Examining CDW as both a creative platform and an urban condition. The talk situates the event within Cairo’s contested social, economic, and spatial landscape, questioning how design weeks operate as tools of visibility, networking, and cultural production while simultaneously producing moments of privatization, spectacle, and exclusion. Through tracing the evolution of CDW’s districts, programs, and audiences, the discussion reflects on the paradox of the city “on show”: where heritage is activated, design is celebrated, and access is curated. Grounded in critiques of cultural capital, gentrification, and the “oil painting” effect, the talk asks who CDW is truly for, how the city is framed during the week, and whether such events open Cairo up, or temporarily suspend it.