Dubai Design Week returned for its seventh edition from November 8-13 with a week-long festival celebrating design and creativity in the UAE. The event included exhibitions, installations, pop-up events and other live programmes at the Dubai Design District and across the city. Regenerative architecture and restorative design to reduce human impact on the planet were among the central themes of the show’s 2021 edition.
TREND Middle East was pleased to participate with futuristic and interactive installations in collaboration with highly recognized Dubai-based interior design firm Kristina Zanic Design Consultants and French manufacturer of luxury bathroom fittings THG Paris.
The installations
Stomp Bit: Small Steps, Big Impact
‘Stomp Bit’ was conceived as an intricate visual tribute to the Earth's natural rhythms. Leveraging the pixelated retro 8-bit game concept to create an interactive space hosting human actions and emotions, the installation was developed by the Kristina Zanic studio to promote the theme of environmental sustainability. A spectacular 30 meter-long pathway composed of 30,000 TREND 2 x 2 cm glass mosaic tiles reproduced the natural morphing pattern that appears in the Chukchi Sea once a year. The design welcomed visitors at the entrance to the Dubai Design District and aimed to show the flexibility of working with mosaics to create intricate and nuanced patterns for wall and floor finishes.
Watch as Kristina Zanic illustrates the concept of the installation:
The Shuttle: A Trip to A Mysterious Dimension
Visitors swinging by the TREND Middle East showroom during the course of the week were welcomed by ‘The Shuttle’, a futuristic installation developed by Kristina Zanic inspired by life’s fast pace. The installation featured a floating 3D mountain covered in TREND gold mosaic tiles highlighting THG Paris’ luxury collection of bathroom fittings. The exterior was decorated in reflective glass tiles arranged in a staggered 3D pattern while the corners of the façade displayed our back-lit etherium® TREND Origina® Black Diamond, evoking the essence of the galaxy as it glows through the universe. The exhibition embodied a stunning display of the infinite design possibilities offered by TREND's vast array of product offerings.
Watch as Kristina Zanic’s team takes us through the details of the installation:
Other key highlights
‘Calore’ collection by Kristina Zanic
Another key highlight of the week was the launch of the ‘Calore’ collection by Kristina Zanic, which interprets different wood textures and patterns through TREND’s 1 x 1 cm glass mosaics. Paying tribute to our forests and woodlands, tragically devastated by wildfires in recent years, Calore celebrates nature’s ultimate beauty while reminding us of its fragility. Designed to bring the warmth and beauty of nature into any interior.
The Café by The Lighthouse
Operated by Dubai Design District restaurant ‘The Lighthouse’ and designed by prominent Dubai-based Lulie Fisher Design Studio, The Café offered the perfect spot for the regional design community to dine and socialize at Downtown Design 2021, the Middle East’s leading design fair for original and high-quality design. The interior of the café, inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel ‘To the Lighthouse’, features a boldly patterned and richly colored TREND custom CAD mosaic feature wall that acts as a backdrop to the servery counter.
Photography: Alex Jeffries Photography Group
TREND Group nominated Best Italian Company 2021 in the UAE
TREND Middle East’s successful participation in Dubai Design Week 2021 was further marked by the prestigious recognition as Best Italian Company 2021 in the UAE awarded by the local Italian Industry & Commerce Office for bringing excellence in interior design in the Middle East. A milestone that confirms TREND Group’s ability to establish itself as a reference point in the industry across the MENA region.