Transform Spaces. Inspire Minds.

Total prize

50,000 €

+ realisation

Sculpt the Story.

Sculpt the Nation.

Saudi Arabia is undergoing an extraordinary transformation, stepping boldly into a future shaped by innovation, creativity, and opportunity. Guided by Vision 2030, the Kingdom is diversifying its economy beyond oil, with significant investments in tourism, culture, technology, and sustainability. This national evolution is redefining Saudi Arabia’s identity on the global stage, blending modern progress with deep-rooted heritage.

Across the country, ambitious initiatives are revitalizing cities and landscapes, honoring the past while embracing the future. Historic sites are being preserved, new urban developments are emerging, and cultural projects are flourishing—all working together to create a contemporary Saudi Arabia that is both forward-thinking and proud of its traditions. As the Kingdom grows into a global hub for art and creativity, it provides new platforms for artists, architects, and designers to contribute to its evolving landscape.
Learn more about Saudi culture and heritage through these resources
www.moc.gov.sa www.visitsaudi.com/en heritage.moc.gov.sa darah.gov.sa sgs.gov.sa www.vision2030.gov.sa ncw.gov.sa/magazine/en foundingday.sa
As part of Saudi Arabia’s broader cultural transformation, the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, organized by Buildner in partnership with the Mujassam Watan Initiative (an initiative by Al Fozan Social Foundation), provides a platform for architects and artists to shape the Kingdom’s evolving public spaces.

Since its launch in 2018, this prestigious competition has welcomed creative minds from around the world to design sculptures that reflect Saudi Arabia’s culture, heritage, and aspirations. These works of art are envisioned as meaningful additions to the urban landscape, enhancing public spaces and celebrating the Kingdom’s identity.

The 7th Competition Edition.

Two Sites.

Two Paths to Inspire.

This year’s theme, “The Inspiration Around You,” challenges participants to reflect on their environment and create sculptures that embody Saudi Arabia’s unique story. Designers will choose from two distinct sites.

Site 1

Abu Hadriyah Road

A major transportation corridor in the Eastern Province, stretching from the UAE border in the south to Kuwait in the north. It plays a crucial role in connecting Saudi Arabia with neighboring Gulf nations and serves as a primary entrance to Dammam, symbolizing movement, connectivity, and regional significance. This highly visible site offers an opportunity to create a landmark sculpture that reflects themes of progress and exchange.

Site 2

Tharwa Sea Front

Located in the Tharwa District of Al-Khobar, this vibrant urban waterfront merges modern city planning with the natural beauty of the Arabian Gulf. The Tharwa Corniche is a scenic promenade attracting both residents and visitors, offering a rich setting for public engagement and artistic expression. Sculptures here will interact with the coastal environment, enhancing the district’s identity as a destination for leisure, culture, and community gathering.

The Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge invites architects and artists to shape Saudi Arabia’s evolving public spaces with designs that reflect its rich heritage and dynamic future. Whether creating for the vital Abu Hadriyah Road or the vibrant Tharwa Sea Front, participants have the opportunity to craft sculptures that inspire, connect, and leave a lasting impact. Join the 7th Edition of the Competition and contribute to the Kingdom’s cultural landscape through creativity and innovation.

Join. Create. Inspire.

The Legacy of Winning Designs.

Below is the list of winners from the previous six editions of the competition.

Brief

The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.

Full Competition Brief

  • PHOTO & VIDEO
  • SITE PLANS
Download brief

Meet your jury

Extended list of jury biographies

Jury members shall under no circumstances be contacted by competition participants or their representatives. Participants who attempt to contact jury members, shall be disqualified.

All jury members are involved in the evaluation based on their availability at that time. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions please contact us on [email protected]  

Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman

Architecture and Design Commission

Saudi Arabia

Andrew Whalley

Grimshaw

United Kingdom

Eli Synnevåg

Snøhetta

Norway

Abdullah Al-Hajri

Eastern Province Municipality

Saudi Arabia

Al Motasem Attiyah

Clear Co Holding

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Ahmad AlSaifi

Ajdan Real Estate Development Company

Saudi Arabia

Ahmed Elgamal

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group

United Kingdom

HH Princess Tarfa Al Saud

Diriyah Development Gate Authority

Saudi Arabia

Jemma Chidiac

Jemma Chidiac Architects

Lebanon

Prizes

Total Prize Fund

50,000 €

Two sites. Two sets of winners.

The total prize fund for the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge is 50,000 €, which will be divided equally between the two competition sites. Each site will award a total of 25,000 € to its winning proposals, distributed as follows:

1ST PLACE

12,000 €

Prize for each site’s winner
2ND PLACE

8,000 €

Prize for each site’s winner
3RD PLACE

5,000 €

Prize for each site’s winner

Publicity campaign

Buildner's publicity campaign offers extensive exposure to the architectural community, ensuring that the results of the competition are seen by a vast audience:

Buildner's two million

The results are published on buildner.com, a leading website in the architecture industry, attracting over one million unique visitors annually. Additionally, the campaign extends to Buildner's social networks, which boast over 800,000 followers combined, and through newsletter campaigns reaching over 200,000 subscribers.

Interview and movie

Winners will have the opportunity to submit a movie and an interview, boosting their recognizability and helping to build their name in the industry.

Extensive media network

Buildner leverages an extensive network of media industry leaders to publish the competition results. This broadens the audience further, ensuring that participants' work is showcased across multiple platforms known for their influence and reach in the architecture and design sectors.

Publicity

ArchDaily feature

As part of the collaboration between Buildner and ArchDaily, the competition winners will be showcased on ArchDaily, a leading architecture news platform.

This feature will greatly boost the winners' visibility to millions of architecture professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, increasing their chances for new opportunities, attracting new clients, and establishing their reputation in the industry.

Read more about Buildner and ArchDaily partnership
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Eligibility

This international competition is open to architects, artists, and creatives from all backgrounds. Whether you are an emerging talent, an established professional, or exploring a bold new idea, the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge welcomes your vision. All submissions must be completed in English to ensure fair evaluation.

Key dates

Send reminders
Closing date for registration
24 July 2025
Competition Q&A deadline
30 July 2025

In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.

No new questions will be answered after this deadline.

Closing date for project submission
27 August 2025
23:59 (LONDON TIME)
Announcement of the winners
1 October 2025
Competition Q&A deadline
30 July 2025

In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.

No new questions will be answered after this deadline.

FAQ

Contact us for more questions
To register, simply click on "Register Now," fill out all necessary fields, select your preferred payment method, and submit your details. You will be redirected to PayPal or a card payment gateway to settle the competition fee. Upon confirmation of your payment, we will send you an email containing your Unique Identification Code (UIC). You must then log in to your Buildner account using your architecture.info credentials and validate your UIC to complete the process. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-enter-a-competition
You can add/remove/edit team member information as often as you want in the upload panel, up until the submission deadline. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-add-team-members-after-april-2023
No. Competition entries are evaluated anonymously. The participant registration type is only revealed upon the announcement of the results.
Please contact us – [email protected] and we will address the problem directly.
The short answer is yes, you may submit a previously published design concept as long as you are the author. Before re-submitting your project, please carefully read the following clarification points listed here - architecturecompetitions.com/resubmit-your-design
As AI-generated images may be based on pre-existing work or generated using proprietary algorithms, it is best to check the specific terms and conditions of the AI tool used to generate the image to determine its ownership status. It may also be necessary to seek legal advice to fully understand the ownership rights and any restrictions that may apply. In general, it is not recommended to consider AI-generated images as your sole work or intellectual property unless you have obtained explicit permission to do so.
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