Join us at Downtown Design, from 9-12 November 2022, on the d3 Waterfront event space in Dubai Design District, Booth F01.

Downtown Design at d3 Waterfront in Dubai Design District

As the commercial heart of Dubai Design Week, Downtown Design is the Middle East's leading fair for contemporary and high-quality design, showcasing international and regional exhibiting brands, manufacturers and designers.

hvíla editions features collectible design pieces by Berlin based Korean craft artist Setbyol Oh (oh-licht), Sculptor and designer Steven Haulenbeek from Chicago and British arborist and artist Robert George. Visit us at Booth F01.


Image courtesy Downtown Design


The event is free to attend. Please register here for Downtown Design 2022.

Opening Hours
Wednesday 9 November
12:00 - 14:00 (Press Preview)
14:00 - 18:00 (VIP Preview)

Thursday 10 November
12:00 - 20:00 (All Visitors)

Friday 11 November
12:00 - 20:00 (All Visitors)

Saturday 12 November
12:00 - 18:00 (All Visitors)

"Way Home" by Setbyol Oh | oh-licht


‘WAY HOME’ by Setbyol Oh from oh-licht is a 8 meter long tube made of mulberry paper (Hanji) and wicker, in which LED lights are installed. Hanji is a traditional Korean paper which has been used for hundreds of years in Korea for doors, windows, wallpaper and to make lamps in traditional houses. It is made from the fibers inside the stems of one-year-old mulberry trees.

The historic process of boiling and drying the fiber from the bark of trees gives the paper not only durability but also a beautiful surface that is expressed through its natural properties. Mulberry trees are especially strong and resilient to moisture, as they have to resist high humidity and large temperature differences between summer and winter.

As a final step, very thin sheets of white silk paper are individually pleated and then turned into a leave shape. About 1950 of these wrinkled paper leaves are glued onto the tube's surface.


Setbyol Oh | oh-licht 
Portrait © James H.

Created through material innovation and experiments with artisanal techniques, all objects on show at Downtown Design tell the story of its individual making process. While each piece is distinctive in its form and materiality, collectively they reveal deep intuition and convey the emotions of its maker, as part of a timeless poetic narrative.


RBS Bubble vessel by Steven Haulenbeek


The RBS VESSELS by Steven Haulenbeek are created using solid cast blocks of resin-bonded sand (RBS) which is typically a byproduct of the metal casting industry. The material is hand sculpted and selectively soaked with a coating of color resin that penetrates into the outer layer. Once cured, the object is excavated from the uncured sand block leaving the uniquely textured hardened shell.

Steven Haulenbeek with the RBS bubble vessel

Steven Haulenbeek is a Chicago-based artist and industrial designer. His work passes by the typical and seeks to invent unique production methods through which objects emerge organically. By interjecting uncontrollable variants within his techniques, Haulenbeek experiments with the balance between control and serendipity.




Hand-carved Bleached Ash bowl by Robert George


British arborist and artist Robert George works trees into one-of-a-kind objects. Working at height for over a decade, studying, climbing and being in contact with wood in its rawest form – day in, day out and come rain or shine – gives the Robert a unique relationship with the work he creates.




He turns the Ash Wood whilst it is very green (freshly sawn) so there is a lot of moisture in it still. As the bowl dries, the wood releases its tensions and forms new shapes. The pith (centre of the tree) is left in the bowl to allow for as much movement as possible.

After countless hours of turning and fine hollowing on the lathe, the surface is then hand carved using traditional gouges. This hand textured surface creates an immersive, haptic experience which allows to reminisce about moments in nature. Certain areas are left smooth to highlight interest in the wood and grain patterns. When the sunrays shine through the wood, it seems to become nearly transparent.

Robert George in his wood workshop
Portrait © Gavin Wallace