Global design leaders, including Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners, to spotlight future of communities at d3 Architecture Exhibition tomorrow

Dubai, UAE, 3 November 2025: The highly anticipated d3 Architecture Exhibition kicks off tomorrow at Dubai Design District (d3), the global creative hub by TECOM Group PJSC, until 9 November with exhibits by global leaders including Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Grimshaw, and Killa Design exploring how design can strengthen communities.

Aligned with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025 and in partnership with the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gulf Chapter, the d3 Architecture Exhibition will highlight the role of the built environment in fostering identity, connection, and community. It will underscore Dubai’s growing influence as a leader in global design dialogue while strengthening its legacy as a melting pot for cultures and creatives from around the world.

Taking place within the Atrium of Building 6 at d3, the exhibition will also feature ideas and concepts from more than 70 acclaimed and emerging architectural talents. The show kicks off alongside the 11^th edition of Dubai Design Week, the region’s leading design festival, presented in strategic partnership with d3. Marking the third edition of the event held in partnership with the RIBA Gulf Chapter, the fifth edition of d3 Architecture Exhibition this year reaffirms d3’s commitment to advancing the architectural and design landscape and nurturing spaces that inspire community and shared purpose.

“Design talent is instrumental to shaping more cohesive communities, and this edition of the d3 Architecture Exhibition aims to spotlight such future-focused thinkers," said Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC. “The d3 Architecture Exhibition and its accompanying workshops will unlock ideas and avenues to strengthen community cohesion, in line with the vision of the UAE’s Year of Community 2025. Through our partnership with RIBA Gulf Chapter as well as initiatives such as the d3 Awards and Dubai Design Week, d3 is empowering the world’s most creative minds to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for design excellence and innovation.”

“Great cities bring people together to create great things — that’s the true spirit of community, and something both d3 and RIBA celebrate throughout the year. By uniting projects, talks and workshops at Dubai Design Week, we’re highlighting how collaboration and creativity can shape better environments and enrich lives,” said Andy Shaw, RIBA Gulf Chapter Chair.

Complementing the exhibition will be a series of insightful talks and workshops that invite visitors – from established architects and designers to students and emerging talent – to gain fresh perspectives and join the conversation shaping the future of our cities. The sessions include: ‘AI for Creative Kids’; ‘Social Media: A No-Nonsense Guide for Designers & Architects’; and ‘Hands-on with Earthen Architecture.’

Unveiling new awards

This year’s d3 Architecture Exhibition will also serve as the stage for recognising contributions to architecture and design through three  awards platforms, two of which are new this year

The winner of the inaugural d3 Awards is set to be announced on 4 November. Launched this year as part of d3’s Beyond a Decade of Design celebrations, the new awards platform will spotlight the MENA region’s evolving, vibrant, and diverse design landscape. The inaugural edition of the d3 Awards has a focus on architecture – with subsequent editions focussing on other design practices – and was open to graduating design students in their final year of study, or designers within five years of practice, including those specialising in interiors, landscapes, and spatial design.

The d3 Architecture Exhibition will also be the setting for the unveiling of winners for two sets of RIBA awards on 5 November. RIBA’s Gulf Future Architects Exhibition and Student Awards celebrate the brightest architectural students from RIBA-validated universities in the region, including Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus; Abu Dhabi University; Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai Campus; American University of Sharjah; and American University in Dubai.

Additionally, the RIBA Middle East Awards, which mark the inaugural edition of RIBA’s prestigious global programme in the Gulf, honours qualified architects working on the most transformative and socially impactful projects in the region, with entries spanning unbuilt concepts to completed projects. The awards shortlist comprises 15 regionally renowned projects, one of which will be crowned as winner on 5 November.

Among the notable highlights of the upcoming d3 Architecture Exhibition will be: Forestias (Foster + Partners); New Dubai Masterplan (Bjarke Ingels Group: BIG); Khalid Bin Sultan Masterplan, Sharjah (Zaha Hadid Architects); TERRA at Expo City, Dubai (Grimshaw);  Al-Mujadilah Centre & Mosque for Women, Qatar (Diller Scofidio + Renfro); The Serai Wing, Sharjah (ANARCHITECT); and King Salman Park, Riyadh (Gerber Architekten and Buro Happold).

Dubai Design District (d3) is part of TECOM Group’s business district portfolio, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Science Park and Dubai Industrial City.

For the full Dubai Design Week programme, please visit: www.dubaidesignweek.ae.