Buildner and the Mujassam Watan Initiative have unveiled the winners of the Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge, an international competition that invited architects, artists, and designers to create visionary public sculptures reflecting Saudi Arabia's rich cultural heritage and ambitious future goals. As the Kingdom undergoes significant transformation under Vision 2030, this initiative called for works that bridge history and future, tradition and innovation within the public realm.
Participants were challenged to design site-specific urban sculptures for two distinct locations: the Tharwa Sea Front, a waterfront zone in Al-Khobar that blends natural beauty with contemporary urbanism, and Abu Hadriyah Road, a major highway connecting Saudi Arabia with neighboring Gulf states. Each site presented unique contexts and required proposals that would enhance the cultural landscape while responding thoughtfully to environmental and social settings.
The competition encouraged submissions exploring themes of national identity, heritage, connectivity, and transformation. Designers were asked to consider scale, durability, public engagement, and feasibility, creating sculptures that would serve not only as landmarks but also as meaningful contributions to community life. With a total prize fund of $50,000 and the possibility of actual construction, the competition represented a rare opportunity to leave a lasting impact on Saudi Arabia's evolving urban identity.
For the Tharwa Sea Front site, the jury strongly favored proposals that moved beyond formal sculptural expression to embrace spatial engagement. The most compelling projects offered opportunities for gathering, reflection, and social interaction—spaces designed to be experienced rather than merely observed. The jury emphasized that this prominent waterfront setting should invite public participation and become an integral part of Al-Khobar's daily civic life.
The first prize for the Tharwa Sea Front went to "COALESCE" by Timothy M Williams, Yahia Atef Saleh Mohamed, and Landon J Healy from the United States. Their design reinterprets traditional palm-weaving into a monumental pavilion of woven conical forms, combining vernacular craft with modern engineering to create a shaded communal space symbolizing unity and Saudi Arabia's evolving identity. Made from locally sourced palm mats held in tension by a concealed steel framework, the pavilion offers both sculptural beauty and functional gathering space.
The second prize winner, "Chromatic Echoes Pavilion" by Ala Munther Tawfiq Ammari and Afaf Zayed Hamed Al Odetalla from Jordan, presents a vibrant, light-responsive installation inspired by traditional Al-Sadu weaving patterns. Through its modular steel structure and colorful iridescent glass panels, the pavilion transforms natural light into an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color, creating an immersive daytime experience and glowing nighttime landmark.
Two projects tied for third place at the Tharwa Sea Front site. "Many Pearls" by Matthieu Boustany of France draws inspiration from the region's pearl-diving heritage, featuring a circular canopy of suspended glass, clay, and frosted-glass elements floating above slender columns to create a meditative public space. "The Light of History" by Magdalena Anna Marasik and Bartosz Paweł Haduch from Poland presents a refined monument that aligns with the sun's movement on Saudi National Day, September 23, using a copper-clad vertical form with a circular aperture to frame sunrise and sunset.
For the Abu Hadriyah Road site, the jury recognized the location as a threshold condition—more often experienced at speed from vehicles than on foot. Here, they valued bold, legible forms that could serve as visual landmarks from a distance while embodying themes of movement, arrival, and national identity. The jury encouraged designs that might also offer slower, more intimate experiences for travelers who choose to pause and explore.
The first prize for Abu Hadriyah Road went to "Hoist" by Felix Bartolome Blanch from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the United States. The design transforms the industrial iconography of oil pump jacks into a bold linear monument reflecting both Saudi Arabia's heritage and its transition toward a sustainable future. A rhythmic procession of corten steel frames and sail-like tensile structures creates striking visual language while offering shade and gathering spaces for the local community.
The second prize winner, "Abu Hadriyah Road - A Gateway to the Gulf" by Mirosław Zbigniew Nizio from Poland, proposes two massive triangular rammed earth structures representing natural resources as foundational forces of civilization. The design uses layered stratified walls inspired by geologic formations to create strong sculptural visibility and local material relevance.
A highlight submission, "The Wings of Progress" by Jassim Fj S Alnashmi from Kuwait, features two soaring wing-like structures symbolizing national resilience and ambition while celebrating the country's forward momentum under Vision 2030. Clad in green to echo the Saudi flag, the wings integrate sustainable technologies including algae-filled tanks designed to absorb carbon dioxide and generate energy.
The jury panel convened in person near the project sites in Al-Khobar in September 2025, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise from regional, national, and international perspectives. The distinguished panel included Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture; Andrew Whalley, Chairman of Grimshaw; Eli Synnevåg, Senior Architect and Director of Acquisition at Snøhetta; and HH Princess Tarfa Fahad Alsaud, Director of Cultural Heritage Curation at the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, among others.
This seventh edition of the competition attracted 366 project submissions from 60 countries, demonstrating impressive global engagement and reflecting the initiative's success in connecting with an international audience. The breadth of participation highlights the competition's effectiveness in encouraging designers worldwide to rethink the role of public sculpture in shaping national identity, civic life, and cultural continuity. As Al-Khobar continues evolving into a dynamic urban and cultural hub within Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, these winning designs signal a broader commitment to embedding creativity, reflection, and cultural resonance into the city's fabric.
