Programme of talks, conversations, networking moments and private tours by Isola Space.
WEDNESDAY, 4 NOVEMBER
ITALY & UAE VOICES
The first day of the public programme opens a dialogue between Italy and the UAE through institutions, cultural organisations and contemporary creative practices. Rather than presenting the two contexts separately, the programme looks at the relationships that can emerge between them: how institutions can support cultural exchange, how creative communities influence one another, and how contemporary design can become a shared language between different cultural ecosystems. The day moves from an institutional introduction to more practice-based conversations, bringing together organisations, designers, artists and curators before concluding with a private visit to the distributed exhibition.

11:00 – Institutional Talks
Opening Design Horizons
The official introduction of Design Horizons, marking the beginning of the public programme during Dubai Design Week 2026. The session brings together the main partners and institutional representatives connected to the initiative, introducing the vision behind the project and its ambition to create a recurring platform connecting the UAE creative ecosystem with international perspectives.The conversation will also introduce the first appointment of Design Horizons, dedicated to the dialogue between Italy and the UAE, and highlight the role of cultural partnerships in creating long-term opportunities for exchange between institutions, creative professionals and communities.
Participants: Massier - Roberto Mauri - Business development director, Massier, ItaliaCamp - Leo Cisotta - General Manager, ItaliaCamp EMEA, Isola Design Space - Gabriele Cavallaro - Founder & CEO, Isola Design.

11:30 – Contemporary Creative Practices
A conversation dedicated to contemporary creative practice and to the increasingly fluid relationship between art, design, digital production and cultural experiences. The session brings together creative realities working across different disciplines, exploring how contemporary practitioners are moving beyond traditional categories and how artistic experimentation can interact with design thinking, technology and new forms of audience engagement. The discussion will also look at the relationship between local creative practices and the broader influence of Italian design culture, asking how different creative languages can coexist and generate new approaches to contemporary production.
Participants: Pixel Artwork, KAOS Studio- Moderated by the art curator Valentina Della Rocca - Art & Space Curator, The Warehouse AE

12.30 – Networking Moment & Break
An informal moment for speakers, institutions, partners and guests to continue the conversations of the morning and create new professional and cultural connections.
14:00 – Private Tour - Distributed Exhibition
A guided visit through the distributed exhibition, offering guests the opportunity to discover selected projects and gain a deeper understanding of the ideas, practices and narratives presented across the programme.

From 18:00 – Open Events, Dinners & Parties
A wider programme of social events, dinners, gatherings and public moments will continue throughout the evening as part of the broader Isola calendar.

THURSDAY, 5 NOVEMBER

FOOD, OBJECTS & RITUALS
Food and hospitality are not only functional parts of everyday life; they are powerful expressions of culture, memory and identity. This day looks at the kitchen and the table as creative spaces where design, tradition, objects and rituals come together. Through conversations between chefs, designers and curators, the programme explores how food culture can influence the design of objects and spaces, and how contemporary practices can preserve or reinterpret traditions associated with hospitality. The day approaches the act of gathering as a design experience in itself - shaped by materials, gestures, objects, memories and shared rituals.

10:00 – Design & Kitchen
A conversation exploring the kitchen and the table as spaces of memory, heritage and conviviality, where food, objects and traditions become part of a shared cultural experience. The discussion will look at how culinary rituals are passed down through generations and how the design of objects, tools and spaces contributes to preserving, interpreting and transforming these traditions. From the preparation of food to the act of sitting together around a table, the session explores how cuisine and design can shape moments of gathering, turning everyday gestures into expressions of identity, hospitality and collective memory. Participants: Farid Mimouni - Founder, FM Consulting / Co-Founder, Boutique Caterin, Alzaina Lootah - Architect & Designer, Studio AlZ - Moderated by Fatma Al Mahmoud - Curator & Cultural Programme Leader

11:00 – Heritage & Contemporary Design Practice
A conversation dedicated to the relationship between contemporary design and inherited knowledge. The session explores how designers can work with traditional techniques, materials and cultural references without simply reproducing the past. Instead, heritage becomes a source of research and experimentation that can inform new objects, processes and ways of making. Through the experience of URBAN FBRC, the discussion will focus on how craft knowledge and material traditions can be translated into contemporary design practices while maintaining a strong connection to their cultural origins. Participants: URBN FBRC - Moderated by Fatma Al Mahmoud - Curator & Cultural Programme Leader

12:00 – Networking Moment & Break
A relaxed opportunity for guests and speakers to exchange ideas and continue the conversations around food, hospitality, heritage and contemporary design.

