AlMusalla Prize , Saudi-Arabien

Press release by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation

THE DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES EAST ARCHITECTURE STUDIO, IN COLLABORATION WITH ARTIST RAYYANE TABET AND ENGINEERS AKT II, AS THE WINNERS OF THE INAUGURAL ALMUSALLA PRIZE

• The AlMusalla Prize is a new architectural competition that is part of the Islamic Arts Biennale

• The winning design by EAST Architecture Studio, in collaboration with artist Rayyane Tabet and engineers AKT II, features a modular structure inspired by regional weaving traditions. It relies on waste materials derived from local date palm trees, consisting principally of palm fronds and fiber

• After the four-month Biennale, the Musalla will be disassembled and rebuilt at a new location

Jeddah, October 9, 2024

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation is proud to announce the winner of the 2024 AlMusalla Prize: a collective composed of EAST Architecture Studio, based in Lebanon and the UAE; international engineering firm AKT II based in the UK; and Beirut- and San Francisco–based artist Rayyane Tabet.

The AlMusalla Prize is an international architecture competition for the design of a Musalla, a space for prayer and contemplation to be built on the site of the Islamic Arts Biennale – the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In addition to having their design built, the competition winner will also receive a monetary prize.

The winning team was selected from a shortlist of architects including AAU Anastas (Palestine), Sahel AlHiyari (Jordan), Dabbagh Architects (Saudi Arabia), and Asif Khan (United Kingdom).
Jury members for the competition are Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf (jury chair), Farrokh Derakhshani, Lina Ghotmeh, Azra Akšamija, and Ali Malkawi. The inauguration of the Musalla will coincide with the opening of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale on January 25, 2025.

The competition brief asked architects to form teams that included an artist and engineer, to collaboratively design a Musalla that is a versatile, modular space for prayer that welcomes both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors. The brief specified that the structure should meet all the requirements for prayer, be of at least 150 square meters in size, and be sustainable in its method of construction. The brief also stressed the importance of the structure being easily disassembled and reassembled, emphasizing the afterlife and the legacy component of the project—for the structure to live past the duration of the Islamic Arts Biennale.

The concept developed by EAST Architecture Studio, in collaboration with AKT II and Rayyane Tabet, addresses togetherness and proximity, core dimensions of prayer in Islam. It is inspired by how craftsmanship and spirituality come together in weaving. The design consists of an open central courtyard and prayer spaces that form a structure that resembles a loom. The winning concept envisions a pavilion built primarily from the waste of local date palm trees—a natural resource that is found in abundance across the region. Instead of taking its waste to a landfill or burning it, the design showcases how it can be used as a building material. The winning proposal hopes it can prove the viability of this sustainable resource.

The material palette refers to vernacular architecture and draws inspirations from traditional methods of building in Jeddah, in particular AlBalad, the city’s historic district. The Musalla proposes a revitalization of these vernacular forms and methods. It introduces a modular tool kit of parts that can be assembled and disassembled to travel to other parts of Jeddah and beyond. The interior of the Musalla conveys the delicate, sublime beauty of woven fabric with a layered structure that is rooted in the ground and tapers gently as it soars upwards towards the canopy of the Hajj Terminal. The walls and floor of the central space are lined with textiles that have been treated with natural dyes. It is situated in a landscape that is defined by a 6 x 6 meter grid, inspired by the dimensions of palm-tree plantations in Saudi Arabia.

Jury members selected the winning project for its nuanced interpretation of the architecture of Muslim societies as being rooted in the natural and environmental context, and the sense of belonging that this fosters. The winning project also showed great potential to serve as a blueprint that can become quite revolutionary should it succeed in its material exploration and construction experimentation. The design demonstrates how vernacular materials that are uniquely suited to a particular site continue to offer lessons and inspiration for the way people live and share space today. Places of worship in Islam are also community spaces, and the project reflects this fact through the openness and inclusiveness of its interiors and through its presence at the Islamic Arts Biennale and the Hajj Terminal, which are both places of gathering and sharing cultures.

The design is both grand and intimate, offering visitors an experience that is simultaneously shared and deeply personal. This echoes the space of the Hajj Terminal in microcosm. The terminal’s monumental architecture serves as a symbolic gateway for pilgrims on their journey to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. The Islamic Arts Biennale also brings visitors from around the world together at the Hajj Terminal, with the arts of Muslim societies as a unifying focal point. The AlMusalla Prize bridges art and spirituality, inviting audiences to contemplate the artistry that has been inspired by Islamic faith over centuries, and through to the present day.

