“You can’t force a talent to go into production.” Cyril Zammit on Dubai’s evolving design landscape, the role of government support and the future of NFTs

This week we caught up with Cyril Zammit, design advisor and former director of the renowned fair for collectible design, Design Days Dubai, which ran from 2012-2017. Hashem and Cyril unpack a decade in design starting at a time when the local design scene was nascent before, Dubai cemented itself as a regional hub. They also discuss how the GCC’s design landscape–slowly but surely–matured and how Covid accelerated an interest in a more curated and design-led home environment. Finally, Cyril shares his expectations on how regional bodies can support emerging designers and what lies ahead for NFT lovers.