By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: To reinforce Dubai’s position as the region’s leading hub for art and design, Dubai Design District (d3) has launched Rethink Summer, a long-running programme of cultural events to promote the city as a global creative capital.
Rethink Summer runs until the end of August. It features creative workshops held in collaboration with Tashkeel, Shaghaf and Maison Des Fleurs, restaurant deals, retail promotions, fitness classes and more. The diverse line-up of events will encourage people to learn new design skills in line with the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy’s plan to double the number of creatives in the emirate by 2025.
Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director of d3, said: “We have curated a diverse range of creative workshops, retail promotions and dining deals to ensure residents and tourists enjoy a summer like never before in Dubai. Rethink Summer is a series of events, offers and activations that promises to bring people together to share new experiences, learn new skills and try unique restaurants. It is also the next phase of our global initiative for the post-pandemic world: Rethink the Regular. It aims to encourage society to see design from a new perspective and ensure we create a more resilient, sustainable knowledge and innovation-based economy for the next generation of creative talent. This is also in line with the vision of our leaders to transform Dubai into an international destination for creativity and the capital of the world’s creative economy.”
As part of the programme, d3 is collaborating with business partner Scientechnic to place three Italian SMEG fridges across the design destination stocked up with complimentary refreshing beverages for the community to enjoy all summer long. The striking red, white and black fridges designed by Vittorio Bertazzon will be filled with a daily assortment of refreshing drinks throughout summer.
Rethink Summer will ensure tourists and residents alike enjoy the coolest summer ever, with free ice creams, food deals, retail promotions, and a wide range of creative workshops. It is part of d3’s Rethink the Regular initiative, which aims to encourage people all around the world to come to Dubai to make, co-create and innovate.
Come prepared to doodle, armed with your favourite sketchbook and pencil, at Drop In & Draw: Travel Journaling, a class on drawing approaches and techniques to make your own Travelogue. Bring the kids along to Cardboard Monsters, a workshop that helps the little ones (or the young at heart) create their own mythical masterpieces using a versatile, environmentally-friendly material. All the classes are free to attend and follow the highest health, safety and precautionary measures. Spaces are limited and participants are invited to register here: https://dubaidesigndistrict.com/the-community/events.
Eat at some of d3’s most popular restaurants – including Anamoia, The Host, Vicolo, One Life, Akiba Dori, and Frame – and enjoy exclusive dine-in deals. From free ice cream and artisan coffee to discounts on a wide range of options, guests can enjoy the finest Emirati, Italian, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine, as well as speciality teas and freshly brewed coffees with a wide range of offers and discounts changing all the time.
Strategically located in the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and business destinations and plays a key role in the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy – an initiative to double the number of creators in the city from 70,000 to 140,000 by 2025.
With state-of-the-art infrastructure, co-working spaces, retail showrooms, commercial offices, smart city technologies, and a business-friendly framework designed to meet the needs of the industry, the community offers creative talent the tools to drive innovation. With dozens of international and homegrown public artworks and installations, the business district continues to empower the emirate’s economy and elevate Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design.
