Itinerant design fair Nomad lands in Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport

For anyone who passed through the old Terminal 1 of Zayed International Airport over the last forty years, Nomad Abu Dhabi is a sentimental experience (sometimes even a shock), says Nomad founder Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte. Set inside Paul Andreu’s iconic 1982 terminal, revived after its closure in 2023, the first Abu Dhabi edition of Nomad (19–22 November 2025) transforms this modernist landmark into an immersive setting for collectible design, contemporary art, and jewellery.

'It’s one of our most iconic locations,' Bellavance-Lecompte notes. 'It combines mobility and architecture, reflecting our mission to revive the essence of significant buildings, reconsider their function, to integrate galleries in ways that let these spaces tell new stories and move forward.'

The journey begins in the hall that has witnessed countless farewells with Departures, created with Etihad Airways, featuring installations such as AA. Murakami’s Thousand Layers of Stomach, that transforms generative code from clam shells into a textile, and Ali Chaaban’s giant carpet airplane sculptures. Past security, stands A Nomadic Library by Mira Hawa Projects, Studio Etienne Bastormagi, and Dongola Limited Editions – a movable, foldable, expandable aluminium structures for large institutions, in an installation reflecting on memory, history, and cultural identity.

A long corridor leads to the circular rotunda, crowned by shimmering mosaic tiles, where galleries and special projects unfold in dialogue with the architecture. 'We don’t build white cubes,' underlines Bellavance-Lecompte. 'The space itself must speak.' It does as, all around, a constellation of forward-thinking galleries explores materiality.

Dubai’s The AP Room presents Aline Hazarian’s bronze-accented coffee table, Bardo Collections showcases Tunisian works such as Aymen Mbarki’s poetic terracotta side table and Orient 499 debuts a wood and brass tables and stool Mida by David/Nicolas, inspired by the majlis.

On one side, Soleille Gallery highlights Alex Turco’s sturdy quartz-and-brass tables, on the other, Bureau of Innovation – that aims to unveil its first physical space in the region within 6–12 months, presents Studio Khachatryan’s acclaimed white bronze stools. Meanwhile, Leila Heller Gallery celebrates nearly 40 visionary years of Chihuly with a series of objects in glass.

'Choosing the right location is essential for a first edition, and this location is extraordinary,' says Marco Voena of the international gallery Robilant+Voena, exhibiting pieces by Alighiero Boetti and Michelangelo Pistoletto beneath the splendidly decorated dome.

Next, Mondavilli Scagliola bridges historic and contemporary Italian design, from Alessandro Mendini to Michela Cattai and Lavinia Fuksas. London's Gallery Fumi presents reinterpretations of techniques typical of the region like tapestry, with Kustaa Saksi’s visionary rugs inspired by his recurring migraines.

Galerie BSL showcases the stone tables by Levantine designer Nada Debs x Studio Lél, echoing Andreu’s pentagonal ceiling. We Gallery spotlights its Brazilian and Latin American roots with masters such as Oscar Niemeyer alongside young talent like Lucas Recchia, presenting his bulle side tables.

Jewellery takes the stage with A2Z’s dazzling Dream Vault, joined by Studio Renn’s avant-garde pieces and Kamyen’s high jewellery, paired with Modu’s industrial-inspired modules.

Special commissions

Some special projects, set in the waiting areas facing the gates, are a world apart. Nilufar unfolds a striking 'slice' layout softened by signature drapery – a selection focusing on bronze, marble, and brass, preceded by a corridor charmingly lit by Christian Pellizzari’s creations.

Bottega Veneta invites artists (curated by Rana Beiruti) to reinterpret weaving for the 50th anniversary of its iconic leather weave Intrecciato, featuring among others a green geometric structure inspired by Emirati weaving traditions by Abdalla Almulla and a poetic luminous Totem by Nader Gammas, with hand-cut custom ceramic sheets.

Abu Dhabi as the centre of a creative ecosystem

Nomad’s ambition to foster dialogue between local artisanship and global savoir-faire is reinforced by the House of Artisans Design Competition, and off-site installations like Shifting Terrains at Jumeirah Saadiyat Island, including Neda Salmanpour’s wind-carved vertical sculptures, sand towers seemingly carved by wind, presented by Inloco Gallery.

'We’re bringing an entirely new standard to the region, this is the right moment to be here,' says Bellavance-Lecompte. 'Sales are strong—many galleries have sold half their booth or even more in the first days. I can easily foresee Abu Dhabi becoming, in two-three years, one of the world’s most important destinations for collectible design.'

Presented in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, Nomad aligns with the city’s expanding cultural ecosystem, including the new Mecanoo-designed Natural History Museum in the same Saadiyat Cultural District of Louvre Abu Dhabi, TeamLab, the Abrahamic Family House, and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum.

The fair also coincides with Abu Dhabi Art—which will evolve into Frieze Abu Dhabi next year—and with Manar, the citywide light-art exhibition featuring works such as Studio Drift’s Whispers, a field of fibre-optic stems swaying like nocturnal wheat.

Given that we find ourselves in an airport, asking Bellavance-Lecompte about future destinations feels almost beside the point: 'My first priority is to assess our new destinations, which are Abu Dhabi and the Hamptons. I really want to do a deep level work, because I believe they have great potential - they're completely different, but they can bring very interesting and complementary dynamics at the same time.'