Design Doha Biennial 2026 Opens With 80-Plus Designers

Design Doha Biennial 2026 opens in Doha, Qatar, today, bringing together more than 19 exhibitions, five installations and over 80 designers from across the Middle East, north Africa and south Asia. The event runs until 31 January 2027, with its opening programme taking place from 5 to 7 November.

The biennial arrives after a postponement earlier this year due to war in the Gulf. It now occupies Doha's historic Fereej Al Asmakh neighbourhood, transformed into an exhibition venue for contemporary architecture and design. Many of the exhibitions sit inside restored courtyard houses, with installations placed within the neighbourhood's existing buildings and outdoor spaces.

What anchors the programme?

At the centre sits Arab Design Now 2026, a group exhibition curated by Palestinian architect Noura Al Sayeh. It gathers 81 designers, artisans and makers, and includes 78 new commissions and 17 films. The exhibition presents finished objects alongside the people, materials and processes involved in making them.

"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."

The wider programme spans more than 19 exhibitions across over 20 countries, alongside five permanent public design commissions, talks and awards.

Which exhibitions stand out?

The Sower, an exhibition by Mexican designer Fernando Laposse, features a living seed bank developed in Qatar. Another exhibition, Post-Oil 2026, examines how industrial materials such as concrete, glass, steel and aluminium have shaped the built environment of the Gulf.

Among the featured works is The Muqarnas of Sadu by Ghadeer Mohammed, which reinterprets traditional Bedouin weaving patterns as a large sculptural installation built from reflective silver geometric pieces.

How do the public commissions respond to urban heat?

Five public design commissions have been installed in Fereej Al Asmakh, each reinterpreting traditional construction methods and environmental techniques for contemporary urban settings. Several projects use traditional water systems and building techniques to tackle urban heat.

The commissions 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.
• Palm Construct, a shaded pavilion by Emirati architect Abdalla Almulla that combines palm wood with traditional weaving techniques.
• Shoreline, a timber pavilion by Platau that reinterprets Qatar's maritime heritage.

What does this change for design in the region? The biennial argues that traditional crafts and environmental knowledge, from weaving to water-based cooling, can shape the future of design rather than merely preserve its past.

What precedent does the first edition set?

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.

Media coverage of the opening will include interviews with Design Doha director Fahad Al Obaidly and curator Noura Al Sayeh, alongside participating architects and designers, on the ideas and processes behind the exhibitions. Design Doha 2026 takes place from 5 November in Doha, Qatar.