How Abu Dhabi's old airport terminal became a destination for world-leading designers
There are art fairs and design fairs, and then there is Nomad. Part exhibition, part cultural encounter and part architectural discovery, the travelling collectable design fair has made a virtue of defying simple categorisation. Known for presenting exceptional objects in unexpected settings, Nomad returns to Abu Dhabi from November 18 to 22 for what promises to be its most ambitious edition yet,…
Nomad, the renowned travelling collectable design fair, will make its most ambitious return to Abu Dhabi from November 18 to 22, 2023, at the old Terminal 1 of the former airport. Founder and co-director Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte describes this edition as the most diverse and richest yet, with over 50 exhibitors taking over the venue. The fair will expand into the former departure hall, featuring dedicated spaces for cultural institutions, foundations, and design initiatives from across the globe.
Among the participating exhibitors are House of Artisans from Abu Dhabi, presenting a project with the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, and Dubai's Tashkeel, showcasing a retrospective of their commissions over 14 years. Designers and craftspeople from Uzbekistan, India, and Jordan will also be in attendance, offering works inspired by artifacts from the Petra Museum.
To encourage dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, Nomad has introduced a Nomad passport office, inviting visitors to collect a passport stamped at various participating locations. The main terminal will host international galleries alongside regional exhibitors, contemporary art, and an expanded jewellery offering, which proved particularly popular in previous editions.
Nomad aims to preserve its eclectic character by featuring a diverse range of design disciplines, from jewellery to art projects. The fair will draw exhibitors from Europe, the US, Africa, India, and Korea, reflecting Bellavance-Lecompte's dedication to giving less-represented markets an international platform. His previous work in Beirut, Lebanon, led to curatorial projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Rwanda, and Togo, emphasizing the importance of the Global South in the design world.
Having held 19 fairs globally since its founding, Nomad chose Abu Dhabi as the perfect destination due to its architectural heritage and scale, with the support of the local government. The decommissioned airport terminal, designed by French architect Paul Andreu, offered the ideal setting for the fair, providing an intimate scale and distinctive architectural details that resonate with the venue's history.
This unique space has already left a lasting impression on visitors, evoking a sense of nostalgia and awe in those who remember it from previous flights.
Nomad's success in Abu Dhabi has also challenged assumptions about the region's collecting market, with stronger-than-expected sales reported during the 2025 edition. This growth in confidence in the design industry and the region bodes well for the future of Nomad and the ongoing development of the design scene in Abu Dhabi.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
