On view at Alserkal Avenue until 10 May, the exhibition brings together global icons and regional voices in a more considered approach to design.
As Dubai’s cultural landscape matures, a quieter, more reflective approach to design is beginning to take shape. Now on view at The A/P Room in Alserkal Avenue, At First Sight offers a measured perspective on collectible design, one that moves away from immediacy and towards lasting cultural and material value.
Founded by Christelle Bassila under Atelio, the design arm of Vivium established by Elie Khouri, The A/P Room positions itself as the region’s first gallery dedicated to collectible design. Its curatorial approach brings together historic and contemporary works, connecting international and regional practices through a shared focus on craftsmanship, authorship and time.
At First Sight builds on this premise. Rather than focusing on visual impact alone, the exhibition considers how objects are experienced. It looks at how a piece settles into a space, how it carries its material, and how its presence evolves beyond the first encounter. In a moment shaped by uncertainty, this shift feels particularly relevant. The home is no longer just a backdrop, but a space where objects anchor a sense of continuity and stability.
The exhibition brings together a wide range of designers and artists across generations and geographies, including Rogan Gregory, Vincent Dubourg, Andrea Branzi, Faye Toogood, Choi Byung Hoon and Samuel Ross, alongside historic figures such as Gio Ponti and Joaquim Tenreiro. The result is a layered dialogue between past and present, where sculptural, material-driven works sit between function and contemplation.
At the centre of the gallery, Rogan Gregory’s works in American walnut and bronze anchor the space, while Vincent Dubourg’s Insideer cabinet introduces a more expressive tension between form and material. These are placed in conversation with mid-century pieces, including dining chairs by Joaquim Tenreiro and seating by Brazilian designers, reinforcing the continuity between design eras.
Elsewhere, the exhibition shifts in tone. A more intimate section brings together works by Faye Toogood and Andrea Branzi, alongside pieces by regional and emerging designers, where material relationships are explored with restraint. On the mezzanine level, a cabinet by Choi Byung Hoon extends the exhibition’s contemplative approach, encouraging a slower engagement with each piece.
Beyond individual works, the exhibition reflects a broader shift in how design is collected. Here, collecting is positioned not as a reactive act, but as one guided by conviction, clarity and long-term relevance. It is less about acquisition and more about understanding how objects are lived with over time.
Since opening earlier this year, The A/P Room has begun to establish itself as a platform for this way of thinking. With a second space planned in Abu Dhabi later in 2026, the gallery is building a presence that speaks to a growing audience seeking depth over trend-driven consumption.
At First Sight runs until 10 May at The A/P Room, Warehouse 81, Alserkal Avenue. More than an exhibition, it offers a different pace of engagement with design, one that values presence, permanence and the quiet evolution of objects within everyday life.
