This May, Riyadh will open its doors to a new chapter in contemporary culture, Downtown Design Riyadh. From the 20th to the 23rd of the month this contemporary event will take over the JAX District with a debut that reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing stature in the international design world. Held in partnership with the Architecture and Design Commission of the Ministry of Culture, the fair is being positioned as the Kingdom’s first platform dedicated to original and high-quality contemporary design.
Downtown Design is no stranger to the region. Known for shaping the Middle East’s design landscape over the past decade, the fair’s arrival in Riyadh marks a confident step into a market undergoing extraordinary transformation. With major investments in luxury real estate, hospitality, and cultural infrastructure, Saudi Arabia is fast becoming a destination for ambitious design projects—and this fair meets that demand with a programme that is both commercially relevant and culturally nuanced.
The fair’s line-up balances established international names with regional studios and emerging Saudi talent. In a multi-brand presentation, Huda Lighting will showcase ten decorative and architectural lighting labels, including Tom Dixon and Brokis. The Bowery Company brings a curated edit of Scandinavian design, with pieces from GUBI, Audo Copenhagen, and &Tradition. From India, Scarlet Splendour will unveil work by Richard Hutten, while Maison Louis Drucker’s collaboration with TRAME and Aranda\Lasch explores the meeting point between algorithmic design and traditional craftsmanship. Kuwaiti architecture firm Babnimnim Studio will present a commissioned installation for Cosentino, and Jotun’s immersive colour exhibition includes new work by local designers. There’s also Teeb Made, which reimagines culturally rooted Saudi objects for a contemporary context, and the ‘Designed in Saudi’ initiative, focused on the growth of the Kingdom’s industrial design scene.
A dedicated section for collectible and limited-edition design will spotlight pieces with strong material storytelling and exceptional craftsmanship. Gallery COLLECTIONAL’s selection includes the sculptural lighting of New York-based Apparatus Studio and handcrafted furniture by Christophe Delcourt, alongside bold, textural work by Draga & Aurel. Aequo Gallery, making its Middle East debut, will present new work by Linde Freya Tangelder developed in collaboration with Indian artisan Jeevaram Suthar. Also featured are Venini’s hand-blown glass in dialogue with Michele De Lucchi and Peter Marino, and works from Visionnaire and Serafini that echo the rich legacy of Italian design.
The fair is a statement of intent—an affirmation that design in Saudi Arabia is no longer peripheral. With its curatorial edge, global reach, and regional sensitivity, Downtown Design Riyadh arrives not just as an event, but as an anchor for a creative ecosystem in motion. As public interest in art and design surges across the Kingdom, this fair offers a meeting point for visionaries, collaborators, and collectors navigating the shape of things to come.
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