Dubai Design District chooses Foster+Partners to design master plan's Phase 2

On the heels of the completion of Phase 1 of its master plan, Dubai Design District (D3) announced this week it plans to develop a 1 million-square-foot creative community within the district.

This new development will take shape next to the already constructed core buildings of the district, and officials hope it will become a "thriving cultural epicenter," information at D3's website, www.dubaidesigndistrict.com, said. Developers are confident the new creative community will attract up-and-coming designers and artists while at the same time bring visitors to the area. Plans are to provide galleries and studios for artists to show their works.

“D3’s pioneering Creative Community will help to foster the growth of the UAE’s design industry by acting as a dedicated destination for all things design, fashion, art and luxury," D3's Chief Operating Officer Mohammad Al Shehhi said. "An exciting year-round program of events and activities will drive visitor footfall to D3 and increase international appreciation for regional creative talent."

London-based Foster + Partners was chosen from a pool of highly-regarded firms to design the community.

“This is an exciting initiative, which supports young creatives, and allows Dubai’s design scene to flourish from within," Foster + Partners studio head Gerard Evenden said. "Approaching the brief, our first step was to explore the balance of activities in a successful, youthful, creative hub, and to understand the aspirations of the different users. We analysed the way that spaces were being used, and then brought a variety of functions together to encourage collaboration between disciplines.”

The concept was developed through focus groups and workshops, and the creative community is targeted for a 2017 opening.