engineering.
On Wednesday morning, the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and The Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia announced the winners of the AlMusalla Prize 2024 as EAST Architecture Studio, together with AKT II and Rayyane Tabet, for the design of a Musalla, a place of prayer and contemplation.
In its inaugural year, AlMusalla prize is a competition organised by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation for the design of a modular, sustainable prayer space. The winning design, which will be featured at the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah starting in January 2025, was conceived by considering principles of: source natural, and source local. This then led the team to considering the three Jeddah historical building materials: timber, stone and mud, which furthermore led to the interest in palm, and understanding of the vast amounts of waste that the date palm farming industry produces.
The pavilion centres on a modular prayer space crafted from sustainable glue-laminated date palm sourced for local Saudi Arabian farms. The small project will sequester 60t of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere this year and will display to the world what can be done with what people perceive to be waste material – a new way of thinking that the world needs to adopt going forward in the new age of sustainable living.
The design not only emphasises the commitment to environmentally friendly practices but also honours Islamic architectural and local building heritage.
The team was inspired by traditional weaving techniques, creating a structure that integrates cultural significance with modern functionality. The modular nature of the design allows for easy transport and reassembly, highlighting our dedication to practicality without compromising aesthetic values.
The project is set to take shape at the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 at the Western Hajj Terminal in King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah —a powerful collaboration of art, engineering, and culture – where it will eventually be built in the coming months.
This prize reinforces the belief in the importance of merging cutting-edge engineering with cultural narratives, setting new standards in sustainable architecture.
