Design Doha Biennial 2026 set to explore how traditional crafts can shape the future of design

A traditional courtyard surrounded by white rendered buildings with pointed arch doorways, wooden doors and windows and decorative latticework

Design Doha Biennial 2026 opens in Doha, Qatar, today, bringing together more than 19 exhibitions, five installations and over 80 designers, featuring projects that use traditional water systems and building techniques to tackle urban heat.

Following a postponement earlier this year due to war in the Gulf, the event will now run from today until 31 January 2027, with its opening programme taking place from 5 to 7 November.

A collection of low stools and cushions made from woven natural fibres arranged in a courtyard — Design Doha Biennial 2026 takes place in Doha's Fereej Al Asmakh neighbourhood

For the event Doha's historic neighbourhood of Fereej Al Asmakh has been transformed into an exhibition venue to showcase contemporary architecture and design from across the Middle East, north Africa and south Asia.

The biennial features more than 19 exhibitions across over 20 countries, alongside five permanent public design commissions, talks and awards. Many of the exhibitions occupy restored courtyard houses in Fereej Al Asmakh, where installations sit within the neighbourhood's existing buildings and outdoor spaces.

Arab Design Now exhibition space featuring a tall arched structure made from woven material, alongside a thatched enclosure and minimalist architectural elements — Arab Design Now was curated by Palestinian architect Noura Al Sayeh

At the centre of the biennial is Arab Design Now 2026, a group exhibition curated by Palestinian architect Noura Al Sayeh that brings together 81 designers, artisans and makers.

The exhibition includes 78 new commissions and 17 films, presenting finished objects alongside the people, materials and processes involved in making them.

Two colourful architectural structures made from intersecting strips of red, yellow, blue and purple material in a courtyard — More than 19 exhibitions will showcase contemporary design from across the MENA region

"The second edition of Arab Design Now, the headline exhibition of the Design Doha Biennial, puts context in the foreground," said Al Sayeh.

"It showcases design alongside the designers themselves, as well as the related environments, processes, artisans, craftsmen and makers."

A large wooden exhibition space containing shelving, display cabinets, low tables and furniture by Fernando Laposse — The Sower exhibition by Fernando Laposse features a living seed bank developed in Qatar

Other highlights include The Sower, an exhibition by Mexican designer Fernando Laposse featuring a living seed bank developed in Qatar.

Another exhibition called Post-Oil 2026 examines how industrial materials such as concrete, glass, steel and aluminium have shaped the built environment of the Gulf.

Women dressed in black stand inside a large sculptural installation made from reflective silver geometric pieces arranged in concentric layers around a circular opening — The Muqarnas of Sadu by Ghadeer Mohammed reinterprets traditional Bedouin weaving patterns

Five public design commissions will also be installed in Fereej Al Asmakh, reinterpreting traditional construction methods and environmental techniques for contemporary urban settings.

These include Salsabil, a cooling structure by French architecture studio New South that uses ceramic spheres and fine mist to create cooler areas in public spaces, as well as Palm Construct, a shaded pavilion by Emirati architect Abdalla Almulla that combines palm wood with traditional weaving techniques.

A paved outdoor courtyard with a timber pavilion featuring vertical wooden posts and a series of canopies at its centre — Shoreline by Platau reinterprets Qatar's maritime heritage through a timber pavilion

Dezeen will be reporting from Doha throughout the opening, visiting the exhibitions and public installations to bring readers the highlights of this year's programme.

The team will also be speaking to Design Doha director Fahad Al Obaidly and Arab Design Now curator Noura Al Sayeh, alongside participating architects and designers, to explore the ideas and processes behind the exhibitions.

A curved structure made from stacked blue ceramic spheres releasing a cloud of mist in a traditional courtyard — Salsabil by Meriem Chabani uses ceramic spheres and misting technology to create cooler public spaces

Design Doha was established in 2024 by Qatar Museums under the leadership of its chairperson, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

The inaugural edition featured more than 300 designers and studios across 24 exhibitions and attracted more than 118,000 visitors, establishing the biennial as a platform for contemporary design from the region.

Design Doha 2026 takes place from 5 November until 31 December in Doha, Qatar. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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