The doors of the fifth edition of Beirut Design Week closed on Sunday May 29. Since 2012, the festival has been turning Lebanon into the global stage for design by organizing many on topic events with a strong international feel. The 2016 edition focused on the theme “Growing Sustainability” by investigating the ways design can make the future world a place where resources, progress and wellness coexist. To that end, the organizers of Beirut Design week drew up a ten-point manifesto to outline the steps that lead to sustainability: biodegradable, recyclable, well-managed resources, low energy, low waste, no toxins, locally made, social enterprise, traditional craftsmanship and cultural identity.

These elements represented the focus of the many events included in the rich program of the 2016 edition, sponsored by many big names such as Bmw and Dhl. The list of happenings included, for instance, the Sustainable Design Exhibition, where national designers presented their projects after attending three workshops led by international experts on organic materials: this showed the public the creativity of Lebanese talents, as well as presented innovative solutions for the future. Another interesting event, which stressed the interactive side of the festival, was We Are All Makers, where local producers engaged participants by making them actively join the creation and assembly of modular design pieces, strictly relying on sustainable materials and parts only. The strong international feel of Beirut Design Week was once again proved by many events organized with the best designers from all over Europe, from Finland to Switzerland, from Berlin to The Netherlands. Thanks to its countless events, including talks, workshops, tours and a specific program dedicated to children and families, the 2016 edition of Beirut design Week confirmed to be the festival that pays the most attention to the environment's and humans' needs, by making design a tool to make the world a better place.

INFO: beirutdesignweek.org

HOTO COURTESY: Beirut Design Week