The four-day design experience in Beirut, Lebanon will take place from May 23 to 26, 2024. This multidisciplinary event aims to showcase and celebrate design and creativity through a diverse program of showcases, installations, talks and workshops. Founded by Mariana Wehbe in collaboration with industrial designer Sameer Alameen, the event focuses on design and sustainability through programs in the fields of interior design, architecture, furniture, product design, functional art, ceramics and home accessories. We aim to foster a global conversation about sexuality.
This first edition will highlight a range of activities, including the historically significant Villa Audi, which serves as a ‘hub of preservation’ or ‘We Preserve’. Curated by Babylon the Agency, Villa Audi presents the exhibition “Echoes of the Past: A Journey through Product Design in the Middle East”. The site also hosts installations and pop-up events.
The four-day festival will also feature a designated craft hub as the official headquarters of We Design Beirut. The activity, entitled ‘We Empower’, will be held in Merle Michael’s PSLab and aims to support, empower and sustain local crafts and their artisans. The goal is to protect these artifacts and highlight their importance by providing them with exposure, visibility, and retail outlets.
Related article
Inaugural Design Doha 2024: Showcasing innovation in design from the Middle East and North Africa
At the infamous Avrolian Factory, “We Sustain” serves as the backdrop for a student design collective. Among them, a collective exhibition entitled “We Search” presents sustainability projects by student designers from Lebanese universities ALBA, AUB, LAU, USEK and USJ. The student-designed works are curated by a group of three internationally renowned design experts: Federica Sala, Anne-France Bertheron and François Le Blanc di Sicilia.
We Design Beirut also hosts the City Exhibition, where various studios and creative houses across the city open up their spaces as part of the festival. From Ivan Maktabi’s renovation of his three-story flagship store to Studio Nada Debs’ exhibition on craft techniques and architect Bernard Cooley’s exhibition exploring the work of his architect father.
Design weeks, festivals, biennials and triennials are essential to the evolution of the industry, serving as platforms to showcase innovation and foster collaboration. This week, in the Spanish city of Logroño, Concentrico launched his 10th anniversary edition. To reflect on the changing urban environment, the International Festival of Architecture and Design has installed 21 installations across the city. The 4th Bruges Triennale in Belgium recently began, promising to transform the streets and historic center and showcase architectural interventions. Finally, the world-famous Milan Design Week has concluded in the Italian city. It is one of the largest celebrations of design worldwide, featuring cultural events, exhibitions, large-scale installations, and conferences.