• Ohireme Uanzekin’s winning submission ‘Abora – The Urban Earthscape’ imagines a network of spaces set within natural formations, making up a living terrain
• Awards ceremony took place at the d3 Architecture Exhibition, which opens to the public today and runs alongside the 11th edition of Dubai Design Week
• Winner receives a financial prize of AED 100,000 and mentorship from an industry leader
• Inaugural prize marks a milestone in d3’s mission to champion and enable emerging design talent in the MENA region and prize was launched as part of celebrations of d3’s Beyond a Decade of Design

The winner of the first ever d3 Awards was unveiled this morning in a special ceremony hosted by Dubai Design District at the d3 Architecture Exhibition, which opens today in partnership with the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects Gulf Chapter and runs as part of Dubai Design Week 2025.
Following submissions from more than 85 emerging design talents from across the MENA region, Ohireme Uanzekin, a young, emerging Dubai-based architectural designer was revealed as the winner of inaugural d3 Awards. Uanzekin’s winning design, titled ‘Abora - The Urban Earthscape’ imagines a network of spaces set within the ground to make up a living terrain, demonstrating the importance and impact of inclusive, community-driven spatial design.

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Ohireme Uanzekin recently completed a BA (Hons) in Architecture at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and has had his work exhibited and awarded across the Middle East and internationally, including at Dubai Design Week, the RIBA Future Architects Showcase, and the Paradyz Designers Award. He has also recently joined the d3-based architecture firm Tariq Khayyat Design Partners.

Ohireme Uanzekin was in attendance to accept the award, which was designed by d3’s own Fahed+Architects and takes its inspiration from the breathtaking landscapes of the Emirates and reflects the ethos of d3 as a creative hub where innovation grows from tradition and technology meets craft.  He also receives a financial prize of AED 100,000, a mentorship opportunity and the exhibit of his work as part of the Dubai Design Week programme.

“The d3 Awards inaugural edition has been an extraordinary success, with a diverse mix of entries from exciting emerging talents, including our first-ever winner Ohireme Uanzekin,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC. “Each shortlisted project highlights the depth of architectural design capability and talent within our region, reinforcing the creation of this new platform as a means to champion this talent. This is a special year for us and launching the Awards was a fitting way to mark our decade long journey as a global design hub. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to providing an integrated creative ecosystem for talents and creative professionals from around the world, consolidating Dubai's position as a global hub for the creative economy.”

Dubai Design District (d3), the global creative hub by TECOM Group PJSC, announced the launch of the d3 Awards in the Spring of this year as part of its celebrations of Beyond a Decade of Design and as a new platform for design talent discovery. With the aim of putting a global spotlight on the MENA region’s evolving, flourishing and diverse design landscape, an open call was launched and submissions from across the region were invited.

The inaugural edition had a focus on architecture and was open to graduating design students in their final year of study, as well as designers within five years of practice, including those specialising in interiors, landscapes, and spatial design. They were asked to submit conceptual proposals that explore community driven spatial design, aligning with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025.

Four further submissions were shortlisted.  These were:  

• Muskan Rochlani’s ‘The Cocoon.’  Indian-born Rochlani’s proposal is a maternity centre inspired by the nurturing properties of a cocoon, reflecting South Senegalese heritage and sustainable design.
• Prerna Revankar & Sanjana Chavadi’s project ‘Enlivening the Sphere of Relics.’ The UAE-based Indian designers reimagine Dhayah Fort in Ras Al Khaimah as a dialogue between past and present, transforming the space into a landscape that honours memory and craft.
• Yousif Al-Waeli from Iraq with his ‘Eternal Lands: Reshaping the UNESCO Recognised Marshlands’ Through his proposal, Al-Waeli imagines a revival of southern Iraq’s marshlands through a culturally rooted, sustainable plan for village and housing development.
• Jamal Hamsho from Syria with ‘Floating Community’ Hamsho’s project is a response to rising sea levels in Banraeaba, South Tarawa, and proposes a floating community that preserves social, cultural, and ecological continuity.

These designs, alongside the winning submission, will be on display at the d3 Architecture Exhibition in the Atrium of Building 6 at d3 until 9 November, offering visitors a chance to explore the diverse and forward-thinking visions shaping the future of design in the region.

The d3 Awards were overseen by an esteemed jury of industry leaders, which comprised Abdalla Almulla of MULA, Andrea Cuman of Milan’s Studiolabo and Fuorisalone, Sumaya Dabbagh of Dabbagh Architects, Arthur Mamou-Mani of Mamou-Mani, Natasha Carella of Dubai Design Week, and Ralf Steinhauer of RSP. Entries were evaluated on their forward-thinking approach, use of sustainable materials, passive design strategies, adaptability, accessibility and inclusivity while responding thoughtfully to environmental context.

Fahed+Architects designed the physical award presented to the winner. Inspired by the striking landscapes of the Emirates, the d3 Awards trophy takes its form from the wind‑sculpted sand dunes and rugged mountain escarpments visible across the northern Emirates. The award was 3D‑printed in clay using a process that mirrors natural sedimentation, then hand‑refined and kiln‑fired to ensure its uniqueness.

Architecture takes centre stage at this year’s Dubai Design Week, through the d3 Awards and the d3 Architecture Exhibition, which features concepts from more than 70 emerging and acclaimed architectural talents including Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Grimshaw, and Killa Design. In alignment with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025, the d3 Architecture Exhibition explores how the built environment can foster identity, connection, and shared culture, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for design excellence.

The d3 Awards will return in future editions to celebrate other design disciplines, continuing to spotlight the region’s vibrant and diverse creative landscape.
For the full Dubai Design Week programme, please visit: www.dubaidesignweek.ae.

‍