13:00 – Private Tour - Distributed Exhibition
A guided visit through the distributed exhibition, connecting the themes discussed during the morning with the projects, materials and creative practices presented in the space.

Evening – Open Events, Dinners & Parties
The day continues through dinners, gatherings and other public events included in the broader Isola programme.

FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER
CRAFT & CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE
Craft is increasingly becoming a space for experimentation rather than simply a way of preserving tradition. This programme looks at the relationship between contemporary design, material research and responsible production, exploring how traditional making can evolve through new processes, sustainability and material innovation.The conversations focus particularly on the transformation of materials: how waste can become a creative resource, how designers are experimenting with new production methods, and how craft can remain relevant within contemporary design culture.

15:45 – Private Tour - Distributed Exhibition
A guided introduction to the exhibition and participating projects, with particular attention to material research, craftsmanship and contemporary making.

16:30 – Ethics in Design
Circularity, Reuse & Local Innovation
A conversation focused on sustainability as an active design methodology rather than simply an environmental objective. Through the experience of a local company working with textile recycling and reuse, the session explores how discarded materials can become resources for new design processes and how circular thinking can influence both production and creativity. The discussion will examine the relationship between material recovery, local industry and contemporary design, looking at how environmental responsibility can lead to new aesthetics, processes and business opportunities. Participants: Oksan Group - Moderated by Juan Roldan - Associate Professor of Interior Design, American University of Sharjah.

17:30 – Materials, Art & Future

A conversation exploring the transformation of materials through contemporary art, craft and design. The session focuses on experimentation: how new materials are developed, how existing materials can be reinterpreted, and how creative practitioners can challenge conventional production techniques. Rather than considering material only as a technical element, the discussion looks at it as a starting point for storytelling, identity and innovation. Participants: Andy Cartier - Designer, Founder & CEO, NUMU - Moderated by Juan Roldan - Associate Professor of Interior Design, American University of Sharjah

18:15 – Networking Moment

A closing moment for speakers and guests to continue the conversation informally and connect around shared interests in materials, craft and responsible design.

Evening – Open Events, Dinners & Parties
A programme of gatherings, dinners and public activities continues as part of the wider Isola calendar.

SATURDAY, 7 NOVEMBER

THE NEW FRONTIERS OF DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
Technology is changing not only how objects are produced, but also how designers research, experiment and imagine the future. This evening programme explores the intersection between design, technological innovation and material research, bringing together practitioners working across textiles, advanced materials, art and emerging creative technologies. Rather than approaching technology as a separate discipline, the programme looks at how it can become integrated into the creative process - influencing materials, production systems, artistic practice and future ways of living.

17:00 – The New Frontiers of Design Technology
A conversation focused on research and innovation within the UAE, examining how new technologies and experimental approaches can shape the future of design. Through the work of SPARK / BASE39, the session will explore the development of new research ecosystems, with particular attention to textile innovation, materials and their potential applications. The conversation will also look at how collaboration between research, industry and creative practice can support the development of new ideas and strengthen the local design ecosystem. Participants: Ahmad Al Rasheed - Creative Strategist & Cultural Leader, BASE39, Azza Aboualam - Architect, Researcher & Curator, BASE39 / Holesum Studio, SPARK / BASE39

18:00 – Art, Materials & Contemporary Innovation
A cross-disciplinary conversation exploring the meeting point between artistic practice, material research and contemporary design. The session considers how new materials can become creative tools, influencing the way artists and designers conceive objects, surfaces and environments. By bringing together different perspectives from art, design and materials research, the discussion will explore how experimentation can move from the laboratory or studio into real-world applications and new creative languages. Participants: Chafic Mekawi - Architect & Digital Artist, Chiara Rodriquez - President & CEO, Materially

19:00 – Networking Moment

A final networking moment bringing together speakers, partners and guests at the conclusion of the public programme.

Evening – Open Events, Dinners & Parties
The programme continues with dinners, gatherings and other open events connected to the wider Isola calendar.

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