Dubai: Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group PJSC, today announced Ohireme Uanzekin as the winner of the first-ever d3 Awards during a special ceremony held at the opening of the d3 Architecture Exhibition. Organised in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Gulf Chapter, the event runs as part of Dubai Design Week 2025.
According to Emirates News Agency, Uanzekin, a young Dubai-based architectural designer originally from Lagos, Nigeria, won for his project Abora – The Urban Earthscape, which envisions an interconnected landscape of community spaces embedded within the ground. The concept highlights the social impact of inclusive and community-driven spatial design.
The designer, a graduate of Heriot-Watt University Dubai, has previously exhibited at Dubai Design Week, the RIBA Future Architects Showcase, and the Paradyz Designers Award. He currently works with d3-based firm Tariq Khayyat Design Partners. Uanzekin received a AED100,000 prize, a mentorship opportunity, and an exhibition of his work during Dubai Design Week.
Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice-President of d3, said the inaugural edition of the awards reflects the region’s creative depth. ‘The d3 Awards have been an extraordinary success, showcasing emerging talents like Ohireme Uanzekin. This new platform reaffirms our commitment to nurturing creativity and strengthening Dubai’s role as a global hub for design and innovation,’ she said.
Launched earlier this year as part of d3’s Beyond a Decade of Design celebrations, the d3 Awards aim to spotlight the MENA region’s diverse design landscape. The first edition focused on architecture, inviting submissions from students and early-career designers exploring community-centred design aligned with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025.
Four additional shortlisted projects were also exhibited: The Cocoon by Muskan Rochlani; Enlivening the Sphere of Relics by Prerna Revankar and Sanjana Chavadi; Eternal Lands by Yousif Al-Waeli; and Floating Community by Jamal Hamsho.
The jury included Abdalla Almulla (MULA), Andrea Cuman (Studiolabo, Fuorisalone), Sumaya Dabbagh (Dabbagh Architects), Arthur Mamou-Mani (Mamou-Mani), Natasha Carella (Dubai Design Week), and Ralf Steinhauer (RSP).
Fahed+Architects designed the award trophy, inspired by the UAE’s natural landscapes. Crafted through 3D printing in clay, it symbolises the fusion of tradition and innovation that defines d3’s creative ethos.
Architecture remains a focal point of this year’s Dubai Design Week, with the d3 Architecture Exhibition featuring works from over 70 global and regional firms, including Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Grimshaw, and Killa Design.
The d3 Awards will return in future editions to celebrate additional design disciplines, continuing to highlight the region’s evolving creative landscape.