Dubai provides designers with unprecedented creative freedom, offering opportunities to "innovate, fail fast, move on again," according to industry experts who participated in a panel discussion hosted by Dezeen and luxury kitchen appliance brand Gaggenau. The conversation took place at Gaggenau's Dubai showroom during Dubai Design Week and was moderated by Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser.
The panel featured three prominent designers: Ross Lovegrove, founder of multidisciplinary design studio Deond; Pallavi Dean, founder of Roar; and Rania Hamed, founder of architecture and interior practice VSHD Design. Each speaker emphasized Dubai's unique position as a city that encourages design experimentation and boundary-pushing creativity.
Dean highlighted Dubai's distinctive approach to design compared to other global cities, stating, "In the UAE, we almost have permission to try, innovate, fail fast, move on again. I don't know how many other cities allow you that opportunity." She attributed this openness to Dubai's youth as a city, describing the design process there as almost like "working with wet clay" and suggesting that designers are actively shaping the city's identity.
Hamed echoed these sentiments, 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 explained. "The pace is very fast but this, for me, is very positive." She emphasized the importance of involving clients in the creative process, describing 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 said.
The discussion also explored each designer's approach to innovation and creativity. Lovegrove emphasized that innovation often stems from a commitment to uniqueness, noting that designers are driven by a desire "to produce really iconographic things." He also highlighted the region's proximity to skilled workshops and exceptional materials, stating, "There are these incredible materials. I think this is a place where you can investigate those ideas, because it's supposed to be a model for the world."
Dean challenged conventional thinking about maintaining consistent design aesthetics, questioning the concept of a single "signature style" spanning decades. "How could you have a studio with the signature style and have a career that spans 30 years?" she asked. "How are you then responding to the context and the client brief?" She argued that designers must avoid falling into formulaic approaches to remain relevant and responsive to their clients' needs.
Hamed focused on the process of pushing boundaries through design methodology itself. "The way to push boundaries is through the design process itself," she explained, emphasizing the collaborative nature of innovative design work. The panelists agreed that Dubai's transformation from a city once criticized as imitative to one that now "exports" design ideas and attracts global attention demonstrates the region's growing influence in the international design community.
The event was part of a series of design talks hosted by Dezeen in partnership with Gaggenau, a German-based luxury appliance manufacturer that has been crafting high-end home appliances since 1683. The brand operates in more than 50 countries worldwide, with 60 flagship stores and showrooms globally. This collaboration continues Dezeen's previous partnership with Gaggenau, which included a series of webinars focusing on spectacular houses around the world.