The Musalla will be operational for the four months of the Islamic Arts Biennale and will be dismantled, transported to a new destination, and reassembled after its closing.

Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf, jury chair of the AlMusalla Prize: “The winning design brilliantly marries sustainability with an original perspective on Musalla architecture, utilizing not only local materials like palm timber in a modular structure, but also inspired by the rich local tradition of weaving. This interdisciplinary collaboration between architects, an artist, and engineers has resulted in a contemporary interpretation of Islamic architecture that feels both sacred and inclusive. The team's demonstrated knowledge of architectural heritage, combined with their forward-thinking approach to creating a versatile space, truly embodies the goals of this competition. The result is a revolutionary prototype that utilizes unique construction materials and methods, which will hopefully serve as a blueprint for an incredibly sustainable future of regional architecture that is deeply rooted in local traditions.”

Aya Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation: “I am proud to announce the winner of the inaugural AlMusalla Prize, an award that celebrates sustainability, creativity, inclusion, and ingenuity in design. The jury has selected a team who has beautifully integrated architecture, art, and engineering to create an innovative and inspiring space for prayer and contemplation. This competition embodies our foundation's commitment to supporting new ideas and fresh perspectives on Islamic cultures and architecture. I can't wait to share this remarkable pavilion with the world when it is built, and to see people come together to enjoy and be inspired by this unique space. The AlMusalla Prize is a testament to the evolving landscape of Islamic arts and architecture, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this exciting journey.”

About the Islamic Arts Biennale
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Islamic Arts Biennale provides a holistic platform for new discourse about Islamic arts, offering an unparalleled space for learning, research, and insight. The exhibition takes place every two years at the Aga Khan Award–winning Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, a city that for centuries has represented a junction point for cultural exchange and a venue that acts as a port of entry for millions of pilgrims on their journey to Makkah and Madinah. The first edition of the Biennale welcomed more than 600,000 visitors, and the second edition builds on this success in an expanded form.

About the Diriyah Biennale Foundation
Inspired by the changes taking place in Saudi Arabia and the heritage site of Diriyah, and Chaired by H.H. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation (DBF) assumes a critical role in nurturing creative expression and instilling an appreciation for culture and the arts and their transformative potential. The Foundation aspires to be a catalyst for lifelong learning and serves Saudi Arabia’s communities by offering opportunities to engage with the burgeoning local art scene. Central to the Foundation’s mandate is to stage two recurring world-class Biennales of contemporary and Islamic arts, year-round interactive educational programs, and overseeing the activation of JAX, a creative district with industrial heritage in Diriyah. At this historical moment of evolution and growth in Saudi Arabia, DBF’s Biennales showcase some of the world’s leading artists, drive cultural exchange between the Kingdom and international communities, promote dialogue and understanding, and further establish Saudi Arabia as an important cultural center.



Press release by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation

THE DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES SHORTLISTED ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS, JURY, AND COMPETITION DETAILS FOR THE ALMUSALLA PRIZE, A NEW ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION THAT IS PART OF THE ISLAMIC ARTS BIENNALE

• The AlMusalla Prize is an international architecture competition for the design of a musalla, a modular space for prayer and contemplation open to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to be built on the site of the Islamic Arts Biennale at the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

• The shortlisted architects are AAU Anastas (Palestine), Sahel AlHiyari (Jordan), EAST Architecture Studio (Lebanon/United Arab Emirates), Dabbagh Architects (Saudi Arabia/United Arab Emirates), and Asif Khan (United Kingdom).

• Jury members for the competition are Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf (jury chair), Farrokh Derakhshani, Lina Ghotmeh, Azra Aksamija, and Ali Malkawi. The inauguration of the musalla will coincide with the opening of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale on January 25, 2025.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 15, 2024

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation is proud to announce the shortlisted architecture studios, competition details, and jury for the AlMusalla Prize, a unique international architecture competition for a musalla. The musalla, a space for prayer and gathering in Muslim culture, will be built on the iconic site of the Islamic Arts Biennale, the first and only biennial dedicated to the arts of Islamic civilization. As part of the Biennale’s second edition and inspired by the historical, cultural, and architectural significance of the SOM–designed and Aga Khan Award–winning Western Hajj Terminal in Jeddah, the AlMusalla Prizecelebrates the ideas of diverse architectural teams from different cultures within the Arab world and beyond.

