The platform will also be launching the ‘OCEAN’ series, showcasing shades of the aquatic life inspired by the Arabian oceans.
Artists from the non-profit platform will also be performing live paintings during the show, creating the letters I N D E X, which will be revealed on the last day of the show.
- Sahzade Sedir, The Majlis
The majlis has been embodied in the Middle Eastern history and culture for decades, and to celebrate the 30th edition of Index, Sahzade Sedir will bring back the tradition of a very specific form and style of majlis. Commonly referred to as ‘Sark Köşesi’, this majlis will feature local and natural motifs and a combination of modern and traditional designs, in a setting adaptable for homes, workspaces and public facilities.
RETHINK highlights ways to work with new and existing materials
Commenting on this year’s INDEX edition, Katie McBride, Event Director, dmg events, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 30th edition of INDEX, re-uniting top industry professionals once again after such a challenging – but also dynamic year! We are confident this will be a truly valuable experience for visitors, providing fresh insights into what’s trending and how the market has progressed over the past year to spark ideas and inspiration for further success.”
Access to INDEX and its dedicated activations is by online pre-registration only, free and with limited availability. It also gives access to co-located events, including The Hotel Show, Workspace and The Leisure Show. Get your pass online here: www.indexexhibition.com
INDEX is back, LIVE and in-person, and it has been certified by Venue Safe and dmg events COVID-19 All Secure Protocols.