Riyadh, April 18, 2024, The Diriyah Biennale Foundation recently unveiled the participating teams and jury for the prestigious Al-Musalla Prize, an international architecture competition that will culminate in the construction of a Musalla (prayer space) on the grounds of the Islamic Arts Biennale.
The five finalists for the 2025 Al-Musalla Prize are distinguished architectural studios: AAU Anastas from Palestine, Sahel AlHiyari from Jordan, EAST Architecture Studio from Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, Dabbagh Architects from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and Asif Khan from the United Kingdom. These finalists were selected based on criteria such as their previous built work, the composition of their multidisciplinary teams, and their demonstrated knowledge of Islamic art and architecture.
The competition mandates that the Musalla must embody a traditional prayer space while also offering innovative design elements. One unique aspect is that the competing teams will have the opportunity to conceptualize the Musalla's future beyond the Biennale, as it will be dismantled and relocated afterward. Specific criteria for the Musalla's design include a minimum size of 50 square meters, adherence to high environmental sustainability standards, and a focus on aesthetics and craftsmanship that appeals to diverse cultural backgrounds.
The winning team's creation will be featured at the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, hosted at Jeddah's Western Hajj Terminal, renowned for its architectural significance. Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf, chair of the Al-Musalla Prize jury, highlighted the competition's role in exploring innovative models of Musalla architecture rooted in tradition yet embracing modern technologies.
Aya Al-Bakri, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, underscored the competition's alignment with the foundation's mission of fostering creativity across various disciplines. The Musalla Prize collaboration with the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture further underscores the initiative's goal of inspiring groundbreaking ideas in mosque design worldwide.
The announcement of the Al-Musalla Prize winner is anticipated later this year, promising to deliver a landmark architectural marvel that celebrates sustainability, creativity, inclusivity, and design excellence within Islamic architectural traditions.