The shortlisted teams for the 2025 AlMusalla Prize are AAU Anastas from Palestine, Sahel AlHiyari from Jordan, EAST Architecture Studio from Lebanon/United Arab Emirates, Dabbagh Architects from Saudi Arabia/United Arab Emirates, and Asif Khan from the United Kingdom. The selection criteria guiding the shortlisting of the five finalists included the studios’ previous built work, their multidisciplinary teams and a presentation of their knowledge of Islamic art and architecture. As part of the second phase of the competition, they will propose a design for a musalla.

The musalla should be a versatile, modular space for prayer inviting both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors. The musalla will be operational for the four months of the Biennale and will be dismantled, transported to a new destination, and rebuilt after its closing. Part of the competition brief is to consider the legacy of the musalla and suggest a new location and function for the space, offering the finalists the opportunity to contribute to its programming. The structure should meet all requirements for prayer, be of at least 50 square metres in size, and be sustainable in its method of construction. In addition to having their design built, the competition winner will also receive a monetary prize of $100,000.

The jury for the AlMusalla Prize brings together a rich set of experiences in architectural history, practice, and sustainability, particularly in the field of Islamic architecture. It is comprised of Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf (jury chair), senior advisor to the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia; Farrokh Derakhshani, Director of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture; Lina Ghotmeh, architect and founder of Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture; Azra Aksamija, artist, architectural historian, and Director of the MIT Future Heritage Lab; and Ali Malkawi, Professor of Architectural Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and Director of Harvard Center for Green Buildings.

Prince Nawaf Bin Ayyaf, jury chair of the AlMusalla Prize: “We're incredibly proud of the finalists that have reached this final stage of the competition. This unique prize is taking upon itself the hefty responsibility of advancing the discourse on musalla architecture typologies—by tapping into both its temporality and omnipresence, fundamentally as a space of worship but also as a place of gathering and socializing. By encouraging new ways of merging the latest building technologies that are inspired by traditional crafts, the AlMusalla Prize will create a structure that is reflective of our current times but also one that is deeply rooted in traditions of the Islamic faith and representative of its cultures. We hope the work we do today in this inaugural version will not only create a memorable landmark that will stand as a wonderful testament to the legacy of the Islamic Arts Biennale, but also will inspire others to participate in future iterations of this unique prize in the years ahead. The AlMusalla Prize takes its rightful place among the best practices of awards that celebrates sustainability, creativity, inclusion and ingenuity in design.”

Aya Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation: “Creating spaces that invite reflection and contemplation is intimately connected with our purpose as a foundation: to craft perspectives. We are thrilled to announce the AlMusalla Prize as part of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, and to engage with contestants whose body of knowledge includes translating our purpose into a space of prayer, open to all. We are honored to welcome our esteemed jury to this initiative and thank them for their commitment to our shared ambitions.”

The AlMusalla Prize is organized in collaboration with the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture, which has an international track record in the promotion and development of innovative architectural practice in mosque design in the twenty-first century.

The competition winner will be announced later this year, with the opening of the musalla to be held on January 25, 2025.

ABOUT THE ISLAMIC ARTS BIENNALE
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s Islamic Arts Biennale provides a holistic platform for new discourse about Islamic arts, offering an unparalleled space for learning, research, and insight. The exhibition takes place every two years at the Aga Khan Award–winning Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, a city that for centuries has represented a junction point for cultural exchange and a venue that acts as a port of entry for millions of pilgrims on their journey to Makkah and Madinah.

ABOUT THE DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION
Inspired by the changes taking place in Saudi Arabia and the heritage site of Diriyah, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation assumes a critical role in nurturing creative expression and instilling an appreciation for culture and the arts and their transformative potential. The Foundation aspires to be a catalyst for lifelong learning and serves Saudi Arabia’s communities by offering opportunities to engage with the burgeoning local art scene. Central to the Foundation’s mandate is staging two recurring world-class biennales in contemporary and Islamic arts, organizing year-round interactive educational programs, and overseeing the activation of JAX, a creative district with industrial heritage based in Diriyah. At this historical moment of evolution and growth in Saudi Arabia, DBF’s biennales showcase some of the world’s leading artists, drive cultural exchange between the Kingdom and international communities, promote dialogue and understanding, and further establish Saudi Arabia as an important cultural center.