Dubai Design District, or better known as D3, is the latest ingenuous endeavor announced by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. Dedicated to nurturing the growth of the Emirate’s design, fashion, and luxury industries, D3 will offer businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals a grounds for creativity with the vision of creating a high-end innovative community that engages, fosters, and promotes local, regional, and global design talent.
With 10 buildings currently under construction and Phase 1 due for completion in January 2015, D3 is the newest of TECOM Investments’ freezone business parks; the company having invested AED 4 billion ($1.08bn) in the first phase of the project already. Facilities will include everything from leading-edge design institutes to residential, hospitality, retail, and office space.
The District will be characterized by distinct public areas, exceptional street furniture, and shaded walkways. The development will further include a Creek-side esplanade with international and boutique hotels, a pop-up shop area, amphitheater and a convention center. D3 is set to become the most connected design, fashion, and luxury destination in the world.
Guided by the objectives set out in Dubai Fashion 2020, a strategic plan to harness the full growth potential of the fashion industry, this creative community will support Dubai’s goals for a more diversified knowledge economy.
Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, Group CEO of TECOM Investments, responsible for creating and delivering D3 said, “Should Dubai be awarded as the host city of Expo 2020, it would be the first time the event has come to the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region. Expo 2020 is a significant opportunity for Dubai to share its unique design talent, exchange ideas with sister nations and explore new avenues of collaboration. As the home of the regional and international design community, D3 will provide a centre of gravity for international designers and design enthusiasts leading up to Expo 2020 and a platform of support throughout the event itself. Our key objectives as D3 are to facilitate the on-going growth of the Emirate and to facilitate employment across the value chain,” going on to further state that “we are creating a community that will act as the heart of the industry within the Middle East. By linking thoughts, beliefs, opinions, cultures, and communities through encouragement of cultural exchanges between the host city and participating countries and alignment of innovation ideas with a view to stimulate economic growth.”
In addition to positioning Dubai as a distinguished community for the design and fashion industries competing on the global stage, D3 aims to increase the role of contemporary regional fashion and identify the specific needs of the regional and global companies considering Dubai and D3 as a base.
Dubai Expo 2020’s strategic theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ serves parallel to the goals of D3, a full service community suited to serve the demands of the Expo as well as for design industry related organizations, brands, and supporting enterprises. In addition to contributing to Dubai’s economic diversification and growing knowledge economy; together, the two projects will positively contribute to Dubai’s credentials as a global center for the creative sectors, setting the standard in the MENASA region at yet another all time high.
– Farah Alkandari
