NOW in its eighth iteration, Design Week — the calendar event which kicks off Sunday, October 5, 2025 — is being hailed by two of its longest partners as a vital platform for collaboration.

Representatives of the National Housing Trust and ARC Manufacturing Limited said they have both benefited from the opportunities created by th Jamaica Observer initiative over the last seven years.

“The National Housing Trust (NHT) is honoured to have been a partner with Design Week for seven of its eight years. Our continued support reflects the value we place on design as a cornerstone of sustainable development and community building,” said NHT’s Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Assistant General Manager Dwayne Berbick.

“At the NHT we recognise that good design is not only about aesthetics but also about resilience, functionality, and the capacity to meet the evolving needs of Jamaicans,” he added.

The assistant general manager said Design Week — which was spawned by  Observer Senior Associate Editor Lifestyle & Social Content Novia McDonald-Whyte during a walk along Kensington High Street, London — provides a vital platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration across sectors.

“For the NHT it creates opportunities to engage with architects, designers, and thought leaders while also informing the conversations we have with our contributors who look to us to provide solutions that are both practical and visionary,” said Berbick.

“By supporting this initiative we reaffirm our commitment to integrating creative and resilient design into our work, ensuring that the homes and communities we deliver continue to inspire confidence, pride, and a sense of belonging for generations to come,” he added.

Meanwhile, ARC Manufacturing Limited’s Corporate Affairs & Governance General Manager Novlet A Green said
among the opportunities Design Week has afforded the company is to further build brand visibility and awareness around its distinct competitive advantages, which are its manufactured product lines and ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system.

It has also facilitated improved stakeholder relations, in particular customer partnerships, and expanded ARC’s network ecosystem to include industry leaders, service providers, and others — all brought together by the annual Design Week production.

“ARC’s participation in Design Week appeals to our various niches, which speaks to the versatility of its products that can be used in all different stages of construction and design,” Green said.

“This year’s Design Week theme, ‘Creative Resilience’, perfectly captures ARC’s temperature over the last year when market forces and other business challenges were navigated and even embraced to further strengthen our company’s tenacity,” she added.

#DesignWeek2025 starts today with an informative seminar themed Creative Resilience.

“Our highly respected speakers, notably Dwayne Berbick, Peter Clarke, Heather Pinnock, Peta-Gaye Simpson, Cecil Foster, and Steven Livingston, will share insights on a wide range of subjects: From Foundation To Future: Designing for Generations, Built to Endure, to designing for an uncertain future. These topics are top of mind in today’s world of climate change.

“In addition, there’ll be discussions on water resources and development, the importance of lighting in design, and finally, franchise procurement: From Billion-Dollar Brands To Family Blueprints,” McDonald-Whyte said.

Pointing out that Jamaicans are a “house-proud people”, McDonald-Whyte said the desire when Design Week was conceptualised was to firstly showcase to the world the country’s talented artisans and, most importantly, high-quality products available on the island. And the desire remains the same today.

“As a media entity, the mandate to keep our nation informed is taken seriously. Sunday’s launch aside, conversations in design take place from Kingston to Montego Bay. We look forward to a week of sparkling discourse,” she said.

GREEN…ARC’s participation in Design Week appeals to our various niches

Check out the Design Week 2025 magazine inside.